Jude Bellingham, the 18-year-old midfielder for Real Madrid, is the overwhelming favorite to win this year’s Golden Boy award. The annual prize is awarded by Italian publication Tuttosport to European football’s most promising talent under the age of 21. Bellingham will battle it out with Liverpool and Manchester United starlets in hope of landing the prestigious award.
The Golden Boy award has helped propel some of European football’s biggest talents to superstardom since its inception in 2003. Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart was the winner of the inaugural award before Wayne Rooney and Lionel Messi were victorious in 2004 and 2005 respectively. Most read in Football Previous Premier League-based winners include Cesc Fabregas, Anderson, Mario Balotelli, Raheem Sterling, and Anthony Martial.
This year’s shortlist includes some of the most exciting young talents in European football. The star-studded list includes recent Real Madrid signing and overwhelming favorite Bellingham, as well as Bayern Munich sensation Jamal Musiala. Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho makes the cut as do Liverpool pairing Harvey Elliott and Stefan Bajcetic who were both included in the top 100 list. Other notable names in the frame include Manchester United target Rasmus Hojlund and PSV Eindhoven’s Xavi Simons.
Alejandro Balde, Benjamin Sesko, Florian Wirtz, and Manchester City’s Rico Lewis have also been recognized for their impressive contributions over the last 12 months. RB Leipzig heads up the list of club’s boasting the most nominees with five – one more than FC Copenhagen and Brighton – while the Premier League has 12 of its young stars on the list.
Barcelona star Gavi is the current holder of the award and the 18-year-old is again in the running to scoop this year’s gong. The full 100-player shortlist is available at europeangoldenboy.com.
The Golden Boy award is not only a recognition of a player’s talent but also a prediction of their future success. The award has been a good indicator of future success, with previous winners going on to have illustrious careers. Paul Pogba claimed the award in 2014 during his first spell at Juventus and Sergio Aguero scooped the prize in 2007 whilst at Atletico Madrid. More recently, Kylian Mbappe (2017) and Erling Haaland (2020) were recipients of the Golden Boy award.
The award is not just a recognition of individual talent but also a reflection of the quality of football being played across Europe. The fact that RB Leipzig, FC Copenhagen, and Brighton have the most nominees on the shortlist highlights the quality of football being played in these clubs.
In conclusion, the Golden Boy award is an important recognition of young talent in European football. This year’s shortlist includes some of the most exciting young talents in European football, and it will be interesting to see who emerges as the winner. The award has been a good indicator of future success, and previous winners have gone on to have illustrious careers. The full 100-player shortlist is available at europeangoldenboy.com.