Dortmund's youth talents fight for Golden Boy 2026

While Borussia Dortmund has already crowned three players – Mario Götze, Erling Haaland and Jude Bellingham – as Golden Boy, Konstantinos Karetsas and Joane Gadou are now among the final 25 candidates for the 2026 edition, after the Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport presented the shortlist on Monday in Venice.

Jury of 50 journalists

The official list was presented on Monday in Venice. The final decision will be made in early December in Turin. A jury of fifty European journalists determines the winner.

On the list, alongside the Dortmund talents, are other top prospects: Pau Cubarsí of FC Barcelona, Ayyoub Bouaddi of Manchester City and Warren Zaïre‑Emery of Paris Saint‑Germain. The Bundesliga is also strongly represented with Lennart Karl of FC Bayern Munich, Saïd El Mala of 1. FC Köln and Finn Jeltsch of VfB Stuttgart.

For Borussia Dortmund, another win would not be a first – Mario Götze (2011), Erling Haaland (2020) and Jude Bellingham (2023) have already won the award during their BVB spell. Bellingham also won the parallel fan vote. The current holder Lamine Yamal is not allowed to compete again in 2026, because the rules permit only one win per player.

If Konstantinos Karetsas or Joane Gadou triumph in December, one of them will join the prominent BVB line. Until the decision, there is time for anticipation and speculation. A win would further cement BVB's reputation as a talent factory for international top prospects.