Jude Bellingham has been awarded the prestigious Golden Boy accolade for 2023, solidifying his status as the best young player globally.
The accomplished midfielder from England, aged 20, is recognised as the brightest talent under the age of 21.
His stellar contributions at both Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid have earned him this esteemed recognition, substantiated by the receipt of a gleaming trophy.
Securing the Golden Boy title aligns Bellingham with a distinguished lineage of past winners, including football luminaries such as Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland.
The acknowledgement underscores Bellingham’s exceptional skills and marks him as a standout figure among the world’s emerging football talents.
Bellingham, who has scored 15 goals for the Blancos through 17 appearances to break records previously posted by Cristiano Ronaldo, said when collecting his prestigious prize in Turin: “I can’t be more grateful to all the people I have met along the way to help get me to the point I am at now.
“It’s about trying to make my team and country the best teams in the world and to be the best player in the world you have to help your teams win and to join that list is such a big honour.
“I think Wayne Rooney was probably my biggest influence growing up, obviously being from England and the way he played and the way he fought, but there are so many other players that I’ve taken bits from. I’m really grateful for everything football has given me so far in my life and the support from my family to keep playing and keep enjoying it has been huge.”
Erling Haaland has expanded his list of accolades, securing another trophy through the awards presented by the Italian publication Tuttosport.
The prolific Manchester City striker achieved a form of revenge against Ballon d’Or winner Lionel Messi, claiming the Golden Player Man award.
This recognition comes on the heels of Haaland’s remarkable achievement of scoring 52 goals during City’s historic Treble triumph in the previous season.
Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham and Erling Haaland are anticipated to emerge as contenders for future Ballon d’Or awards.
They join a promising generation of talent, including Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe, Bayern Munich‘s rising star Jamal Musiala, and the dynamic Barcelona duo Pedri and Gavi.
This group of exciting young players is poised to usher in a new era, aiming to take the reins from the longstanding dominance of eternal rivals Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.