The first list of candidates for the Golden Boy 2026 has been published: the race for the most important award for young footballers is open again
The Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport has published the initial list of one hundred candidates for the Golden Boy 2026 award, a recognition given every year to the best footballer under the age of 21 who plays for a European club. According to Tuttosport's announcement, the 24th edition of the award was officially presented on May 20 in Solomeo, in Umbria, where an event dedicated to young footballers, talent development and the future of European football was held. The first list serves as the starting point of a months-long selection process, and the final winner will be known at the end of the year, after additional rounds of selection and voting by the international jury. The first announcement emphasized that the list was prepared in cooperation with Transfermarkt, the partner in charge of the data and analytical part of the project. Among the most prominent names are once again players from Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Bayern, Sporting, Lille, Porto and other clubs that have strongly invested in the development of young players in recent years.
Yamal at the top of the list, but he cannot win the award again
In the initial ranking, according to Tuttosport's report and the writing of the Spanish outlet AS, first place is occupied by Lamine Yamal, Barcelona's winger and one of the most recognizable young footballers in the world. His name, however, has a special meaning in this race because Yamal already won the Golden Boy award in 2024. According to the rules and established practice of the selection, a player who has once won the Golden Boy cannot be declared the winner again, even if he still meets the age criterion. Because of this, Yamal's first place in the initial index is interpreted more as confirmation of his value and continuity than as a realistic candidacy for winning the trophy again. Tuttosport states that such a situation opens up space for other players near the top of the list, above all Warren Zaïre-Emery from Paris Saint-Germain and Pau Cubarsí from Barcelona.
Zaïre-Emery stands out in Italian reports as one of the main candidates for the final victory. Tuttosport recalls that the French midfielder has for years been among the highest-ranked young players in this selection: he was fifth in 2023, third in 2024 and seventh in 2025. Such continuity is rare in a selection based on a very changeable field of young footballers, especially because new names from the strongest European academies and leagues appear every year. Another point in Zaïre-Emery's favor is the fact that he plays an important role at Paris Saint-Germain, the club that, according to the Golden Boy Awards announcement, produced last year's winner Désiré Doué in 2025. If PSG continues with good results in the final part of the season and if the French international also establishes himself at international level, his candidacy could strengthen further during the year.
Cubarsí, Diomandé, Estevão and Vušković among the most interesting names
Pau Cubarsí, Barcelona's young centre-back, according to the available information occupies one of the leading positions in the race and is considered the main defensive candidate for the award. AS described him as one of the early favorites, while Tuttosport points out that the World Cup and the beginning of the next season could be important for the jury's final impression of him. Cubarsí had already attracted attention earlier because of his composure in play, quick decision-making and ability to cope at a very young age with the pressure of playing for Barcelona. In a selection often won by attackers and midfielders, his possible victory would be particularly interesting because it would confirm the growing value of young defenders in modern football. According to reports, the competition also includes Ousmane Diomandé, Sporting's defender, and Estevão, the Brazilian attacker linked with Chelsea, who has for some time been counted among the most closely followed South American talents.
Special attention is also drawn by Luka Vušković, the Croatian defender who, according to AS's report, is among the top ten in the initial ranking. According to Transfermarkt data, Vušković was born on February 24, 2007 in Split, plays as a centre-back, and is currently on loan at Hamburger SV from Tottenham Hotspur. Tottenham states on its official website that Vušković joined the London club in July 2025 after his transfer from Hajduk had been agreed in 2023, and then in August 2025 he was loaned to Hamburg in order to gain experience in the Bundesliga. Such a development path has placed him in the environment of one of Europe's strongest leagues, which is especially important for young defenders because it allows them regular encounters with high intensity, physically demanding duels and tactically diverse opponents. His entry among the best-ranked young players confirms that his affirmation is no longer viewed only through potential, but also through performance in senior football.
Why the first list is important even though it does not decide the winner
The initial list of one hundred candidates does not mean that the race has already been decided. On the contrary, it is the first snapshot of the situation, which is gradually narrowed during the year, while the final choice depends on form, minutes played, club results, appearances in European competitions and international matches. Tuttosport states that the process will unfold through monthly stages, and the final word will belong to a jury composed of fifty journalists from leading European newsrooms. Such a format gives weight to continuity, but also leaves room for players who still have to impose themselves in the autumn part of the season. In a year in which the World Cup is also played, national-team performance could additionally influence the perception of candidates, especially those who already have senior status in their national teams.
For that reason, the ranking published in May cannot be read as a final prediction, but as a map of the most important young players at the beginning of the selection cycle. In practice, the ranking can change significantly if a candidate loses his place in the team, suffers an injury, changes club or particularly stands out in major matches. For young footballers, the award also has a market dimension because it additionally increases their visibility among clubs, agents, sponsors and fans. Still, the Golden Boy is not only a commercial label of potential, but also recognition for an already achieved level of play. That is precisely why players who, despite their youth, already have a serious role in first teams are increasingly coming to the fore.
The Premier League, La Liga and the Bundesliga are once again strongly represented
According to AS, the top ten also include Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, Lennart Karl from Bayern, Victor Froholdt from Porto, Jorrel Hato from Chelsea and Luka Vušković from Hamburg. This group clearly shows how much the competition has expanded beyond the traditional circle of the best-known attacking talents. The list includes midfielders, defenders and attackers of different profiles, from technically dominant creators to physically strong centre-backs and full-backs. The Premier League and clubs connected with English football once again have a large number of candidates, as confirmed by British media reports about numerous young players from Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, Chelsea, Tottenham, Newcastle and other clubs. Such representation is not surprising given the financial strength of English clubs and the increasing pressure for top talents to be integrated earlier than before.
