Bellingham, Musiala, Pedri & Gavi headline the final 2022 Golden Boy shortlist

Jude Bellingham has been named alongside Bayern Munich youngster Jamal Musiala and Barcelona star Gavi on the final 2022 Golden Boy shortlist.

The England and Borussia Dortmund midfielder headlines the 20-strong list of nominees, with Pedri named once again having claimed the award in 2021.

Fellow Barcelona prospects Ansu Fati and Nico, who is on loan at Valencia, join Gavi and Pedri to hand the Catalan club an impressive total of four youngsters on the shortlist.

The Golden Boy award, created by Italian newspaper Tuttosport in 2003, is presented to the best footballer under the age of 21 each year.

Bellingham, who heads in as one of the favourites, could become only the third ever Englishman to claim the gong, after Wayne Rooney in 2004 and Raheem Sterling in 2014.

He would also join the company of notable winners including Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland.

Only three Premier League youngsters have been placed on the final shortlist, including Liverpool midfielder Fabio Carvalho, Spurs summer signing Destiny Udogie and Leeds teenager Wilfried Gnonto, who has yet to feature for the Yorkshire club since his move from FC Zurich this summer.

Udogie returned to Udinese on loan after joining Tottenham and has since scored two goals in eight top flight appearances so far this campaign.

The Bundesliga boasts the most nominations as far as divisions are concerned, with six players from Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund making the final shortlist.

2022 Golden Boy shortlist

Read more…