The list of the 100 nominees for the 2021 edition of the Golden Boy award has been released by Italian newspaper TuttoSport.
The winner is voted for by a panel of sports journalists who work at newspapers across Europe. The newspapers included in the voting are L’Equipe (France), ABOLA (Portugal), Marca (Spain), De Telegraaf (Netherlands), The Times (UK), Sport Express (Russia), France Football (France), Bild (Germany), Blik (Switzerland) and Ta Nea (Greece).
Portugal is, as always, well represented in the Golden Boy 100. Portugal has nine players in total (9% of the entire list), six of those play their football in Portugal, the other three (Fábio silva, Félix Correia and Marcos Paulo) play their football abroad. Interestingly, there are two more players on the list that TuttoSport have included as having Portuguese heritage (Gio Reyna and Marco Da Graca).
Portugal has a good history with the TuttoSport Golden Boy award, with both Renato Sanches and João Félix scooping up the award in the last five years (2016, 2019). The upward trajectory of both of these players’ careers has continued, with both former Benfica men lifting their domestic league title this season, Ligue 1 and La Liga respectively. Both players are also currently at the UEFA European Championships representing Portugal.
Here is the full list of the Portuguese nominees for this years award!
Francisco Conceição – FC Porto
Úmaro Embaló – SL Benfica
Fábio Silva – Wolverhampton Wanderers FC
Félix Correia – Juventus FC
Marcos Paulo – Atlético Madrid
Nuno Mendes – Sporting CP
Tiago Tomás – Sporting CP
Gonçalo Ramos – SL Benfica
Joelson Fernandes – Sporting CP