One of the youngest names on the list is Max Dowman, Arsenal's talent born on December 31, 2009. Tuttosport highlighted him as the youngest candidate on the list and stated that he had already received his first minutes in senior competition. British media additionally emphasized that Dowman appeared on the list shortly after Arsenal won the English league title, and according to their reports he recorded enough appearances to be mentioned in the context of a winners' medal. With such young players, every assessment must remain cautious because development at that age is extremely unpredictable. Still, the very fact that a sixteen-year-old is among one hundred candidates for one of the most closely followed individual awards in European football shows how early clubs and scouts are recognizing players who could define the next decade.
An award that launched big names in European football
The Golden Boy was awarded for the first time in 2003, and among the previous winners are footballers who later left a major mark on European and world football. According to the official chronology of the Golden Boy Awards and Tuttosport's publications, previous winners include Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fàbregas, Sergio Agüero, Mario Götze, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappé, Matthijs de Ligt, João Félix, Erling Haaland, Pedri, Gavi, Jude Bellingham, Lamine Yamal and Désiré Doué. Such a list gives the award weight because it has often turned out that the laureates were already, in their youth, players with clear potential for the biggest stage. At the same time, the history of the selection shows that the award is not a guarantee of a career without difficulties, because the development of a young player depends on health, environment, minutes played, coaches, pressure and the ability to adapt.
That is exactly why the Golden Boy is followed every year both as a sporting story and as a broader football story. Clubs see it as confirmation of the work of academies and scouting departments, fans see an opportunity to get to know a new generation, and the media see a framework for comparing players who often perform in different leagues and tactical systems. In modern football, young players are entering senior setups ever earlier, but at the same time they are carrying an ever greater burden of expectation. An award such as the Golden Boy can accelerate their global recognition, but it can also increase pressure. For that reason, it is increasingly emphasized that long-term development is more important than a one-off recognition, especially for players who are only entering the most sensitive phase of their professional careers.
Solomeo as a place of discussion about the future of young players
This year's presentation of the candidates was held in Solomeo, at the headquarters of the Brunello Cucinelli fashion house, and the official Golden Boy Awards website also linked the event with a discussion about the state of Italian football. The announcement states that the reserve teams of Juventus, Milan, Atalanta and Inter gathered there as part of the Trofeo dell’Armonia Sportiva, a tournament focused on the development of young and reserve squads. Italian sources meanwhile emphasize that the smaller number of Italian players and the lower representation of Serie A among the leading candidates open a broader question about work with youth. According to the official announcement, football figures such as Fabio Capello, Fabio Paratici, Sara Gama and other participants from the sporting system took part in the discussions.
Such a context gives this year's list additional weight because it shows that the Golden Boy is not only an award ceremony, but also an occasion for conversation about how European clubs create, develop and protect talents. In recent years, Italian football has increasingly questioned its own development model, while at the same time clubs from England, Spain, France and Germany have managed to involve young players in senior rotations earlier. From the candidates' perspective, the most important thing will be to find a balance between rapid rise and stable progress. Players such as Zaïre-Emery, Cubarsí, Vušković, Estevão or Dowman are already well known enough to attract attention, but the final ranking will depend on the months that follow.
The race will take shape through the summer, autumn and major matches
There is still plenty of room for changes before the final decision. According to the available information, the list will be gradually narrowed, and the final phase is expected in the second part of the year, when it will become clear who has managed to confirm spring form through the summer and autumn. Major tournaments, the final stages of European competitions, the transfer window and the beginning of the new club season could change the balance among the candidates. Players who currently appear to be favorites will have to confirm their status in matches of the highest pressure, while those from the second tier have the chance to take advantage of injuries, transfers or coaching changes in order to gain a larger role. That is also the special feature of the award: it does not record only current value, but follows the entire process of maturation.
For now, it is clear that the selection for the Golden Boy 2026 will be one of the most interesting races of recent years. Lamine Yamal remains the reference point of his generation, but because of his earlier victory he cannot win the trophy again. Warren Zaïre-Emery enters the year with the reputation of a constant candidate who is waiting for the final breakthrough. Pau Cubarsí carries the status of one of Europe's most valued young defenders, while Luka Vušković and other candidates confirm that the battle is not fought only among the attacking stars of the biggest clubs. Tuttosport's first list is therefore only the beginning, but it already clearly shows which names European football will deal with the most in the months to come.
Sources:
- Tuttosport – announcement about the presentation of the Golden Boy 2026, the initial list of candidates and the context of the selection (link)
- Tuttosport – photo gallery and headline announcement of the list of one hundred candidates for the Golden Boy 2026. (link)
- Golden Boy Awards – official announcement about the event in Solomeo and the presentation of the candidates (link)
- AS – report on the initial ranking, the main candidates and the players at the top of the list (link)
- Tottenham Hotspur – official profile of Luka Vušković and information about his arrival from Hajduk and loan to Hamburg (link)
- Tottenham Hotspur – official announcement about Luka Vušković's loan to Hamburger SV for the 2025/26 season. (link)
- Transfermarkt – profile of Luka Vušković with information about age, position, club and loan (link)