In a highly anticipated announcement, the 25-man shortlist for the 2025 Golden Boy award, spotlighting the top young talents across Europe under the age of 21 has been revealed. The list, compiled via the Football Benchmark Golden Boy Index and editorial input, sets the stage for a competitive race to succeed last year’s winner, Lamine Yamal, who is ineligible to win again.
Among the nominees are several names already emerging as frontrunners. Désiré Doué of Paris Saint-Germain is widely regarded as a favorite after impressive displays domestically and in Europe. Also included are Kenan Yıldız of Juventus, Arda Güler and Dean Huijsen of Real Madrid, Warren Zaïre-Emery of PSG, and Estêvão of Chelsea. From the Premier League, Ethan Nwaneri and Myles Lewis-Skelly of Arsenal, Leny Yoro of Manchester United, and Nico O’Reilly of Manchester City bolster English representation. Jorrel Hato and Mamadou Sarr also make the cut for Chelsea, while Lucas Bergvall and Archie Gray represent Tottenham’s youth contingent.
In order to widen the pool of contenders, five “wild card” entries were added to the main selections. These include Jobe Bellingham of Borussia Dortmund, Francesco Pio Esposito of Inter, Giovanni Leoni of Liverpool, Rodrigo Mora of Porto, and Aleksandar Stanković of Club Brugge. The inclusion of these players provides a broader platform for emerging stars who may have been overlooked by algorithmic selection alone.
Here is the full 25-man shortlist:
Désiré Doué
Kenan Yıldız
Arda Güler
Dean Huijsen
Warren Zaïre-Emery
Estêvão
Ethan Nwaneri
Myles Lewis-Skelly
Leny Yoro
Nico O’Reilly
Jorrel Hato
Mamadou Sarr
Lucas Bergvall
Archie Gray
Jobe Bellingham
Francesco Pio Esposito
Giovanni Leoni
Rodrigo Mora
Aleksandar Stanković
Valentin Barco
Alejandro Garnacho
Ousmane Diomande
Martin Baturina
Arthur Vermeeren
Gianluca Prestianni
Notably absent is Yamal, the 2024 winner. Under the Golden Boy rules, past winners are automatically excluded from future awards even if still eligible by age, ensuring the honor continues to spotlight fresh talent.
The shortlist spans a wide range of clubs and nations, underscoring the depth of youth development across European football. With contenders drawn from Ligue 1, La Liga, Premier League, Serie A, Bundesliga, and beyond, the competition for the 2025 Golden Boy title promises to be fierce. The final decision will be made by a panel of journalists across Europe, with the winner expected to be revealed later this year.
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