Golden Boy 2025 finalists: Chelsea sensation Estevao, Borussia Dortmund star Jobe Bellingham & Real Madrid wonderkid Franco Mastantuono among hopefuls vying to inherit award from Barcelona's Lamine Ya

Lamine Yamal Estevao Willian 2025-26

Chelsea winger Estevao has been named among the list of finalists for the 2025 Golden Boy Award. The Brazil international will compete against the likes of Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jobe Bellingham and Real Madrid talent Franco Mastantuono for the trophy which was last won by Barcelona superstar Lamine Yamal, who is unable to defend his crown due to the competition’s rules.

Estevao aiming to become third Brazilian to win Golden Boy gong

Estevao is looking to become the third Brazilian to get his hands on the Golden Boy award after being named among a star-studded list of young hopefuls. The 18-year-old is hoping to follow in the footsteps of former Manchester United midfielder Anderson and ex-Milan striker Alexandre Pato by scooping the gong - honouring the best player in the world under the age of 21 - which they won in 2008 and 2009 respectively. 

Revealed: The full list of nominees for the 2025 Golden Boy award

Released on Wednesday evening, the full list of nominees includes:

Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona and Spain)

Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain and France)

Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid and Spain)

Kenan Yildiz (Juventus and Turkey)

Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal and England)

Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain and France)

Arda Guler (Real Madrid and Turkey)

Franco Mastantuono (Real Madrid and Argentina)

Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)

Jorrel Hato (Chelsea and Netherlands)

Geovany Quenda (Sporting CP)

Estevao (Chelsea and Brazil)

Leny Yoro (Manchester United)

Senny Mayulu (Paris Saint-Germain)

Jobe Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)

Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City and England)

Eliesse Ben Seghir (Bayer Leverkusen and Morocco)

Rodrigo Mora (Porto)

Giovanni Leoni (Liverpool)

Victor Froholdt (Porto and Denmark)

Lucas Bergvall (Tottenham and Sweden)

Francesco Pio Esposito (Inter and Italy)

Archie Gray (Tottenham)

Mamadou Sarr (Chelsea and Strasbourg)

Aleksandar Stankovic (Club Brugge and Serbia)

Estevao's nomination comes off the back of promising Chelsea start

Estevao’s nomination comes off the back of his promising start to life at Chelsea. After joining the Blues in the summer following a pre-existing agreement with Brazilian side Palmeiras, the teen sensation has recorded one goal and one assist apiece in six Premier League appearances in 2025-26, including scoring the winner in the last-gasp 2-1 victory over Liverpool prior to the international break.

Bellingham and Mastantuono also vying for Golden Boy prize

Also hoping to win the prize are Dortmund and Real duo Bellingham and Mastantuono. After helping Sunderland win promotion from the Championship to the Premier League last season, Bellingham joined Dortmund in the summer and has featured in all six of his side's Bundesliga fixtures this season. The 20-year-old is looking to match the achievement of his older brother, Jude, who was named the 2023 Golden Boy. Meanwhile, Argentina international Mastantuono has been in fine form in his debut season at Real, scoring one league goal in seven appearances to help Xabi Alonso’s side ascend to the top of La Liga.

Yamal could not be nominated again due to the competition's rules

The current holder of the Golden Boy award is Barcelona and Spain forward Yamal, who is absent from the 25-person list for the 2025 edition. Despite playing a significant role in helping the Catalan giants win the league and cup double last season, Yamal could not be nominated again due to the competition's rules preventing any player winning the award more than once.

Ahead of the return of La Liga this weekend, Barcelona have been given a major boost after Yamal returned to training ahead of his side’s clash against Girona on Saturday. The wonderkid missed the Blaugrana’s 4-1 league defeat against Sevilla, as well as Spain’s victories over Georgia and Bulgaria in World Cup qualifying, after the groin injury which has plagued his season flared up again in the 2-1 loss at the hands of Paris Saint-Germain on Wednesday, 1 October.

Estevao, Bellingham & Mastantuono could feature as club football returns

Estevao will be hoping to build on his winner against Liverpool when Chelsea travel to beleaguered Nottingham Forest on Saturday afternoon. The west Londoners will not have manager Enzo Maresca on the touchline, however, after he was given a one-match ban following his celebration in the victory over Arne Slot’s Liverpool.

A statement from the Football Association (FA) read: “Enzo Maresca has been given a one-match touchline ban and £8,000 fine for misconduct during the Premier League game between Chelsea and Liverpool on Saturday, 4 October. It was alleged that the manager acted in an improper manner and/or used abusive and/or insulting words and/or behaviour during the fixture, which led to his dismissal around the 96th minute. Enzo Maresca subsequently admitted the charge and accepted the standard penalty.”

Elsewhere, Bellingham and Dortmund travel to rivals Bayern Munich for the first Klassiker of the season on Saturday evening, while Mastantuono and Real lock horns with Getafe in a Madrid derby on Sunday.