Barcelona starlet is the favorite for the Golden Boy award
The Golden Boy award organizer, Tuttosport, has revealed its list of the 100 top performers under the age of 21.
The Golden Boy race is already underway as attention turns to the 2026 winner. To kick things off, Tuttosport, the Italian outlet that organizes the prestigious award, unveiled its initial list today in Perugia: 100 candidates ranked according to the performances and accomplishments of players under 21 so far in 2026. After this first cut, Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsí emerges as the early favorite - but, as is often the case with the Ballon d’Or, the outcome will ultimately be shaped by the World Cup and the opening months of next season.
Who else is in the running for the Golden Boy?
The list is topped by Barça’s Lamine Yamal - but he is ineligible to win, because the rules prevent repeat winners. Yamal already claimed the award in 2024. Warren Zaïre-Emery (PSG) and Cubarsí currently round out the podium, though nothing will be finalized until November. Ousmane Diomandé (Sporting CP) and Estevão (Chelsea) remain firmly in the mix. Rounding out the current top 10 are Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Victor Froholdt (Porto), Jorrel Hato (Chelsea), and Luka Vušković (Hamburg).
Spanish soccer, both in terms of players and clubs, is well represented. The biggest surprise is Jon Martín, who sits in 15th place. The Real Sociedad center back has been one of the breakout performers of the season, and his presence among the frontrunners is more than justified. Dro Fernández, ranked 67th; Jan Virgili (53rd); Thiago Pitarch (44th); Franco Mastantuono (36th); Marc Bernal (22nd); Vitor Reis (12th); and Endrick (11th) round out the ‘Spanish’ contingent among the top 100 young players in European soccer.
AS is part of the voting jury that selects the winner for best young player after multiple rounds of evaluation throughout the year, ultimately determining who will succeed Desiré Doué, the latest winner. LaLiga has historically dominated the award, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Cesc Fàbregas, Sergio Agüero, Isco, João Félix, Pedri, Gavi, and Jude Bellingham all winning while representing Spanish clubs such as Barcelona, Atlético Madrid, Málaga, and Real Madrid.
Eight different nationalities have won the prize. Argentina, Brazil, England, the Netherlands, and Portugal have each produced two winners, all trailing France with three and Spain with four - the nation that has produced the most Golden Boy recipients.
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