The 25 nominees for the 2023 Golden Boy award have been unveiled, with the likes of Jude Bellingham & Jamal Musiala battling it out for the prestigious prize.
Barcelona duo Pedri and Gavi won the award in 2021 and 2022 respectively and therefore are no longer eligible this year, clearing the path for a new winner.
Xavi’s side do still have two players up for this year’s award. Left-back Alejandro Balde makes the cut, while 16-year-old winger Lamine Yamal has also been included as a wildcard.
|
Player |
Club |
|---|---|
|
Jude Bellingham |
Real Madrid |
|
Jamal Musiala |
Bayern Munich |
|
Xavi Simons |
RB Leipzig |
|
Antonio Silva |
Benfica |
|
Alejandro Balde |
Barcelona |
|
Florian Wirtz |
Bayer Leverkusen |
|
Benjamin Sesko |
RB Leipzig |
|
Giorgio Scalvini |
Atalanta |
|
Rasmus Hojlund |
Manchester United |
|
Levi Colwill |
Chelsea |
|
Johan Bakayoko |
PSV Eindhoven |
|
Milos Kerkez |
Bournemouth |
|
Arthur Vermeeren |
Royal Antwerp |
|
Evan Ferguson |
Brighton & Hove Albion |
|
Lucas Gourna-Douath |
Red Bull Salzburg |
|
Warren Zaire-Emery |
PSG |
|
Ousmane Diomande |
Sporting CP |
|
Arnau Martinez |
Girona |
|
Mathys Tel |
Bayern Munich |
|
Andy Diouf |
Lens |
|
Arda Guler |
Real Madrid |
|
Bilal El Khannouss |
Genk |
|
Martin Baturina |
Dinamo Zagreb |
|
Joao Neves |
Benfica |
|
Lamine Yamal |
Barcelona |
There are some huge names battling for the award. Bellingham and Musiala are early favourites but Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery and loanee Xavi Simons, who is shining with RB Leipzig, will both fancy their chances.
Chelsea‘s Levi Colwill and Manchester United‘s Rasmus Hojlund both make the cut, and fans of English football can keep an eye out for Brighton striker Evan Ferguson and Bournemouth left-back Milos Kerkez.
Royal Antwerp midfielder Arthur Vermeeren is slowly establishing himself as a household name. The Belgian youngster is a long-time target for Barcelona but 90min understands Arsenal, Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have all taken a liking to him.
Many of the game’s top young talents have won the Golden Boy award in the past. Alongside Gavi and Pedri, the trophy has gone home with Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Joao Felix and Matthijs de Ligt in the past four years.
Any player who has already won the award is no longer eligible for nomination.
|
Year |
Winner |
Club |
|---|---|---|
|
2003 |
Rafael van der Vaart |
Ajax |
|
2004 |
Wayne Rooney |
Manchester United |
|
2005 |
Lionel Messi |
Barcelona |
|
2006 |
Cesc Fabregas |
Arsenal |
|
2007 |
Sergio Aguero |
Atletico Madrid |
|
2008 |
Anderson |
Manchester United |
|
2009 |
Alexandre Pato |
AC Milan |
|
2010 |
Mario Balotelli |
Manchester City |
|
2011 |
Mario Gotze |
Borussia Dortmund |
|
2012 |
Isco |
Malaga |
|
2013 |
Paul Pogba |
Juventus |
|
2014 |
Raheem Sterling |
Liverpool |
|
2015 |
Anthony Martial |
Manchester United |
|
2016 |
Renato Sanches |
Bayern Munich |
|
2017 |
Kylian Mbappe |
PSG |
|
2018 |
Matthijs de Ligt |
Ajax |
|
2019 |
Joao Felix |
Atletico Madrid |
|
2020 |
Erling Haaland |
Borussia Dortmund |
|
2021 |
Pedri |
Barcelona |
|
2022 |
Gavi |
Barcelona |
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