It was at the Badia di Sant'Andrea, Genoa's brand new training center, that Tuttosport gathered the European press this Wednesday to unveil the list of 25 finalists for the Golden Boy 2025. Presented by Patrick Vieira, this media day officially launched the final stretch before the ceremony scheduled for December in Turin. In an atmosphere combining analytical rigor and media fervor, the Turin daily recalled the philosophy of the trophy: to recognize the best European player under 21, at the crossroads of sporting performance, precocity and collective impact. Among the names revealed, we find an exceptional generation, from Warren Zaïre-Emery to Désiré Doué, via Pau Cubarsà or Kenan Yildiz and, of course, another equally prestigious candidate in the person of Lamine Yamal .
As every year, the selection is based on the Golden Boy Index methodology , developed by Football Benchmark . This sophisticated statistical system is based on three pillars: sporting performance, playing time, and club strength. This data, standardized on a scale of 1 to 100, is then supplemented by a composite bonus taking into account minutes played in European competitions and performances with the national team. In 2025, this data approach will continue to serve as a reference to establish a preliminary ranking before the final vote by journalists. On this purely statistical basis, Lamine Yamal once again appears at the top of the hierarchy. His impact at FC Barcelona and his performances with La Roja make him, mathematically, the best young player in Europe for the second consecutive year.
A rule dear to the organization
Yet, despite this leading position and an exceptional season marked by a second place in the Ballon d'Or and a title of best young player of the Parisian ceremony, Lamine Yamal cannot win the Golden Boy 2025. The rules of the award, instituted by Tuttosport since its creation in 2003, are formal: a player can only be crowned once. A simple but essential rule, designed to guarantee the diversity of the list of winners and celebrate, each year, a new generation. Thus, although the Spanish international is among the 25 finalists and retains his first place in the Golden Boy Index, Yamal is automatically excluded from the race for the title. The index reflects the reality of performances,
This paradox can be confusing, since seeing the Catalan prodigy's name at the top of a ranking without him being able to win it again is somewhat surprising. But this is precisely what makes the Golden Boy so charming and unique, this blend of statistical rigor and symbolic tradition. Yamal will therefore remain one of the most striking faces of this 2025 edition, without being able to lift the trophy for the second time. In the shadow of the Barcelona player, Désiré Doué, ranked second on the index, automatically becomes the logical favorite to succeed the Blaugrana prodigy. The suspense remains intact before the ceremony in Turin, where the 2025 Golden Boy will write the continuation of a generational story that, decidedly, already belongs to Lamine Yamal and Désiré Doué.
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