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2026 Golden Boy finalists in full as Arsenal and Chelsea stars tipped for prestigious award
Oct 05 2026 20:49 · By onefootball.com · 39 Reads
Plenty of Premier League representation as Europe’s top reporters pick the 25 best Under-21s on the continent
Myles Lewis-Skelly and Estevao have both been confirmed as finalists for the 2026 edition of the Golden Boy award.
Organised by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport, the Golden Boy award is handed to the best male player in Europe under the age of 21 in any given calendar year. Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue is the current holder, with Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Cesc Fabregas and Kylian Mbappe all among the previous winners.
Arsenal left-back-come-defensive-midfielder Lewis-Skelly could become just the fourth Briton to win the award when results, as voted for by a number of European newspapers including The Times, are confirmed in November.
Chelsea’s Estevao, meanwhile, could become just the third Brazilian winner and the first since Alexandre Pato in 2009. He is joined on the shortlist by his team-mate Jorrel Hato.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, Brighton are well represented on the shortlist, with former Tottenham centre-back Luka Vuskovic and Charalampos Kostoulas both named. Barcelona and Real Madrid take up most of the list, with six finalists coming from one club or the other. Other Premier League representation sees Ayyoub Bouaddi, Junior Kroupi and Rayan recognised.