“Cristo Ronaldo!” Speed’s rise to fame has been a funny thing, a seemingly awkward kid streaming from his bedroom suddenly becoming a modern soccer icon. But that’s the way the game is, and the 19-year-old from Cincinnati has figured out how to tap into a ravenous online soccer culture. What started as a YouTube folly has become a real passion for the teenager. And these days, he’s a regular fixture at Ballon d’Or, friend to some of the biggest names in the game, and a constant source of entertainment. “Speed” is on the cutting edge of what it means to make content, and have a resounding influence, on the beautiful game.

- Tom Hindle