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The 2025 Golden Boy is wide open. After Lamine Yamal’s big win in 2024, a new crop of young talents is making their claim, from defenders to attackers .
Based on the official shortlist, the Football Benchmark/Golden Boy index, club updates and expert opinion across Europe here are our top 10 for 2025 , with two Arsenal academy graduates in the mix.
Top 10 Golden Boy 2025 power rankings
1. Désiré Doué (Paris Saint-Germain)
Désiré Doué is the clear favourite for the 2025 Golden Boy after an incredible first season at Paris Saint-Germain where he was a key player in their Champions League win.
At 19 he shone on the biggest stage, scoring twice and an assist in the final against Inter Milan to win Man of the Match and UEFA’s Young Player of the Season. Beyond that, he was decisive in Ligue 1 and Europe all season and finished with over 20 goal contributions.
2. Pau Cubarsí (FC Barcelona)
Pau Cubarsí has a strong case for 2025 Golden Boy top 2 position, with a rare level of maturity and consistency at such a young age. Born in January 2007 and still only 18 he’s already a regular starter for FC Barcelona under Hansi Flick, playing minutes in La Liga, Copa del Rey, Supercopa and Champions League.
On the pitch, he looks way beyond his years. He’s confident on the ball, accurate with short and long passes and reliable at moving the ball out from the back. Add in his calmness under pressure and positional sense, and it’s clear why he’s one of the most advanced young center backs in Europe.
3. Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid / Bournemouth)
Dean Huijsen has cemented his place in the top 3 of the Golden Boy 2025 after a season of rapid growth, solid defending and a big transfer that showed his talent.
He moved from Juventus to Bournemouth in the summer of 2024, and by the end of the season, he played 32 games in all competitions, scored 3 goals and stood out in defensive stats. In the Premier League, he was top 5 for clearances and interceptions.
He transferred to Real Madrid for £50m in May 2025 and established himself as one of the best young centre backs in Europe.
4. Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
Warren Zaïre-Emery has just made it into the conversation for the 2025 Golden Boy, after having an excellent PSG season in midfield. At just 19, he logged nearly 3,000 minutes of playing time across the season, starting 23 Ligue 1 matches, and played some valuable time in the Champions League.
Zaïre-Emery did not only shine in the numbers. He showed maturity and leadership exceeding his age this season and he can combining his defensive abilities while also creating chances offensively.
He also provided important goals in critical matches. Zaïre-Emery was reliable, intelligent, and influential, and he is arguably one of the most complete young midfielders in Europe. No question a prime favorite for Golden Boy.
5. Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal) — Arsenal star #1
Myles Lewis-Skelly is fully deserving of his #5 spot in the Golden Boy 2025 after a season that had it all: quick first team integration, standout performances and record breaking moments.
The 18-year-old made 39 appearances for Arsenal across all competitions, starting in the Premier League and Champions League. He became the youngest Englishman to ever play in a Champions League semifinal match, and then made his England senior debut in March 2025, scoring against Albania, which made him the youngest player to score on debut for his national team.
For Arsenal, he turned up in the big matches, playing assists for knockout rounds in Champions League matches against PSV and Real Madrid, and scored his first goal in a 5–1 victory against Manchester City.
6. Kenan Yıldız (Juventus)
Kenan Yıldız is 6th in this Golden Boy 2025 rankings after a season of elite moments, solid numbers and milestones at Juventus.
In Serie A he played 35 games, 7 goals, 5 assists in about 2,400 minutes — good numbers for a player breaking into such a tough team. He also played 10 Champions League games, with 1 goal, 1 assist and became the youngest Juventus player to score in the group stage, breaking the record held by Alessandro Del Piero.
Even if his consistency and end product are to be improved, his creativity, dribbling, passing and growing confidence make up for it.
8. Ethan Nwaneri (Arsenal) — Arsenal star #2
Ethan Nwaneri had a season full of milestones and performances to remember. Scoring 9 goals for Arsenal in all competitions this season at 18, he became the youngest Premier League debutant at 15 years and 181 days old in 2022.
Nwaneri made a good impression on the international scene scoring within 10 minutes on his full England U21 debut against Portugal. His production on the club and international level and technical skills led to a new long term contract last August at Arsenal. He’s a Golden Boy candidate and one to watch in European football.
8. Jorrel Hato (Ajax-Chelsea)
Jorrel Hato makes the Golden Boy 2025 top 10 after an impressive season in European football 2024–25. At 19 he showed versatility for Ajax, playing centre back and left back. Over 6,000 minutes played, 69 starts in 75 games, contributing both defensively and offensively.
He also scooped up the Johan Cruyff Talent of the Year award in May 2025. He moved to Chelsea in August 2025 for around £35.5m, so obviously he’s one of the most prominent young defenders in Europe.
Very strong performances, leadership (he was Ajax’s youngest ever captain in a European game at age 17), and very versatile at the very highest level, so he is absolutely one of the first young talents you think of in the Golden Boy race.
9. Arda Güler (Real Madrid)
Arda Güler is in this list thanks to his technical skills and growing importance at Real Madrid. In 2024–25 he participated in 28 La Liga matches, with 3 goals and 5 assists for both domestic and European competitions.
Güler plays in multiple midfield positions and has adaptability to various systems, which has impressed most and has already displayed his skill during the 2025–26 season with 2 goals and 1 assist in 4 league games.
His talent, minutes and steady progress at a top club makes him a Golden Boy 2025 top 10 certainty.
10. Leny Yoro (Manchester United)
Leny Yoro complete the Golden Boy 2025 top 10 list due to his quick rise, solid defensive numbers and the big expectations that came with his move to Manchester United.
United signed him from Lille in summer 2024 for around €62 million after he was already in Ligue 1’s Team of the Season. At Lille he was one of the best young centre-backs in Europe, winning almost 67–68% of his duels — on the ground and in the air — and had a passing accuracy of around 92%.
Since he arrived in the Premier League, Yoro has shown composure on the ball, good positioning and maturity under pressure, even if some inconsistency is normal at his age.