Jude Bellingham has been awarded the 2023 Golden Boy Award for the best player in Europe aged under 21.
Twenty years ago, the Italian sports publication Tuttosport instituted the prize, which is currently chosen by fifty sports journalists throughout the continent.
The English player Bellingham thanked everyone who voted for him to be the 2023 Golden Boy in a video message posted on tuttosport.com. I’m quite grateful for that.
“I’d like to thank everyone that’s been part of my journey so far at Birmingham, Dortmund and now Madrid. It wouldn’t be possible without them. There’s so many, I’d be here for hours naming them all.
“Lastly and most importantly my family, who give me the support and the motivation and the love every day to keep striving.
“Now that I’ve got this beautiful award, I want to keep going and keep pushing the limits of my potential and hopefully many more trophies to come.”
Bellingham has made a huge impact since moving from Borussia Dortmund to Real Madrid in the summer, scoring 13 goals in 14 matches, including both in a 2-1 victory over Barcelona last month.
The 20-year-old was awarded the Kopa Trophy last month for the best young player in the world at the Ballon d’Or ceremony.
He is the third English player to win the Golden Boy after Wayne Rooney in 2004 and Raheem Sterling in 2014. The award will be presented at a gala in Turin on December 4.
English professional football player Jude Victor William Bellingham was born on June 29, 2003. He plays midfield for both the England national team and La Liga team Real Madrid.
He finished 18th in the voting for the 2023 Ballon d’Or and won the Kopa Trophy in 2023, which is given to the best-performing male football player under 21 in the globe as chosen by past Ballon d’Or winners.