FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award: List of all winners from 1958 to 2026

The FIFA World Cup Best Young Player award is presented to the best youngster of the competition.

Each and every FIFA World Cup has remained witness to the exploits of a youngster who, in the next decade, has gone on to become a sensation. FIFA has been awarding every hemisphere for their brilliancy – be it through the Golden Glove, Golden Boot or Golden Ball. But recognising youngsters and lauding their display is extremely commendable.

These young guns are those who pick up the burden of the sport on their shoulders and carry it till they retire. Yes, not every one of them turns out to be a blockbuster, like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo or even Kylian Mbappe. Some lose their charm, or form, or injury succumbs their career.

Notably, Pele, Michael Owen and Kylian Mbappe remain the youngest candidates to have received the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player award. The accolade was brought into existence in 1958. We will now take a look at the list of players who have received this accolade.

FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award winners

• 1958 – Pelé (17) – Brazil
• 1962 – Florian Albert (20) – Hungary
• 1966 – Franz Beckenbauer (20) – Germany
• 1970 – Teófilo Cubillas (20) – Peru
• 1974 – Władysław Żmuda (20) – Poland
• 1978 – Antonio Cabrini (20) – Italy
• 1982 – Manuel Amoros (21) – France
• 1986 – Enzo Schifo (20) – Belgium
• 1990 – Robert Prosinecki (21) – Croatia
• 1994 – Marc Overmars (20) – Netherlands
• 1998 – Michael Owen (18) – England
• 2002 – Landon Donovan (20) – USA
• 2006 – Lukas Podolski (21) – Germany
• 2010 – Thomas Müller (20) – Germany
• 2014 – Paul Pogba (21) – France
• 2018 – Kylian Mbappé (19) – France
• 2022 – Enzo Fernández (21) – Argentina
• 2026 – Pau Cubarsi (19) – Spain

**This article was last updated on July 19, 2026.

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