The Golden Boy nominees have been announced for 2021! The award that acknowledges the best under 21 players plying their trade in Europe for a calendar year is back and this year could be one of the most stacked nominee lists ever.
Established by Italian sports publication Tuttosport in 2003, it has gone on to become a very handy indicator when it comes to finding the next big thing in football. Former winners include the likes of Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, and last year’s winner Erling Haaland. Let’s take a look at some of the candidates.
He wasn’t the Frenchman that Real Madrid fans desperately wanted to sign (that’s Kylian Mbappe, obviously), but Eduardo Camavinga is certainly one of the most talented 18-year-olds on the planet.
After breaking the record for the youngest ever Stade Renne player to feature in first-team football,at 16 years and four months, he would go on to make 71 senior appearances for the French side, including four Champions League appearances, getting it done in the middle of the park. He was heavily linked with a move to Manchester United this summer, before he eventually made the move to Los Blancos.
In the Spanish capital, he picked up right where he left off in France, in regards to form, although he is finding it a bit harder to get a starting assignment for the legendary Spanish club.
All his appearances have come from the bench so far.
Still, it is an exclusive club, as 19-year-olds typically do not get anywhere near Real Madrid’s first team. His minutes should only increase from this point on.
Camavinga definitely has a great chance for this year’s award, but I think he is more likely to be a front-runner for next year’s version, instead of this one.
Golden Boy Award Candidate Profile Series
Bryan Gil Bukayo Saka Eduardo Camavinga Jude Bellingham Mason Greenwood