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Dominating older players, asking for extra sprints and a freakish natural ability... how a 13-year-old Jadon Sancho flew through the ranks at Watford and why his ex-coach thinks Dortmund star will win the Ballon d'Or

In the summer of 2013, Jadon Sancho was with Watford's academy and 13-years-old, when one training session saw his age group paired with the 16-year-olds.

A daunting prospect for any youngster, surely, but then Sancho was no ordinary youngster.

As Louis Lancaster, his youth coach, recalls: 'If you've got someone who's going to be a top player then he needs to be outstanding in his own age group.

Jadon Sancho's youth coach at Watford always tipped him for the top
Now at Borussia Dortmund, he is one of the most sought-after players in world football
As a child, Sancho played above his age with older boys but was still the most gifted

As a child, Sancho played above his age with older boys but was still the most gifted

'If they play the age group above, they just need to be good.