Nominees for 2025 Golden Boy

The Golden Boy 2025 nominees shortlist has been revealed, featuring the best players under 21-years-old across European football

The award, similar to the Kopa Trophy, celebrates the best young footballer playing in a European country’s top league. The Golden Boy was created by Italian newspaper Tuttosport in 2003 to celebrate the best and brightest young players across the continent.

Voting includes representatives from countries such as France, Spain, England, Portugal and more. Unlike the Kopa Trophy, however, the Golden Boy takes into consideration a full calendar year compared to its counterpart which is based on a full season instead.

Players in the past to win the award include Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and most recently Lamine Yamal.

Check out the full list of nominees, including the Wild Cards, below.

1. Pau Cubarsí
2. Désiré Doué
3. Dean Huijsen
4. Kenan Yıldız
5. Myles Lewis-Skelly
6. Warren Zaïre-Emery
7. Arda Güler
8. Franco Mastantuono
9. Ethan Nwaneri
10. Jorrel Hato
11. Geovany Quenda
12. Estêvão
13. Leny Yoro
14. Senny Mayulu
15. Nico O’Reilly
16. Eliesse Ben Seghir
17. Victor Froholdt
18. Lucas Bergvall
19. Archie Gray
20. Mamadou Sarr

Thirteen different nations are represented among the 20 initial finalists across 13 unique clubs. France is the most represented with five nominees, followed by England with four. Champions League holders, Paris Saint-Germain, and Real Madrid each have three representatives, more than any other club.

PSG youngster Désiré Doué is a favourite for the award after helping the Ligue 1 side to their first Champions League triumph. Doué finished second in Kopa Trophy voting to Yamal, but the Barcelona star is not nominated given he won the Golden Boy last year.

If Doué wins, he would become just the second French player in eight years to be named Golden Boy. As well, it would break a tie with England for the most awards won by nationality. Spain is the current leader with five wins while England and France are tied on three.