Golden Boy Shortlist

Lennon7

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What actually is the criteria to get shortlisted for this farcical award?
Is it just a 'top potential' award or is it the best young player of that season award?
As some of the shortlisted players have barely featured in the senior team for their respective club, Gravenberch for example, or Esteves who I think has made two or so appearances for Porto?
Really don't get this award at all, makes no sense to me.
What do youth team (U21/U18/B-teams) performances not count? Obviously the title will go to someone like Haaland or Sancho smashing it at the top of the game but exciting prospects who are perhaps only just breaking through deserve to be shortlisted as well.
 

Champ

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What do youth team (U21/U18/B-teams) performances not count? Obviously the title will go to someone like Haaland or Sancho smashing it at the top of the game but exciting prospects who are perhaps only just breaking through deserve to be shortlisted as well.
So performing like Haaland on an international standard as well as for his senior club team is the same as banging in goals for an under 23 team now is it??
The guys in the youth team are not the best, they are potential to be the best. There's a difference
 

Piratesoup

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So performing like Haaland on an international standard as well as for his senior club team is the same as banging in goals for an under 23 team now is it??
The guys in the youth team are not the best, they are potential to be the best. There's a difference
Weird post. Winning and being nominated is not the same thing, so of course it isn't "the same".
Here's how the list is made: Every juror can nominate up to five players and allocate 10 points to one player, 7 to the next, then 5 , 3 , and 1. Journalists from dutch, german, british, french, russian, portuguese, greek and spanish newspapers take part. Naturally, a dutch journalist is probably going to name at least 1 or 2 dutch youngsters he thinks have been the most impressive over the last calendar year in addition to the obvious candidate(s). Then the list gets whittled down more and more. Don't know what's so farcical about that.
 

pacifictheme

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That Davies is amazing, I'd give it to him personally but haaland also a great shout.
 

Lennon7

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So performing like Haaland on an international standard as well as for his senior club team is the same as banging in goals for an under 23 team now is it??
The guys in the youth team are not the best, they are potential to be the best. There's a difference
Sorry, please highlight and bold where I said it’s the same? I said quite the opposite infact and stated there’s obviously going to be a contrast

It’s a shortlist. There’s not 40 under 21’s who are performing at Haaland’s level, so some will quite fecking obviously be of a different calibre and have been shortlisted for their potential
 

Champ

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Weird post. Winning and being nominated is not the same thing, so of course it isn't "the same".
Here's how the list is made: Every juror can nominate up to five players and allocate 10 points to one player, 7 to the next, then 5 , 3 , and 1. Journalists from dutch, german, british, french, russian, portuguese, greek and spanish newspapers take part. Naturally, a dutch journalist is probably going to name at least 1 or 2 dutch youngsters he thinks have been the most impressive over the last calendar year in addition to the obvious candidate(s). Then the list gets whittled down more and more. Don't know what's so farcical about that.
Sorry, please highlight and bold where I said it’s the same? I said quite the opposite infact and stated there’s obviously going to be a contrast

It’s a shortlist. There’s not 40 under 21’s who are performing at Haaland’s level, so some will quite fecking obviously be of a different calibre and have been shortlisted for their potential
I don't think you both understand me at all.

I'm questioning how youth products, or players who have barely played any senior minutes, can be compared to the likes of Haaland or any under 21s currently playing senior football.
A valid point I think, so no it's not a weird post.

No there's not 40 under 21s performing like Haaland, but I bet there's 40 under 21s playing week in week out for top level clubs, are they not more deserving of a place then a youngster who has shown talent in youth teams only?
 

Lennon7

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I don't think you both understand me at all.

I'm questioning how youth products, or players who have barely played any senior minutes, can be compared to the likes of Haaland or any under 21s currently playing senior football.
A valid point I think, so no it's not a weird post.

No there's not 40 under 21s performing like Haaland, but I bet there's 40 under 21s playing week in week out for top level clubs, are they not more deserving of a place then a youngster who has shown talent in youth teams only?
No, because this isn’t an award category for most minutes played for U21’s it’s for the brightest young talents in Europe. I can almost guarantee that some of the players who have only had a few games that you’re complaining about are under 18 or 19 and will be featured a lot, lot more in the coming years. They’ve been nominated for their immense potential, shown in the youth leagues and in their brief breakthrough.

By your logic Matty Longstaff or someone if that ilk should be shortlisted :lol:
 

Champ

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No, because this isn’t an award category for most minutes played for U21’s it’s for the brightest young talents in Europe. I can almost guarantee that some of the players who have only had a few games that you’re complaining about are under 18 or 19 and will be featured a lot, lot more in the coming years. They’ve been nominated for their immense potential, shown in the youth leagues and in their brief breakthrough.

By your logic Matty Longstaff or someone if that ilk should be shortlisted :lol:
Why not? He meets the criteria, not saying he should be but just asking a question, does a player who played zero senior games for their team deserve to be on a list ahead of a player who's played near enough a full season with good input for the senior team?

The fact is these players are put on this list for Thier potential it seems, rather than actually being a good player already, hell you've even said it yourself.

