Spanish winger Lamine Yamal of Barcelona was named the winner of the 'Golden Boy' award on Wednesday, a prestigious honor presented by Tuttosport to the best young talent under 21 in European leagues.

Yamal claimed the award following an outstanding season where he established himself as a key player for Barcelona and helped Spain win the UEFA European Championship, earning the tournament's Best Young Player award. In La Liga, he contributed five goals and seven assists.

Lamine's Reaction

“It’s an honor to win this trophy. It’s a dream come true, and I’m very happy. Thanks to Tuttosport and the jury. I also want to thank my teammates and coaching staff at both Barcelona and the Spanish national team,” Yamal said in a video shown in Turin, the home of the Italian newspaper. “I’m thrilled and ready for more,” he added.

Born in 2007, the 17-year-old winger follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner, Jude Bellingham, and joins the ranks of Barcelona’s recent Golden Boy successes, including Pedri (2021) and Gavi (2022).

This 22nd edition of the award, first introduced in 2003 by Dutch player Rafael Van der Vaart, incorporates the 'Golden Boy Index,' an algorithm evaluating playing time, performance, team success, national team appearances, and European competitions. Developed in collaboration with Football Benchmark, the tool aims to serve as a football ranking system akin to ATP tennis rankings or a stock market index.

The winner was announced in Turin, with Tuttosport’s director, Guido Vaciago, award creator Massimo Franchi, and former Real Madrid player Ivana Andrés in attendance. The trophy ceremony will take place on December 16 in Turin.

Additionally, Turkish forward Kenan Yildiz of Juventus claimed the fan-voted 'Golden Boy Web' award, while Fiorentina’s Michael Kayode received the Italian 'Golden Boy' accolade.