Ranking top five favourites to win the Golden Boy 2022 award

FC Barcelona’s Pedri won the award last year and could win it again

The 20th Golden Boy ceremony will take place on 7 November 2022 in Turin, Italy. It will be a big occasion where the award for the upcoming star of football will be handed to an individual after careful deliberation and voting by 40 esteemed journalists. A strong list of 20 nominees was revealed recently which has the likes of Jude Bellingham and Jamal Musiala among others in it.

Winning the prestigious award is a good achievement for any young player. It is a recognition of their potential and their performances for their respective clubs. The list of nominees also sheds light on the upcoming generation of talented players that will take over the game in the forthcoming years. The eligibility criteria suggest that a player should be below 21 years of age and be playing in a European country’s top-tier league.

It is difficult to predict which player will eventually win the Golden Boy 2022 award. However, here are the five players that have a strong claim and could win the award:

5. Josko Gvardiol

Josko Gvardiol is one of the most promising defenders in Europe at the moment. The centre-back plays for Croatia and RB Leipzig at the international and club level respectively. He is only 20 and has a market value of €60.00m already.

Chelsea FC is one of the many clubs that are pursuing the defender for his signature. They were ready to pay around €100.00m for his services in the 2022 summer transfer window as well. According to reports, CFC could decide to sign the player next year.

4. Jamal Musiala

FC Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala is one of the candidates to win the Golden Boy 2022 award. The list of midfielders finalised for the award consists of sensational players like him. The attacking midfielder is in a rich vein of form in the ongoing 2022-23 season, becoming a regular in the FCB starting lineup.

Jamal Musiala is already worth €80.00m and will rise in value as the season progresses. The 19-year-old is mesmerising on the ball, and loves to create chances and score goals. He already has seven goals and eight assists in 13 appearances in all competitions.

Also Read: Top five Golden Boy award winners who failed to reach their potential

3. Eduardo Camavinga

Eduardo Camavinga is a regular in Real Madrid’s starting lineup which says more than enough about his quality. The midfielder is already a UEFA Champions League winner with the Spanish giants and took the world by storm due to his prowess with and without the ball. 

The 19-year-old Frenchman is also an integral part of the national team already. His market value stands at €55m and will most likely rise in future. He is one of the strongest contenders to win the Golden Boy 2022 award.

2. Pedri

Pedri won the Golden Boy 2021 award after recording 70 caps in the calendar year for both club and country. He could become the first individual to win the award on two occasions after becoming one of the 20 final nominees.

FC Barcelona’s midfield is blessed with players like Pedri who is technically brilliant. The Spaniard is worth €90jude bellinghm in the market but has a release clause of 1bn euros, ensuring no other club can steal him away.

1. Jude Bellingham

Jude Bellingham is one of the most talented players across Europe, despite his age. He is a regular in the England men’s national team and at Borussia Dortmund. In fact, he became the first English teenager to start as captain in the UEFA Champions League recently. He has led BVB as a skipper, showing signs of leadership at 19 years old. 

He is also the youngest player to become captain in the German Bundesliga. Clubs like Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester United and many more will fight it out for his signature in future. At the moment, he is a strong favourite to win the Golden Boy 2022 award.