Golden Boy 2022: Nominees, how to vote, previous winners & everything you need to know

The Golden Boy is one of the most prestigious awards that can be bestowed upon a young footballer.

There are many past winners of the prize that have gone on to become legends of the game. For example, seven-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi claimed top prize back in 2005.

So who is up for the 2022 edition? GOAL brings you the nominees, how to vote and everything you need to know.

What is the Golden Boy award?

The Golden Boy award is a recognition of the best young talent in Europe during a calendar year. A player must be under the age of 21 to be eligible for consideration and must play in for a club in a top European division. The inaugural edition of the award was held in 2003. It is organised by the Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport.

The winner is determined by votes. Each voter will allocate 10 points to the player they deem most impressive, with seven for the second, five for the third, three for the fourth, and one for the fifth. Sports journalists from Europe's biggest media houses get to cast their vote for this award.

Golden Boy 2022 Nominees

Tuttosport initially released a list of 100 players who were shortlisted for the award and that list was reduced to 20 in October.

How can I vote for Golden Boy 2022?

Fans can also cast their vote by clicking here.

List of previous Golden Boy winners

Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, and Sergio Aguero are some of the prominent names to have won the Golden Boy award.

Forwards have predominantly won the award, with Matthijs de Ligt becoming the first defender to win it in 2018.

France and Spain each have three winners to their name, while Manchester United are the most successful club as three Golden Boys have graced their books.