The award states it should be a player in the nation's top league who's been most impressive throughout a calendar year.
Look back at the winners and they have all been players who've solidified their position in their respective teams.
 

carvajal

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Vini and 19 other kids who seem to know how to play football.
I feel sorry for them, but the important is to participate!!.
Now (more) seriously, Davies deserves it, but Haaland has been a bomb in the world of football. I think it's the name on everyone's lips, and I'd give it to him
 

DoomSlayer

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Davies and Haaland deserve it the most, to be fair. I'd give it to Greenwood if I could choose, though. :D
 

Lennon7

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Why not? He meets the criteria, not saying he should be but just asking a question, does a player who played zero senior games for their team deserve to be on a list ahead of a player who's played near enough a full season with good input for the senior team?

The fact is these players are put on this list for Thier potential it seems, rather than actually being a good player already, hell you've even said it yourself.

The award states it should be a player in the nation's top league who's been most impressive throughout a calendar year.
Look back at the winners and they have all been players who've solidified their position in their respective teams.
Yeah, that’s what the golden boy award is. I really don’t get what’s so hard to understand - it’s a shortlist of the players perceived to be the most promising at the current time. There are players who have been highlighted who might not have broken into first teams yet but have shown immense potential. There are players that have been shortlisted, who are the ones who will likely win it, who are already considered to be amongst the best in the world. They are not all deemed equal on this shortlist. They have perhaps been shortlisted for different reasons.
 

AltiUn

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Haaland definitely deserves it. Honourable mention to Davies who won a treble which is obviously a great achievement. Greenwood had a pretty great debut season, he'll get the upcoming year's Golden Boy award after finishing as our top scorer.
 

Champ

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Yeah, that’s what the golden boy award is. I really don’t get what’s so hard to understand - it’s a shortlist of the players perceived to be the most promising at the current time. There are players who have been highlighted who might not have broken into first teams yet but have shown immense potential. There are players that have been shortlisted, who are the ones who will likely win it, who are already considered to be amongst the best in the world. They are not all deemed equal on this shortlist. They have perhaps been shortlisted for different reasons.
That's where you're wrong, it's players deemed to be most impressive during a calendar year, hence my original post on this thread.
 

Gabagoo

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Has to be Haaland, easily a better player than Sancho and more of a leader too.
Greenwood could have had a shout if not for the Sancho and Haaland.
 

SilentStrike

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1) Haaland
2) Davies
3) Sancho

Incredibly strong top 3 this year.


Would all three be worthier winners than Joao Felix last year.
 

Lay

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Looking at previous winners. Pato, Anderson and Balotelli are the only ones that never became world class but have an impressive trophy haul
 

Bale Bale Bale

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Fati 2nd and miles ahead of Sancho, come on now.

Sancho 44 appearances, 20 goals 20 assists. Fati 33 appearances 8 goals 1 assist.

Not to mention Davies, a key starting player for a team that won everything.
 

pascell

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Fati 2nd and miles ahead of Sancho, come on now.

Sancho 44 appearances, 20 goals 20 assists. Fati 33 appearances 8 goals 1 assist.

Not to mention Davies, a key starting player for a team that won everything.
Yeah I can't say I agree with Fati being ahead of Davies especially, maybe because Fati started breaking into the Spain team swayed it for them.

But Saka and Ferran Torres above Greenwood was another I was confused with, as it was Greenwoods break out season and he scored 19 goals.
 

Zehner

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Yeah I can't say I agree with Fati being ahead of Davies especially, maybe because Fati started breaking into the Spain team swayed it for them.

But Saka and Ferran Torres above Greenwood was another I was confused with, as it was Greenwoods break out season and he scored 19 goals.
In the end, this isnalso a popularity contest held by journalists. You obviously have to be a great talent to win it but that doesn't mean not winning it has any meaning at all. For me, Sancho would've been the deserving winner last year and this one, too.
 

Blackwidow

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Might have to do with the time the actual vote was made, too. Davies is out injured and did not play much since start of the season, Sancho declined since the Covid restart. Fati just got injured but before had a great September and October.
 

archiebald

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It's between Davies, Haaland, Sancho and maybe Fati IMO. None of the rest come close, likely either of former 2 will bring it home.
 

Flexdegea

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Can someone explain why Saka higher than Greenwood?


I know its must a made up list so doesnt have any relevance, but seen people online claiming Saka more versatile as a reason he better.

I'm not sure how you can look at both players, I think he has the better quality, without getting into the goals, Greenwood finishing is absolute world class, wonder shot as well both feet, and solid everywhere else. Its quite an obvious difference in quality in my opinion.


Not to take anything away from Saka, hes a top prospect as well.



Edit - will I sort of got into the goals :lol:
 

SilentStrike

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What the hell is Fati doing so high? Typical hype around Barca/Real players as usual.

Haaland is a well deserved winner
 

Web of Bissaka

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Why Fati 2nd?
Joke award.

I'm fine with Haaland winning it, but I think Davies is more deserving because he actually performed and won the big trophies. Davies should've been 2nd.

Agree with where Sancho is, never seen him playing well for international football. He's not the among the top best, but definitely good than the rest. Personally would put him in 3rd but points wise far away from 2nd and 4th.
 

Acrobat7

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What the hell is Fati doing so high? Typical hype around Barca/Real players as usual.

Haaland is a well deserved winner
When you’re 18 and Barca’s best player then you deserve to be this high.
And I love Davies, think Sancho is becoming underrated on here and agree that Haland is the correct winner.