The step up from promising youth footballer to first-team star is never guaranteed but for Manchester United, winning the FA Youth Cup is a pretty good indicator.
United have won the prestigious Under-18 competition 11 times -- more than any other club. And while the trophy is always gratefully received, what comes next is viewed as more important.
At least one player from each of United's Youth Cup winning teams has gone on to make 50 senior appearances or more. Ryan Giggs, Gary Neville and David Beckham -- winners in 1992 -- formed the core of Sir Alex Ferguson's team which won the Champions League in 1999. Bobby Charlton (winner in 1954, 1955 and 1956) and Paul Pogba (winner in 2011) went on to lift the World Cup with England and France, respectively.
Five United players have scored in both the FA Youth Cup final and the FA Cup final -- Norman Whiteside, Mark Hughes, Paul Scholes, Jesse Lingard and Alejandro Garnacho. Simply put, the FA Youth Cup final can often provide a glimpse into the future.
The latest edition of the tournament will come to a climax on Thursday as United face neighbours Manchester City. It's a repeat of the 1986 final, when City beat United 3-1 over two legs.
Playing for United 40 years ago was full-back Lee Martin, who scored the winner in the 1990 FA Cup final replay against Crystal Palace as Ferguson claimed the first trophy of his Old Trafford reign. On the other side was Andy Hinchcliffe, Steve Redmond, Paul Lake and David White, who all graduated into City's first team and made more than 700 league appearances between them.
United and City will both hope there's at least one future star in their ranks on Thursday.
These days, Premier League clubs are often keen to keep their best young players under wraps for fear that the extra attention could derail their development. United, however, are struggling to keep a lid on the excitement among fans around the potential of 15-year-old JJ Gabriel.
Still too young to play in the Premier League, it hasn't stopped first-team head coach Michael Carrick from occasionally being asked about the forward in his news conferences. Gabriel has been called up to first-team training under both Ruben Amorim and Carrick, and is in line to play a part in some of United's preseason games this summer. Impress there, and a competitive senior debut could arrive as soon as next season.
JJ Gabriel is undoubtedly the headliner for Man United in Thursday's FA Youth Cup final. Over the years, the tournament has provided many stars who've gone on to shine in the first team and United hope Gabriel is next. Alex Livesey/Getty Images "JJ's an amazing talent," said U18s head coach Darren Fletcher. "He's been a pleasure to work with. He's a fantastic kid. I think we have to remember he's a kid. He's an amazing talent with a major future and somebody I've enjoyed working with immensely."