Golden Boy Nominations Announced

Posted on by footybet
Lucas Bergvall
Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham Hotspur (Credit Amanda Aikioniemi via Flickr)

The Golden Boy prize is awarded to the best footballer in the top tier of a European league under the age of 21. The award period, a calendar year, spans two seasons, and the award is open to footballers of any nationality, as long as they play in Europe.

As it is designed to recognise an emerging talent, players can only win the Golden Boy award once. As such, current holder Lamine Yamal is not eligible in 2025. Wayne Rooney was the first English player to win, doing so in the second year of the prize, in 2004. He has since been followed by Raheem Sterling in 2014 and, most recently, Jude Bellingham in 2023.

Several other players have won the award for performances in the Premier League, however, including Anderson for Manchester United and Cesc Fabregas for Arsenal. On the 16th of October, the shortlist for the 2025 prize was revealed, and nine of the 25 names on it play in the English top flight. Let’s take a look at them!

Ethan Nwaneri – Arsenal


Nwaneri has been at Arsenal since 2015 and yet will not be 19 until March 2026. Yet to play for England at senior level, he helped the U21 side claim the U21 Euros in 2025. 2024/25 was a breakout season for him at Arsenal, as he netted nine goals, appearing 37 times in all competitions. A brilliant attacking midfielder, the Islington-born star has not featured as much in 2025/26. That is partly down to Arsenal’s heavy investment over the summer but it is surely only a matter of time before he becomes a regular for club and country.

Myles Lewis-Skelly – Arsenal

Myles Lewis-Skelly
Credit Chensiyuan via Wikipedia

Full-back Lewis-Skelly came through the Gunners’ academy alongside Nwaneri. Just 19, the Londoner has also been at Arsenal since 2015. Unlike his friend and teammate, he has played for his country, a reflection of the wealth of talent the Three Lions have in attack and relative paucity at the other end of the pitch. In his short career, he has picked up more red cards than his manager would like. However, six England caps and a goal illustrate his potential, and he blends attack and defence brilliantly.

Jorrel Hato – Chelsea


Hato is also 19 and was signed by Chelsea for over £35m in the summer of 2025. They bought him from Ajax, where he made over 100 senior appearances. He has played six times for the Dutch senior team, and the versatile defender should have a huge future.

Estevão – Chelsea

Estevão
Credit NullReason via Wikipedia

Of all the players on this list and the wider Golden Boy 2025, Brazilian Estevão may be the most exciting. Around 18 and a half years old, Chelsea agreed a bargain fee of £29m for him when he was just 17, back in May 2024. He remained at Palmeiras until the start of the 2025/26 campaign but immediately showed his class after joining up with the Blues. His dribbling ability has drawn comparisons with Messi and Neymar and he should be a joy to watch in English football in the years ahead. He already boasts nine Brazil caps, scoring three times.

Lucas Bergvall – Tottenham Hotspur


Bergvall is another full international, boasting six caps for Sweden. Signed from Stockholm outfit Djurgarden for just £8.5m, he has already proved a bargain. A true midfield dynamo, he brings energy, creativity and tough tackling to the Spurs midfield. He played 45 times for the club in all competitions last term.

Archie Gray – Tottenham Hotspur

Archie Gray
Credit Jim Easton via Flickr

Gray is part of a football dynasty and may prove the best of all the Grays, even Leeds legend Eddie, his great-uncle. Loved by the fans at his boyhood club Leeds, he has settled well in north London following a £40m move in July 2024. Gray is so versatile and has played all over for Spurs. He played 46 times for them last term and is capped up to U21 level by England.

Leny Yoro – Manchester United


Yoro has yet to fully prove himself at United but his talent is clear. Rumours of interest from Real Madrid exist, though the Red Devils will want to keep hold of the tall central defender. Yoro was a £50m+ signing from Lille in July 2024. He will turn 20 in November, and the 6ft 3in centre-back could be a rock for United for a decade and more.

Nico O’Reilly – Manchester City

Nico O'Reilly
Credit Hameltion via Wikipedia

O’Reilly is getting more game time at City and is liked by Pep. Can play on the left of defence and in midfield and the 20-year-old got a first senior England squad call-up in October 2025.

Giovanni Leoni – Liverpool


Leoni was cruelly injured playing for the Reds in the EFL Cup in September and will miss the 2025/26 campaign. The 6ft 5in Italian centre-back looks a fine prospect, though. Liverpool certainly thought so, spending £26m on the 18-year-old, who was previously at Parma. If he recovers from his injury fully, he could be the long-term successor to Virgil van Dijk.

In addition to those nine, there are also other players who are no longer with English clubs but did play for them during the period under consideration. Dean Huijsen moved from Bournemouth to Real Madrid in the summer. Jobe Bellingham is a bit of a strange one, given he earned his stripes at Sunderland and they were not a top-tier side when he did. Now at Borussia Dortmund, he has only played 14 times for the Germans.

The winner of the Golden Boy award will be announced in November, with the exact date as yet unconfirmed. Can an English star, or another Premier League talent, join the likes of Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland on the Golden Boy roll of honour?