The 2024 Golden Boy finalists has some of the European football’s brightest futures on it, including just one African player, Moroccan Elesse Ben Seghir. The 25 nominees have been in action for the season and caught the eye, putting themselves forward in the running to become among the continent’s young top talents.

What is the Golden Boy Award?

The Golden Boy Award was launched by Italian sports daily Tuttosport in 2003 and is presented to the best player under the age of 21 in Europe. The judges take into account the young player’s performances both at club and at international level. The award has become one of the most prestigious in football to win, with the likes of Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham just three of the previous winners.

The Moroccan Prodigy: Eliesse Ben Seghir

Eliesse Ben Seghir, just 19 years old, is a player experiencing significant growth. A winger, he has decided to snub the French national youth teams and has opted to represent the Morocco national team, and this looks to be coming at the perfect time as he is impressing in France’s Ligue 1, putting him on the list for this coveted award.

The Top 20 Players from the Golden Boy Football Benchmark Index

The Golden Boy Football Benchmark Index is a data-driven tool that evaluates the top players in Europe under 21, considering performance metrics like game time, goals, assists, and more. The October 2024 update of this index has selected the top 20 players, based on these performances.

Five Additional Players in the Final List

While the top 20 players are picked based on the index, an additional five players have been chosen from positions 21 to 100. These additions give a more comprehensive overview of the young talent currently shaping European football.

The nominees for the Golden Boy 2024

• Endrick(Real Madrid)
• Samuel Mbangula(Juventus)
• Wilson Odobert(Tottenham)
• Andreas Schjelderup(Benfica)
• Eliesse Ben Seghir(AS Monaco)
• Lamine Yamal(FC Barcelona)
• Pau Cubarsi(FC Barcelona)
• Rico Lewis(Manchester City)
• Mathys Tel(Bayern Munich)
• Desiree Doue(PSG)
• Warren Zaire-Emery(PSG)
• Joao Neves(PSG)
• Leny Yoro(Manchester United)
• Jamie Bynoe-Gittens(Borussia Dortmund)
• Arda Güler(Real Madrid)
• Samu Omorodion(FC Porto)
• Alejandro Garnacho(Manchester United)
• Kobbie Mainoo(Manchester United)
• Aleksandar Pavlovic(Bayern Munich)
• Oscar Gloukh(RB Salzburg)
• Jorrel Hato(Ajax Amsterdam)
• Kenan Yildiz(Juventus)
• Adam Wharton(Crystal Palace)
• Cristhian Mosquera(Valencia)
• Savinho(Manchester City)

The International Jury’s Role

Now it remains only for the winner to be elected by an international jury of 50 journalists across Europe on the basis of performances in national and club competitions-the best criteria for determining who is to be called Golden Boy 2024.

Key Insights About the Golden Boy 2024 Finalists

This year’s finalists come from different footballing backgrounds with some breaking through big sides such as Real Madrid, Barcelona and Manchester United. The Premier League is managing to keep ahead of the rest by boasting seven finalists while La Liga is lagging just behind with five.

• France: 5 players
• Spain: 4 players
• England: 4 players
• Turkey & Brazil: 2 players each

Market Value of Finalists

Between the 25 players expected to be in contention for the prize, their combined transfer values surpass €1.1 billion, proving just how profitable it has become for clubs to invest in developing youth. The big clubs battle it out for the up and coming stars and often will spend millions in wages and fees for youngsters.

Golden Girl Finalists

In addition to the Golden Boy award, the Golden Girl category also features elite young female footballers. The finalists for the Golden Girl award will compete for recognition as the best under-21 female footballer playing in Europe. Like their male counterparts, they have shown exceptional skill and leadership on the field.

The Road to Turin: Who Will Win?

The Golden Boy 2024 will be awarded during a gala in Turin planned for December 16, 2024. With players like this, the competition is stiff. But all eyes are on Eliesse Ben Seghir as the only African representative, hoping to make history for Morocco.