The shortlist for the 2025 Golden Boy award has been announced, featuring 25 of Europe’s best footballers under the age of 21, Afrosport reports.
Created by Italian newspaper Tuttosport in 2003, the award recognises the brightest young talent playing in Europe’s top leagues. Unlike the Kopa Trophy, which is judged on a single season, the Golden Boy considers performances across a full calendar year.
This year’s initial 20-man shortlist includes players from 13 nations and 13 clubs, with France leading the way on five nominees, followed by England with four. Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid boast three representatives each — more than any other side.
PSG star Desire Doue is widely tipped as the favourite after playing a key role in the club’s treble-winning campaign. Should he win, he would become only the second French player in eight years to claim the award and move France ahead of England in the all-time national standings.
Also in contention are Real Madrid duo Arda Guler and Franco Mastantuono, along with Chelsea’s Estevao, Arsenal duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri, Pau Cubarsi of Barcelona, and Manchester United’s Leny Yoro.
Tuttosport also added five “Wild Card” nominees, including Jobe Bellingham, Rodrigo Mora and Giovanni Leoni, bringing the total to 25. If Jobe wins, he would follow in the footsteps of his brother Jude, who claimed the Golden Boy in 2023.
Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham, and most recently Lamine Yamal.
The 25 finalists for the 2025 Golden Boy Award
Pau Cubarsi – Barcelona
Desire Doue – Paris Saint-Germain
Dean Huijsen – Real Madrid
Kenan Yildiz – Juventus
Myles Lewis-Skelly – Arsenal
Warren Zaire-Emery – Paris Saint-Germain
Arda Güler – Real Madrid
Franco Mastantuono – Real Madrid
Ethan Nwaneri – Arsenal
Jorrel Hato – Chelsea
Geovany Quenda – Sporting Lisbon
Estevao – Chelsea
Leny Yoro – Manchester United
Senny Mayulu – Paris Saint-Germain
Nico O’Reilly – Manchester City
Eliesse Ben Seghir – Bayer Leverkusen
Victor Froholdt – Porto
Lucas Bergvall – Tottenham Hotspur
Archie Gray – Tottenham Hotspur
Mamadou Sarr – Strasbourg
Wild Cards
Jobe Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund
Francesco Pio Esposito – Inter Milan
Rodrigo Mora – Porto
Giovanni Leoni – Liverpool
Aleksandar Stankovic – Club Brugge
