Five Bundesliga talents compete for the 2026 Golden Boy

The annual Golden Boy Award, which has been honoring the best U21 player in Europe since 2003, has released the shortlist for 2026. Among the 25 nominees are five talents from the German Bundesliga, including Joane Gadou and Konstantinos Karetsas of Borussia Dortmund.

Bundesliga representatives in the shortlist

Joane Gadou and Konstantinos Karetsas already give Borussia Dortmund a double opportunity. FC Bayern Munich presents Lennart Karl, while Finn Jeltsch, a 20‑year‑old centre‑back from VfB Stuttgart, has recently attracted notable interest. The Cologne forward Said El Mala also rounds off the German selection.

The Premier League leads with eight candidates, with Arsenal defender Myles Lewis‑Skelly being the only Englishman. In LaLiga there are six nominees, including three from FC Barcelona: centre‑back Pau Cubarsí, Xavi Espart and Marc Bernal.

The Golden Boy is considered one of the most prestigious awards in European football and has been presented since 2003. Past winners include Lionel Messi (2005), Mario Götze – so far the only German (2011), Kylian Mbappé (2017), Erling Haaland (2020), Jude Bellingham (2023) and Lamine Yamal (2024).

The Italian newspaper Tuttosport awards the prize each year, while the Gazette has published this year's shortlist. The photo caption reads “Four clubs from the Bundesliga”, highlighting the wide distribution of German talents.

Overall, the shortlist comprises 25 players from across Europe, of which five come from the Bundesliga.