Jude Bellingham, the midfielder for England and Real Madrid, has been awarded the 2023 Golden Boy, which recognizes the best player under the age of 21.
Bellingham is the first English player to receive this award since Raheem Sterling in 2014, during his time at Liverpool as a winger for Chelsea.
Previous notable recipients of this award include Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland.
Having played for Borussia Dortmund, Bellingham, who is currently 20 years old, joined Real Madrid in the summer and impressively scored 13 goals in just 14 games.
After being named the best under-21 footballer in the world in October and receiving the Kopa Trophy at the 2023 Ballon d’Or, this recognition has been added to the list of achievements.
After winning the 2023 Golden Boy, Jude Bellingham wrote: “I’d like to thank everyone who has been part of my journey so far at Birmingham, Dortmund and now Madrid. It wouldn’t be possible without them.
“Lastly and most importantly, my family who gives me the support motivation and love every day to keep striving.
“Now I have this prestigious award I want to keep going. I want to keep pushing the limits of my potential and hopefully many more trophies to come.”
Linda Caicedo, an 18-year-old Colombian star who plays for Real Madrid women’s team, has been crowned the 2023 Golden Girl.
Meanwhile, Haaland, the talented striker from Manchester City, was honored with the Golden Player Man award at the ceremony.
This recognition comes as no surprise, considering Haaland’s remarkable debut season, where he scored an impressive 52 goals in 53 matches for Manchester City.
Additionally, Aitana Bonmati, a midfielder for Barcelona women’s team and Spain, was presented with the Golden Player Woman award.
The 25-year-old athlete was awarded the Ballon d’Or last month. She has gained even more recognition after an exceptional season, during which she played a crucial role in her club’s victory in the Spanish top league and the Champions League. Additionally, she contributed to her country’s triumph in the World Cup during the summer.
