Golden Boy 2025: Full List of 25 Finalists Unveiled — Europe’s Next Generation of Football Royalty

The organisers of the Golden Boy Award have officially unveiled the 25 nominees for the 2025 edition of the prestigious honour — an award that celebrates the best U-21 player across Europe’s top leagues.

Since its inception in 2003, the award, founded by Tuttosport, has spotlighted football’s brightest young stars, with past winners including Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and most recently, Lamine Yamal of Barcelona.

However, Yamal is ineligible for the 2025 race, as players can only win the trophy once.

This year’s shortlist was meticulously curated through votes from 50 journalists across Europe, with Tuttosport adding five wild card entries of its own choosing.

🏆 The 25 Finalists for the 2025 Golden Boy Award

Pau Cubarsí – Barcelona
Désiré Doué – Paris Saint-Germain
Dean Huijsen – Real Madrid
Kenan Yildiz – Juventus
Myles Lewis-Skelly – Arsenal
Warren Zaïre-Emery – Paris Saint-Germain
Arda Güler – Real Madrid
Franco Mastantuono – Real Madrid
Ethan Nwaneri – Arsenal
Jorrel Hato – Chelsea
Geovany Quenda – Sporting Lisbon
Estêvão – Chelsea
Leny Yoro – Manchester United
Senny Mayulu – Paris Saint-Germain
Nico O’Reilly – Manchester City
Eliesse Ben Seghir – Bayer Leverkusen
Victor Frøholdt – Porto
Lucas Bergvall – Tottenham Hotspur
Archie Gray – Tottenham Hotspur
Mamadou Sarr – Strasbourg

Wild Cards:
Jobe Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund
Francesco Pio Esposito – Inter Milan
Rodrigo Mora – Porto
Giovanni Leoni – Liverpool
Aleksandar Stanković – Club Brugge

💬 Opinion: The Future is Here — A Golden Generation in Bloom

The 2025 Golden Boy shortlist is not just a list of names; it’s a snapshot of football’s future. Each player represents the evolving identity of European football — skill-driven, fearless, and adaptable.

This year’s nominees paint a diverse picture: from Arda Güler’s artistry at Real Madrid to Warren Zaïre-Emery’s midfield command at PSG, and Leny Yoro’s maturity anchoring Manchester United’s defence, these young talents are already rewriting expectations.

It’s also a big moment for English football, with rising stars like Ethan Nwaneri, Archie Gray, and Jobe Bellingham making the cut — proof that the Premier League’s academies remain fertile ground for elite prospects.

Meanwhile, Chelsea’s Estêvão — the Brazilian wonderkid nicknamed “Messinho” — brings a South American flair to the mix, reminding us that football’s magic is borderless.

In truth, the Golden Boy Award isn’t just about who lifts the trophy; it’s about who shapes the next decade of the sport. And if this shortlist is anything to go by, the next generation is more than ready to take over the world stage.