Bellingham, Højlund lead nominees for 2023 Golden Boy award

Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham is in prime position to win the 2023 Golden Boy award. The Englishman leads the shortlist of 25 players nominated for the award and is trailed by Manchester United's new striker Rasmus Holjlund. Other shortlisted players include Bayern Munich's Jamal Musalia and Chelsea's defender Levi Colwill.
The Golden Boy Award goes to the best under-21 player in European leagues over the last 12 months. Barcelona's Gavi took the 2022 Golden Boy award. Notable players who've won the award since its establishment in 2003 include Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland. A total of 100 players were shortlisted in the summer, and the number has now been narrowed to 25.
The winner will be revealed in November, but the ceremony is scheduled for December 4 in Turin. Jude Bellingham is one of the favorites to clinch the award after an impressive start to his Real Madrid career. The midfielder made a €103 million move from Borussia Dortmund">Borussia Dortmund in the summer and scored 10 goals in his first 10 games for Real Madrid. Bellingham played a key role in Dortmund's push for the German Bundesliga title in the last calendar year but ultimately lost to Bayern Munich on the final day. The Englishman also established himself as an integral member of Gareth Southgate's first team in England and has been called to all international matches this year.
Fans, pundits, and punters will also be routing for Rasmus Hojlund, who moved to Old Trafford from Italy's Atalanta. The 20-year-old has had an exciting start to life in Manchester, scoring three goals in his first eight games. All his games have come in the Champions League, despite his team losing both Bayern Munich and Galatasaray matches. The Danish player was a key member of the Serie A outfit last season, scoring 16 goals in all competitions. With the award drawing close, online sportsbooks are backing Bellingham as the player most likely to win the Golden Boy award. You can wager on this future on any trustworthy sports betting site offering such markets.
Another high-profile player who made it to the 25-man shortlist is Bayern Munich's Musalia, who managed 16 goals and 16 assists in all competitions last year. Others include Xavi Simons of RB Leipzig, Alejandro Balde of Barcelona, Evan Ferguson of Brighton, and Milos Kerkez of Bournemouth. English Premier League clubs have four players on the shortlist, while Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Barcelona, and Benfica have more than one finalist each. Bellingham had an amazing season with Borrusia and has only gone from strength to strength in Madrid, making him the frontrunner to become the 2023 Golden Boy.
The full list features players from Real Madrid, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Manchester United, RB Leipzig, Benfica, Bayer Leverkusen, Atalanta, PSV Eindhoven, Bournemouth, Antwerp, PSG, Brighton, FC Salzburg, Sporting Lisbon, Girona, Lens, Genk, and Dinamo Zagreb. Bellingham equaled Christiano Ronaldo's record of scoring 10 goals in his first 10 games but will face stiff competition from the likes of Musalia, Balde, Silva, and Simons, who've all performed well over the past 12 months. Hojlund is also a significant contender for the award. Voting continues ahead of the December ceremony, where the winner will receive their award.