![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-barack-obama.jpg)
Barack Obama as a student
Everyone has a past—a fact that’s easy to forget with high-profile figures such as world leaders. But like the rest of us, these icons were once youthful and nowhere near as powerful as they were (or are) today. The following pictures of young world leaders before they were famous show that they weren’t unlike their constituents; they too posed for school portraits, went on field trips, and played sports. From these unassuming images, it can be hard to believe that the men and women seen here would someday hold large influence over a country.
Knowing the reputation of people like Joseph Stalin, Vladimir Putin, and Richard Nixon, seeing them as youths is almost surreal. No one looks benevolent nor menacing in these photos. Rather, they’re seen here as everyday people who don’t yet know the great power they will later hold. And more importantly, the millions of folks that will be affected by just one of their decisions.
With their power and reputation, it’s easy to forget that world leaders were once young.
![young presidents](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-donald-trump.jpg)
Donald Trump at New York’s Military Academy
![world leaders as young people](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-vladimir-putin.jpg)
Vladimir Putin in 1966
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-angela-merkle.jpg)
Angela Merkel in 1973
![young presidents](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-george-w-bush.jpg)
George Bush at Yale University sometime between 1964 to 1968
![world leaders before](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-princess-elizabeth-englad.jpg)
Princess Elizabeth II of England at 18 years old in 1945
These pictures of world leaders young give us insight to who they were before fame.
![world leaders before](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-margaret-thatcher.jpg)
Margaret Thatcher
![world leaders as young people](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-bill-clinton.jpg)
Bill Clinton meeting President John F. Kennedy in 1963
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-nelson-mandela.jpg)
Nelson Mandela in 1961
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-north-korea.jpg)
Kim Jong-il with his father Kim Il-sung and mother Kim Jong-suk in 1945
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-sadam-hussein.jpg)
Sadam Hussein
In each photo, these youths appear as everyday people who don’t yet know the great power they’ll soon hold.
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-fidel-castro.jpg)
Fidel Castro in 1955
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-john-f-kennedy.jpg)
John F. Kennedy at age 10 in 1927
![world leaders before](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-pope-francis.jpg)
Pope Francis as a boy
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-hilary-clinton.jpg)
Hilary Clinton around 1969
![world leaders as young people](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-dali-lama.jpg)
14th Dalai Lama
![historical figures before](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-richard-nixon.jpg)
Richard Nixon wearing his football jersey during the 1930s
![pictures of world leaders young](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leader-joseph-stalin.jpg)
Joseph Stalin in 1902
![young presidents](https://mymodernmet.com/wp/wp-content/uploads/2017/04/world-leaders-gandhi.jpg)
Mahatma Gandhi as a law student in 1887
h/t: [Bored Panda, Vintage Everyday]