Top 5 Candidates to Win the 2023 Golden Boy Award Including Barcelona’s Gavi

The nominees for the 2023 Golden Boy Award have been revealed and current holder, Gavi, is in line to retain the prestigious award after winning it last year.

The Barcelona starlet was crowned as the best young player in 2022 and will again come up against top stars for the prestigious prize, which is handed out each year by the Italian publication include.

According to Daily Post, the final 10 nominees for this year’s Golden Boy award include Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, Alejandro Garnacho, Gavi, and Xavi Simons.

Others on the list include Alejandro Balde, Benjamin Sesko, Florian Wirtz, and Rico Lewis, with the winner set to be announced during FIFA’s The Best Awards night.

Sports Brief, along with Sportskeeda, looks at the top five favourites to win the 2023 Golden Boy award.

5. Alejandro Balde (Barcelona)

Alejandro Balde has been a standout performer for Barcelona during the 2022-23 season.

His exceptional skills on the field have awed fans, and he has undoubtedly played a critical role in Barcelona's La Liga success.

Balde's dedication and hard work have paid off, and he has established himself as one of the best athletes in the game. He already has excellent defensive skills and the ability to make intelligent overlapping runs to support the attack at the age of 19.

Balde scored one goal and provided seven assists in 44 appearances for Barcelona in all competitions during the 2022-23 season.

4. Antonio Silva (Benfica)

Antonio Silva of Benfica has been making waves in the Portuguese league this season. With his towering stature and impressive defensive abilities, he has emerged as a valuable team member.

With his impressive performances, the 19-year-old has already attracted the attention of several top European clubs.

Silva could win the Golden Boy Award this season, and if he continues to develop his skills and maintain his impressive form, there is no doubt that he will go on to achieve great things.

3. Gavi (Barcelona)

Gavi did not slow down after winning last year's 2022 Golden Boy award, as the Barcelona midfielder is still one of the top contenders for this year’s award.

The Spaniard is one of the most promising young players the football world has seen in a long time, and he is already performing at a high level and is expected to become a modern-day midfield great.

The 18-year-old's technical abilities, combined with his shrewd decision-making on the field, make him a formidable playmaker capable of creating scoring chances and dictating match tempo.

Gavi was instrumental in Barcelona's La Liga victory this season, scoring three goals and providing seven assists in 49 appearances across all competitions for the Catalan giants.

2. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid)

Bellingham appears to have truly matured, as the England midfielder was a standout player for Borussia Dortmund in the 2022/23 season, consistently putting in impressive performances in midfield.

The 19-year-old was also one of England's standout performers in their run to the 2022 FIFA World Cup quarter-finals.

Bellingham scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 42 appearances in all competitions for Borussia Dortmund in the 2022-23 season.

The England midfielder has just sealed a mega-money move to Real Madrid this summer.

1. Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)

In the 2022–23 campaign, Musiala served as one of Bayern Munich's pillars, constantly putting forth elite performances that helped the Bavarians edge Dortmund for the title on the campaign’s final day.

The 20-year-old scored an 89th-minute winner in their final game of the 2022/23 Bundesliga campaign, which clinched the league title for Bayern Munich.

Musiala made 47 appearances for the Bavarians in all competitions during the 2022–23 season, contributing 16 goals and 16 assists.

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The German international, after missing out to Gavi last year, is the favourite to win the 2023 Golden Boy award.

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La Roja had clinched a historic final victory a day earlier, defeating Croatia via a post-match penalty shootout following a stalemate in regulation play and in extra time.

A red carpet was rolled out for the victorious team as they arrived home in Spain, with the squad hosted at Real Madrid’s basketball team home ground, the WiZink Arena.