He has been dubbed the "new Didier Drogba" and is soon to be linking up with the Ivorian on a permanent basis after Chelsea and Anderlecht agreed a fee for the 18-year-old wonderkid. In Romelu Lukaku, the world clearly has a prodigious talent. He seems to know it: "I am ready for the big jump when the time comes. I am very ambitious." The 17-year-old should note however, that his position is precarious. For every Lionel Messi that matches the hype, there are plenty of Freddy Adus that swan-dive into obscurity. As a big money move looms closer, Goal.com UK looks at the prodigies that triumphed, failed, or are still trying. Living up to the hype At only 23, Lionel Messi's rise has been stratospheric. Former Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard once said of the 18-year-old Messi: "He showed what a talented player he is. He's very young but he's already doing lots of good things for the team." Besides countless club honours, Messi has won both old and new forms of Fifa World Player of the Year. No wonder Diego Maradona said: "I have seen the player who will inherit my place in Argentine football and his name is Messi. Messi is a genius." Maradona himself was a young wonder. At the tender age of 12, he said: "My first dream is to play in the World Cup, and my second is to win it." He obliged in 1986, almost single-handedly leading Argentina to the title. Maradona is frequently regarded as the best player ever, although Pele is often spoken about in the same breath. The Brazilian stunned the world in the 1958 World Cup when, aged 17, He scored six goals in the final three games of the tournament, which Brazil won at a canter. Two further Jules Rimet trophies followed and the International Federation of Football History and Statistics rated him the world's greatest ever player. It was perhaps unfortunate that Eusebio (9th on the list) was Pele's contemporary. Mirroring the South American, the Portuguese wowed people in his youth when he moved to Benfica at 18. Two years later, he scored two goals in Benfica's European Cup final success, announcing himself to the world. His nine goals in six games in the 1966 World Cup confirmed his status as one of the best. Although he never won an international trophy, he is still renowned. George Best, another player who was unlucky not to win a tournament with his country, was spotted aged 15, by Bob Bishop, a Manchester United scout. Famously, Bishop telegrammed Sir Matt Busby saying: "I think I've found you a genius." He wasn’t wrong. Best won two league championships and a European Cup with United, scoring 179 goals in the process. He was the first and only Northern Irishman to win European Player of the Year. United's current Best in the making, Wayne Rooney, has the potential to surpass him. Rooney announced himself as a 17-year-old by scoring a wonder winner against Premier League champions Arsenal, breaking their 30 game unbeaten run. It was iconic as much for Clive Tyldesley's commentary: "Remember the name: Wayne Rooney." At only 25, he has already won six domestic trophies and a Champions League, and remains one of England's brightest prospects. Rooney's powerful physique, excellent control and pace have drawn comparisons to Ronaldo. The striker emerged as a teenager as an unused sub for Brazil in World Cup ’94. He played for some of the biggest clubs in Europe and won his first European player of the Year at 21. Amassing World Cups, La Ligas, Uefa Cups and countless individual titles since then, Ronaldo is a true great. Countless other talents have started young. Samuel Eto’o has a record for La Liga performances by an African and scored 100 goals in five seasons for Barcelona; Gianluigi Buffon, the world’s most expensive keeper, is a World Cup winner. His compatriot, Paolo Maldini has won five Champions League titles and seven Serie As; and Welshman Ryan Giggs, who like Maldini before him, is plying his trade well into his 30s has won countless team and individual awards at Manchester United. They all turned their promise into major success, and their commitment to their field is something Lukaku would do well to heed.