Holder: Lamine Yamal
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The prize is awarded to the most impressive young player under the age of 21 in the men’s game.
Last year’s winner was Lamine Yamal, after the teenager established himself as one of Barcelona’s key players and helped Spain to Euro 2024 glory.
This time around, there are six representatives of London clubs in the 25-man shortlist, and an additional two from other Premier League sides.
Of the Arsenal players nominated, forward Ethan Nwaneri is in the reckoning after playing 37 games in all competitions for the Gunners last term, netting nine times as he cemented his place in the north Londoners’ first-team fold.
Another is Myles Lewis-Skelly, who made himself Mikel Arteta’s first-choice left-back last season as Riccardo Calafiori struggled with injuries. Lewis-Skelly made 42 appearances in all competitions.
Chelsea have two contenders in the running, with new signings Jorrel Hato and Estevao Willian both named, while defender Mamadou Sarr, on loan at sister club Strasbourg, is also in the mix.
Geovany Quenda, who they will sign from Sporting Lisbon at the end of the campaign, is among the 25 as well.
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Tottenham are another of the capital’s clubs with a couple shortlisted, as Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray have both been recognised for the roles they played in Spurs’ Europa League success.
Manchester United’s Leny Yoro and Manchester City’s Nico O’Reilly, who was a late call-up to the recent England squad, are the remaining two Premier League players in there.
Those eight names from the English top flight will be up against some of the most exciting prospects on the continent.
They include Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue, who starred in Paris’ Champions League triumph, and his two team-mates Warren Zaire-Emery and Senny Mayulu.
Full Golden Boy 2026 shortlist
Pau Curbasi, Barcelona
Desire Doue, Paris Saint-Germain
Dean Huijsen, Real Madrid
Kenan Yildiz, Juventus
Myles Lewis-Skelly, Arsenal
Warren Zaire-Emery, Paris Saint-Germain
Arda Guler, Real Madrid
Franco Mastantuono, Real Madrid
Ethan Nwaneri, Arsenal
Jorrel Hato, Chelsea
Geovany Quenda, Sporting Lisbon
Estevao, Chelsea
Leny Yoro, Manchester United
Senny Mayulu, Paris Saint-Germain
Nico O’Reilly, Manchester City
Eliesse Ben Seghir, Bayer Leverkusen
Victor Forholdt, FC Porto
Lucas Bergvall, Tottenham
Archie Gray, Tottenham
Mamadou Sarr, Strasbourg