Oman today_ The Italian newspaper Tuttosport has unveiled the final list of nominees for the 2025 European Golden Boy Award during a ceremony held in the city of Genoa. This prestigious award is presented annually to the best under-21 football player in Europe and is regarded as one of the most distinguished individual honors in world football.
The event took place at the historic Badia di San Andrea Monastery, where the 25 finalists were officially revealed. Among them, 20 players were selected based on the data-driven Golden Boy Index, while the remaining five were added as wildcards through direct selection by Tuttosport’s editorial board.
Last year’s winner, Lamine Yamal of Barcelona, is not eligible to participate this year under the competition’s rules.
Among the participating countries, France and England lead the way with five players each. They are followed by Spain, Italy, Turkey, and Portugal, each with two representatives. At the club level, Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid top the list with three players apiece — all of whom are ranked among the top ten finalists.
In terms of leagues, the English Premier League dominates with nine nominees, followed by La Liga (Spain) and Ligue 1 (France), each contributing four. The total market value of this year’s 25 finalists is estimated at over €1.2 billion.
In the special wildcard category selected directly by Tuttosport, the following players were chosen: Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter Milan), Rodrigo Moura (Porto), Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool), and Aleksandar Stanković (Club Brugge).
Now, a panel of 50 international judges from leading European media outlets will decide the ultimate winner. The results will be announced in November during a ceremony in Turin.
Alongside the men’s award, Tuttosport also revealed the nominees for the European Golden Girl Award, presented to the best young female footballer in Europe. Notable contenders include Michelle Agyemang (Brighton), Imane Beney (Manchester City), Giulia Galli (Roma), Eva Schatzer (Juventus), and Lily Yohannes (Ajax).
With the final shortlist now confirmed, all eyes turn to Turin, where in November 2025 the brightest young talent in European football will be crowned — an event that continues to shape the future of the sport’s next generation of stars.