Moroccan talent on the Golden Boy list
Italian newspaper Tuttosport has revealed the final list of nominees for the 2025 Golden Boy award, which includes 25 of Europe's most promising young players. The nominees are led by Moroccan Ilyes Ben Seghir of Bayer Leverkusen, alongside two promising talents from Italy. The Golden Boy award is given annually to the best player under the age of 21 playing in European leagues, and this year's edition is witnessing strong competition among a group of stars who caught the eye with their impressive performances over the past season. The list includes Italian duo Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter Milan and Giovanni Leone, who recently joined Liverpool, in addition to prominent names such as Kenan Yildiz of Juventus, Pau Coparsi of Barcelona, Arda Guler of Real Madrid, Lenny Yoro of Manchester United, and Ethan Nwaneri of Arsenal. The list also included a number of promising stars from elite European clubs, including Job Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund), Estevao (Chelsea), Victor Fröhult (Porto), and Archie Gray (Tottenham). The organizing committee selected 20 key players based on technical criteria and seasonal performance, while including five additional nominees: Esposito, Leoni, Bellingham, Moura, and Stankovic. Under the award's rules, no player is eligible to win it more than once, which means that Barcelona star Lamine Yamal, who won the award in 2024, will not be a candidate this year despite remaining in the same age group. The award's history includes illustrious names in the world of football, who have previously won the title, such as Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham, reflecting the prestigious value of this honor, which highlights Europe's future stars.
