The finalists for the Golden Boy 2024 award feature the best young talent across Europe, including Barcelona's Lamine Yamal.
For the last two decades, Italian outlet Tuttosport presents the Golden Boy award to the best soccer player under 21 years old competing across Europe. Previous winners range from Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney to Erling Haaland and Kylian Mbappé.
Last year, Jude Bellingham bagged the award by a record margin after a string of impressive performances for Borussia Dortmund, England and Real Madrid. Now, the next rising star is set to receive the award on Dec. 4.
Here's the 20 players up for this year's Golden Boy award.
Golden Boy 2024 Finalists
- Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
- João Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Alejandro Garnacho (Manchester United)
- Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)
- Savinho (Manchester City)
- Rico Lewis (Manchester City)
- Aleksandar Pavlović (Bayern Munich)
- Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United)
- Jorrel Hato (Ajax)
- Leny Yoro (Manchester United)
- Jamie Bynoe-Gittens (Borussia Dortmund)
- Kenan Yıldız (Juventus)
- Cristhian Mosquera (Valencia)
- Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace)
- Arda Güler (Real Madrid)
- Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
- Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain)
- Oscar Gloukh (RB Salzburg)
- Samuel Omorodion (Porto)
Lamine Yamal is the favorite to win this year's Golden Boy award after his exceptional performance for Spain at Euro 2024. The Barcelona winger recorded one goal and four assists in seven appearances for La Roja. Not only did he leave Germany as a Euro 2024 winner, but he also won the Young Player of the Tournament award a day after he turned 17 years old.
If Yamal does win the award, he will be the third Barcelona player in the last four years to take home the prize. He would also join the legendary list of previous winners, featuring some of the sport's best players of all time.
Previous Golden Boy Award Winners
- 2023: Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)
- 2022: Gavi (Barcelona)
- 2021: Pedri (Barcelona)
- 2020: Erling Haaland (Borussia Dortmund)
- 2019: João Felix (Benfica/Atlético Madrid)
- 2018: Matthijs de Ligt (Ajax)
- 2017: Kylian Mbappé (Monaco/Paris Saint-Germain)
- 2016: Renato Sanches (Benfica/Bayern Munich)
- 2015: Anthony Martial (Monaco/Manchester United)
- 2014: Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)
- 2013: Paul Pogba (Juventus)
- 2012: Isco (Málaga)
- 2011: Mario Götze (Borussia Dortmund)
- 2010: Mario Balotelli (Inter Milan/ Manchester City)
- 2009: Alexandre Pato (AC Milan)
- 2008: Anderson (Manchester United)
- 2007: Sergio Agüero (Atlético Madrid)
- 2006: Cesc Fàbregas (Arsenal)
- 2005: Lionel Messi (Barcelona)
- 2004: Wayne Rooney (Everton/Manchester United)
- 2003: Rafael van der Vaart (Ajax)
Barcelona's Gavi is the youngest player to ever receive the Golden Boy award at age 18 and 77 days.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Golden Boy 2024 Finalists: Full List.
