Former Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund Midfielder Becomes First Englishman to Win Since Raheem Sterling in 2014
In a ceremony held in Turin, Italy, on Monday evening, former Birmingham City and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham secured the highly coveted Golden Boy Award. The accolade, established by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, is bestowed upon the best player under the age of 21 in Europe over a calendar year.
Bellingham emerged as the clear favorite for the award following an outstanding year with Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, and the England national team. His pivotal contributions nearly propelled Dortmund to Bundesliga victory, with the team finishing as runners-up to Bayern Munich on a dramatic final day.
Having moved to Real Madrid in an £88 million transfer during the summer, Bellingham has proven to be a revelation, notching an impressive 15 goals in 17 games for Los Blancos. The midfielder surpassed competition from notable talents like Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala and Barcelona’s Alejandro Balde to claim the prestigious award, becoming the first Englishman to do so since Raheem Sterling in 2014.
"[I'm] very lucky to be playing football because I don't have a clue what I'd be doing if I wasn't. Probably at university, messing around!" 😅
— Sky Sports News (@SkySportsNews) December 4, 2023
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham speaks after collecting the 2023 Golden Boy award in Turin 🤝🌟 pic.twitter.com/gdqPedDI3S
Expressing his pride at winning the Golden Boy Award, Bellingham stated, “My secret is the responsibility since I was a kid in the Academy. I love that. I want to get better every day and help Real Madrid. My focus is on that. Real Madrid is the best club in the world. I’m proud to play for Madrid. I want to win all the trophies with my club and England national team.”
The Golden Boy Award has a storied history, with previous winners including football luminaries such as Lionel Messi, Erling Haaland, and Kylian Mbappe. Looking ahead, Bellingham shared his predictions for potential future winners, tipping Arda Güler, his Borussia Dortmund teammate Jamie Bynoe-Gittens, and his brother Jobe as players to watch for the 2024 award.
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