👀 Golden Boy, Girl Picks: Estêvão, Yohannes?

The 2025 Golden Boy and Golden Girl awards have been handed out to Désiré Doué and Michelle Agyemang, respectively. As we look ahead to the 2026 edition, several young players are emerging as potential candidates.

Eligibility Criteria

To be eligible for the Golden Boy award, players must be under the age of 21 and playing in a top European league. This means that players like Linda Caicedo, Kenan Yildiz, and Nico O’Reilly are ruled out due to their age.

Honourable Mentions

Several young players have impressed this season, but may not have the stardust or hype needed to win the award. These include Warren Zaïre-Emery, Victor Froholdt, Rodrigo Mora, Yan Diomande, Assan Ouedraogo, and Myles Lewis-Skelly.

Candidates for the 2026 Golden Boy Award

One player who has caught the eye of scouts and pundits alike is Lille’s Bouaddi. The 17-year-old has started all but three games this season, bossing the middle of the park against top teams like PSG and Roma. He has also attracted the attention of elite clubs like Arsenal, Liverpool, and Real Madrid.
Another player who has impressed is Bayern’s Lennart Karl. The 17-year-old has scored in three consecutive Champions League games, including a goal at the Emirates Stadium against Arsenal. He has a particular penchant for long-range efforts and has already boasted a fine catalogue of goals.
Estêvão, the Brazilian midfielder, has also made an immediate impact at Chelsea, taking everything in his stride despite the hype surrounding his transfer.

Barcelona’s Cubarsí and Real Madrid’s Mastantuono

Cubarsí, the 18-year-old defender, has struggled to make an impact at Barcelona due to the team’s defensive woes. Meanwhile, Mastantuono, the Argentina international, has been knocked off course by injury, having already exceeded 500 LaLiga minutes and played three times in the Champions League.

Source: Link