Real Madrid have some brilliant players in their roster, and many of them are very young. Some of them are also nominated for the Golden Boy award.
There are a few brilliant players that are also there on the list, and honestly, any of them can win it.
How do the Real Madrid boys rank?
1. Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain
It is hard to argue against a player who was such a crucial part of Paris Saint-Germain’s treble-winning successes at the tender age of just 19. Désiré Doué was influential in the brilliant season PSG had last time around, scoring 16 goals and providing 16 assists in a stellar season with the Parisans. Like I said, hard to argue.
2. Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid)
Honestly, this was a toss-up between Huijsen and Pau Cubarsí. Both are excellent defenders. Both have their own qualities. Cubarsí is younger, and has more years at Barcelona than Huijsen does at the absolute top level football.
However, Huijsen, in my opinion, is the better player. Maybe next year, Cubarsí can win it, but I would edge it towards Huijsen. You might say that because Cubarsí is younger, he has more potential. I don’t think so. I think both of these players are excellent, and at the end of the day, it comes down to personal preference.
3. Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona)
Like I said above, Cubarsí is a brilliant footballer. He is younger than most players here and has more talent to back it up than almost any player in the world.
As a Real Madrid fan, people can get really annoyed that each time Barcelona have a problem, they produce some other worldly talent to make up for it. As annoying as it can get for fans, no one can deny the quality.
4. Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
Real Madrid fans watched this man single handedly push aside most Madrid players at the Santiago Bernabeu. He won duels against the big boys and showed his quality at the biggest stage of them all.
Lewis-Skelly was so good that Real Madrid started keeping tabs on his contract situation. And the reality is that he is that good. Lewis-Skelly is versatile, athletic, technically gifted, strong, and can play wherever the coach wants him to play. An absolute gem.
5. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal)
Nwaneri is an exceptional talent, too. It is just a joy to watch the kid play. In a year’s time, he may even be a top 3 contender – or a winner – depending on how the next 12 months go.
But Nwaneri has acres of potential. There aren’t that many players in world football who can play so elegantly but punish the other team as devastatingly as Nwaneri. He is a world beater.
6. Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Zaïre-Emery has been around for so long, it almost feels illegal to include him in this list. He has oozed of class and composure for a long time on the pitch, and yet, he is only 20 years old.
However, he is every bit as talented as most individuals here, and his experience and quality easily puts him at number six, ahead of one of my favorite players on the list.
7. Arda Güler (Rel Madrid)
It almost feels wrong to rank Güler down here. I mean, number seven is definitely a good spot to have for any player. But, when it is someone you have seen unearth his talent and become a mainstay on the team you support, then it does hurt a lot.
Güler is supremely talented. Supremely. And next season, I am really sure he would be in the top three next season. He may even win it. Right now, though, the only thing that is separating him from that is game time. All the players listed above have played at least one full season.
They have played big games, consistent minutes for their team. Güler has only just become a starter. He was not starting any games before April. Purely because of that, I would keep him at number six. That’s how I think the awards will go anyway.
8. Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
Güler's countryman, Kenan Yıldız, is another brilliant player. He is one of the most talented players in the world, and has shown time and time again in a pretty average Juventus side that he is the best player on their roster. He is quite simply brilliant.
Yıldız has been a mainstay for Juventus and Turkey for a couple of years now, and he will only get better from here
9. Eliesse Ben Seghir (Bayer Leverkusen)
A brilliant player on his day – and it is his day many times. Ben Seghir is another top-quality prospect from Monaco, and it is actually brilliant to watch him play football. He is amazing, and surely belongs on this list and many others for this year.
10. Endrick (Real Madrid)
Endrick is a great football talent whose goals took Real Madrid to the final of the Copa Del Rey last season. Whoever thinks that he is overrated cannot possibly ignore his presence on the field. If this were about the most talented player in the world, he would be at the top. Endrick has more talent than most players on this list, if not all.
However, it is only fair to the others that they get rewarded for the season they had. Endrick’s goals were important, but he also did not play a lot – which was not his decision, but a fact nonetheless. So, purely for that reason, he makes the top ten.
Franco Mastantuono is a brilliant player who has impressed, but the only reason he is not on the list is that he has not played enough minutes in Europe. How many minutes has he played? 200? That is not enough for how I am basing this award, but I’m sure he’ll make it next year. So sure.