Established in 2003, the Golden Boy award has become one of the most prestigious in football, given each year to the most impressive young player in Europe. There have been 24 winners of the award, with one of its criteria being that no player can win the award multiple times.
Created by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, the Golden Boy award has since grown to incorporate votes from a number of publications across Europe, such as l’Equipe in France, Bild in Germany and The Times in the United Kingdom. Spain is the country that has seen the most recipients of the award, with five Spaniards having been named Golden Boy since 2003.
The award is often given towards the end of the calendar year, incorporating two half-seasons, as it were, when deciding the winner. Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí was the latest sensation to be named as Golden Boy, following up his World Cup triumph with Spain by becoming only the second defender to win the prize.
But as the rules stipulate, he can not reclaim the award in 2027. The 2027 race also marks a changing of the guard. Players born in 2006 are no longer eligible, which rules out several of Cubarsi’s fellow 2026 finalists, including Warren Zaïre-Emery, Yan Diomande and Myles Lewis-Skelly.
But just who are the current favourites to take home the prize in 2027? Find out the top 15 contenders for the Golden Boy award below.
Ranking Factors
Players in this list have been included due to their strong performances across the last calendar year. As aforementioned, there are strict criteria for the Golden Boy awards, which are:
- Only players under the age of 21 are eligible
- Must be playing European football
- Anyone who turns 21 in 2027 can not win the award
- People who have won before – like Pau Cubarsí, Lamine Yamal and Desire Doue – can not win again
15
Konstantinos Karetsas
Borussia Dortmund
Having come through the ranks of Genk, a club that produced Kevin De Bruyne and Thibaut Courtois among others, there are high hopes for Konstantinos Karetsas at Borussia Dortmund. The midfielder has shown maturity beyond his years, featuring in Belgium’s top flight for two full seasons before the age of 18.
Unfortunately for Dortmund and Karetsas, his development in Germany has been set back by a series of ligament injuries, which will also affect his chances of winning the Golden Boy award. Still, having made the final 25 for the 2026 edition, and with only his 20th birthday to come in November 2027, the Greece international has time on his side.
14
Ethan Nwaneri
Borussia Dortmund (on loan from Arsenal)
Ethan Nwaneri broke records at Arsenal as a teenager, but first-team football in north London has proven hard to come by. After an underwhelming loan spell at Marseille in the second half of 2025/26, where he managed just 11 appearances, the attacking midfielder joined Dortmund on a season-long loan on deadline day.
Dortmund moved for Nwaneri after an ACL injury to new signing Giannis Konstantelias, giving the England Under-21 international a clear route into the side. A strong run in the Bundesliga would put him firmly back into the Golden Boy conversation.
13
Geovany Quenda
Chelsea
Chelsea agreed a deal for Geovany Quenda back in March 2025, and the Portugal international finally arrived from Sporting CP in the summer of 2026 on an eight-year contract. Quenda can operate as a winger or a wing-back, and his athleticism and direct running earned him plenty of admirers in Lisbon, including a Champions League goal against Club Brugge.
Minutes have been limited under Xabi Alonso so far, with Quenda voicing his frustration during the October international break. If he can force his way into the side, his stock will rise quickly.
12
Franco Mastantuono
Fiorentina (on loan from Real Madrid)
Franco Mastantuono became the youngest player to make an official debut for Argentina’s senior side, and Real Madrid moved quickly to bring him over from River Plate. His first season in Spain was a mixed one, with 35 appearances and three goals across all competitions, and he was deemed surplus to requirements by José Mourinho.
A season-long loan to Fiorentina, with no option to buy, is designed to get him regular football in 2026/27. The early signs in Florence are encouraging, and a big year in Serie A would put him back on track before he returns to Madrid.
11
Rio Ngumoha
Liverpool
Rio Ngumoha became Liverpool’s youngest-ever goalscorer at 16 years and 361 days old, and he quickly became a fan favourite despite limited opportunities under Arne Slot. The winger made 29 appearances in 2025/26, many of them from the bench.
New boss Andoni Iraola is expected to hand him a more prominent role, and with Liverpool playing a packed schedule in 2026/27, the teenager should get plenty of chances to show what he can do. Having only turned 18 in August 2026, he is also eligible for the Golden Boy until 2028.
10
Ibrahim Mbaye
Aston Villa
Ibrahim Mbaye became PSG’s youngest-ever starter in Ligue 1 at just 16, and he played his part in the club’s Champions League and Ligue 1 double in 2025/26. The France-born winger has also become a regular for Senegal, scoring at the 2026 World Cup.
Aston Villa won the race for his signature on deadline day, paying a reported £47m to bring him to the Midlands. Mbaye arrives at a club in transition after a summer of upheaval, which should give him every opportunity to become a key figure under Unai Emery.
9
Kerim Alajbegović
Juventus
Kerim Alajbegovic’s 2026 has been a whirlwind. After a breakout season on loan at Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored 13 goals and added four assists in 44 appearances, the winger starred as Bosnia and Herzegovina qualified for the World Cup, converting his penalty in the play-off shootout against Italy.
He then scored in a 3-1 win over Qatar that sent Bosnia into the knockout stages for the first time, before Juventus beat Chelsea to his signature in a deal worth up to €40m. Comparisons with Paulo Dybala have already followed him to Turin.
8
Rodrigo Mora
Roma
Diminutive playmaker Rodrigo Mora was one of the brightest young talents in Portugal at Porto, and Roma finally got their man in August 2026 after a complicated negotiation. The 19-year-old has wasted little time settling in under Gian Piero Gasperini.
Mora opened his account for the Giallorossi off the bench in a 4-0 win at Lecce and has since added a headed winner against Cagliari. Playing alongside Dybala, the player he grew up idolising, he is primed for a big year in Serie A as Roma look strong in the early parts of the 26/27 season.
7
Max Dowman
Arsenal
Max Dowman is the youngest player on this list by some distance, and he has already been rewriting the record books at Arsenal. The winger became the youngest starter in Premier League history during 2025/26, picking up a title winner’s medal as the Gunners were crowned champions.
Dowman remains a rotational option behind Bukayo Saka and Noni Madueke, but he scored twice in a cup tie early in 2026/27 and continues to look at home at senior level. He will only be 17 at the end of 2027, so he has plenty of time to win this award.
6
Marc Bernal
Barcelona
Marc Bernal was a regular under Hansi Flick before a cruciate ligament injury kept him out for more than a year. After a cautious return, the towering holding midfielder came back stronger in 2025/26, scoring five goals including a brace against Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals.
Bernal made his senior Spain debut on the eve of the 2026 World Cup and was among the 25 finalists for the 2026 Golden Boy. Flick has continued to trust him in 2026/27, and La Masia graduates have a strong record at this award.
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