England’s Jude Bellingham is the front-runner to clinch the coveted Golden Boy title in the 21st edition of the annual award recognizing the best Under-21 player in Europe. Bellingham, who is only 20 years old, has been delivering exceptional performances for Real Madrid and England, and has garnered overwhelming support in the public vote, including that of pop star Taylor Swift’s fans.
The winner of the Golden Boy award is determined by votes from journalists, with each judge allocating 10 points to their top pick, seven to their second choice, five to their third, three to their fourth, and one to their fifth. The prestigious award was established by Italian newspaper Tuttosport and is now jointly presented by several leading European publications.
Aside from Bellingham, other nominees included Barcelona’s record-breaking prodigy Lamine Yamal and new Manchester United signing Rasmus Hojlund, who has been on a scoring spree in the UEFA Champions League. The Golden Boy award results will be unveiled on November 17, 2023, with the announcement taking place at 3 p.m. local time in Turin, Italy.
The results can be accessed via Tuttosport’s website, and the initial long list of 100 players who met the criteria of playing for a top-flight European club at Under-21 age has been narrowed down to a shortlist, which includes Bellingham and others such as Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde.
The Golden Boy award, previously won by renowned names like Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland, is subject to strict rules and criteria. To be eligible, players need to represent a top-division team in one of the top 25 European leagues, and be under 21 years of age in the current year.
This year, there’s a new data-driven tool called the ‘Golden Boy Index’ to aid journalists in their selection process. This tool assesses the players based on a variety of factors including performance, playing time, and the strength of their team. Additionally, there’s a separate ‘Golden Boy Web’ award that will be determined by public votes, and Bellingham is currently leading in that poll.
In summary, Golden Boy title is the most sought-after award for Under-21 players in Europe, and this year, the young and talented Jude Bellingham looks poised to take home the prestigious accolade.
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