Golden Boy 2026 Power Rankings

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 22 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 are the country that have 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. PSG starlet Desire Doue was the latest sensation to be named as Golden Boy, but as the rules stipulate, he can not reclaim the award in 2026.

Arsenal duo Myles Lewis-Skelly and Ethan Nwaneri enjoyed breakthrough years last season, while another Gunners starlet in Max Dowman is already making a name for himself having become the youngest player in Champions League history.

But just who are the current favourites to take home the prize in 2026? Find out the top 15 contenders for the Golden Boy award below.

Related

Raphinha, Mbappe, Kane? Who is favourite to win the Ballon d’Or after Salah Champions League exit?

Following Liverpool’s and Mohamed Salah’s Champions League exit to PSG on penalties, who is now favourite to win the 2025 Ballon d’Or?

Ranking Factors

Players in this list have been included due to their strong performances across the season so far, though there is still much football to be played in 2025, so some cases may grow more convincing as the season goes on. As aforementioned, there is a strict criteria for the Golden Boy awards, which is:

• Only players under the age of 21 are eligible
• Must be playing European football
• Anyone who turns 21 in 2026 can not win the award
• People who have won before – like Lamine Yamal and Desire Doue – can not win again

15

Kendry Paez

Chelsea

The first of a number of Chelsea players to feature on this list, Kendry Paez is yet another South American wonderkid who the Blues have snapped up ahead of their rivals. The Ecuador international is only just 18, but has already earned 22 caps at senior level for his country, scoring twice. This summer saw him loaned out to Chelsea’s fellow BlueCo owned club in Strasbourg, and he netted his first goal for the French side in a 3-2 victover over Paris FC in Ligue 1.

14

Geovany Quenda

Sporting

Now on his way to Chelsea in the summer of 2026, there is a reason why the Blues moved quickly to secure his signature for the future, given the increased level of interest in the winger. Indeed, reports had suggested that Manchester United – under former Sporting manager Ruben Amorim – had earmarked him as a potential arrival, but it is Premier League rivals Chelsea who have beaten them to the punch.

Capable of playing at wing-back but perhaps more comfortable as an out-and-out winger, Quenda has got that blend of blistering pace and trickery that makes him a nightmare for opposition defenders. A move to Stamford Bridge may be something to be questioned given the Blues’ struggles in recent seasons, but there is no doubting the potential of Quenda himself.

13

Francesco Camarda

Milan

A product of the Milan academy, Francesco Camarda has his chance to impress in the 2025/2026 season by spending it out on loan at fellow Serie A side, Lecce. The young striker is only just 17, but netted his first top-flight goal for Lecce in a 2-2 draw with Bologna. Such has been his talent and potential, that Lecce have even started him in a big clash against Napoli. An U21 international with Italy, Camarda has bagged two goals in three games for the Azzurri’s youth side.

12

Jorrel Hato

Chelsea

Comfortable playing either in central defence or as a left-back, Jorrel Hato spent four years in the famous Ajax youth academy after joining them from Sparta Rotterdam in 2018. After spending some time playing with Jong Ajax, Hato made his debut for the senior side in 2023 and hasn’t looked back since, earning a move to Chelsea in the latest summer transfer window.

Hato is rightly regarded as one of Europe’s brightest talents, linked with Liverpool, and playing for a team who have a long history of producing star players – with examples as recent as Matthijs de Ligt, who won the Golden Boy award in 2018. As good as Hato is, however, there are other candidates better primed for this year’s edition of the award.

11

Max Dowman

Arsenal

The youngest player to feature on this list by far, it is remarkable to think that Max Dowman remains only 15, and won’t turn 16 until the end of the year. The Arsenal starlet has already been making waves in English football, having made his Premier League debut against Leeds and then becoming the youngest ever player to feature in the Champions League when he came on against Slavia Prague. A tricky winger who can also play inside, Dowman’s left-foot is a thing of beauty, and his close control while dribbling is second-to-none.

10

Lucas Bergvall

Tottenham Hotspur

Lucas Bergvall has developed into a brilliant midfielder since joining Tottenham, who evidently understand his value, having recently handed the Swede a new contract. Bergvall has retained his position within the first team under Thomas Frank, who replaced Ange Postecoglou in the summer of 2025, and has played his part in Spurs’ strong start to the 2025/26 campaign. The midfielder provides youthful energy and dynamism in the middle of the park, and his technique makes him easy on the eye to say the least.

9

Rodrigo Mora

Porto

The latest starlet out of Portuguese football, Rodrigo Mora has emerged from the famed Porto academy and has taken to senior football like a duck to water. Capable of playing as a number ten or out wide, the 18-year-old is diminutive in stature, standing at just 5 foot 6, but his ability on the ball makes him a constant threat for teams. He has already scored in the Europa League this season, while he netted in the league against Braga too.

8

Senny Mayulu

PSG

It is a testament to Senny Mayulu’s talents, that even PSG boss Luis Enrique is trusting him to play in big matches – he played him for around 80 minutes in the win over Barcelona, and also played a half against Bayern Munich in the Champions League too. A versatile player who can play anywhere up front and even deeper in midfield, Mayulu actually scored in the 2-1 victory over Barcelona away from home, while he netted from right-back in the 3-3 draw against Ligue 1 rivals Strasbourg.

7

Franco Mastantuono

Real Madrid

Still only 18 years old, Franco Mastantuono has only continued to shine since breaking into the River Plate first team in early 2024. The Argentine playmaker is regarded as one of the most promising talents in the world, earning a big move to Real Madrid in the 2025 summer window. Mastantuono, who is already integrated with the first team, could feasibly be a star for Real for over a decade.

6

Warren Zaire-Emery

Paris Saint-Germain

The second of two Paris Saint-Germain players to feature in this list, it can be easy to forget that Warren Zaire-Emery has only just turned 19, given he has played in over 100 senior matches for his boyhood team. After joining their youth set-up in 2014, Zaire-Emery spent eight years progressing through the ranks before linking up with the first team.

Now a French international, Zaire-Emery continues to play with an assured level of confidence that is far beyond his years. A natural centre midfielder, Zaire-Emery has shown comfort when deployed as either a right midfielder or a right-back, with versatility being yet another feather in the player’s cap.

Zaire-Emery has the chance to be the beating heart of a resurgent PSG side, who had collected four trophies by the 2024/25 season’s end. Zaire-Emery could find himself named the Golden Boy of 2026 after playing a part in the French club’s first-ever Champions League triumph.