Arab player named among the Golden Boy 2026 nominees

An Arab player is among the nominees for the Golden Boy in Europe. The shortlist for the 2026 edition features 25 young players. Awarded annually by Tuttosport since 2003, the prize recognises the best player under 21 competing in Europe, based on performances for club and national teams over the year. To be eligible, players must have been born in 2006 or later and play in one of Europe’s major leagues during the evaluation period.

Eight Premier League players feature on the final list, including Moroccan Ayoub Bouaddi, listed with Manchester City. Estêvão (Chelsea), Junior Kroupi and Rayan (Bournemouth), Luka Vušković and Charalampos Kostoulas (Brighton), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal) and Jorrel Hato (Chelsea) complete that group.

The Bundesliga has five representatives: Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich), Said El Mala (Cologne), Konstantinos Karetsas and Joan Gado (Borussia Dortmund), and Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart). The Arab player’s inclusion comes in a shortlist spanning several European leagues. The award brings together young players who must meet the age and league requirements, as well as having impressed with their performances during the year.