The long list for the Golden Boy Award 2021 has been announced, and two Manchester United players feature.
The award is given to the best young player in European football under 21 and is voted by by editors at magazines and newspapers across Europe.
A list of 100 players have been listed for the award. This is later cut to 60, and then 40, before the winners are announced.
Mason Greenwood is named on the list, just like the past two previous years.
Amad is United’s second player. Both players have very strong chances to make the final shortlist and could even be contenders to win the award.
Tuttosport list all 100 players, who fans can vote for to make the shortlist.
Previous winners
More Manchester United players have won the Golden Boy award than of any previous club.
Wayne Rooney (2004), Anderson (2008), and Anthony Martial (2015) were the previous winners.
Dortmund’s Erling Haaland won the award in 2020, and Joao Felix of Atletico Madrid in 2019.
Jude Bellingham is among the contenders on this year’s list, while Haaland is no longer eligible, and nor is Jadon Sancho.
Amad and Greenwood could both form strong cases to be in contention if they can start the season well and make an impact in the Champions League.
Wait for 2022…
United’s youth teams are a conveyor belt of talent too and it is very likely that names like Hannibal and Shola Shoretire and Anthony Elanga are on the list.
Elanga has two goals in his last two Sweden under-21 games and could go onto earn a senior cap later this year.
Shoretire has already made his Manchester United debut at 17 and has a very bright future ahead.
Hannibal is a Tunisia international and has a rising profile due to this. He should be a lock to be on the shortlist for 2022.
Mason Greenwood’s special career so far
Mason Greenwood’s career so far
- 17 first team goals in his debut season
Greenwood tied a record set by George Best and Wayne Rooney on their first campaigns for the club.
- Five Europa League goals in his first season
Greenwood’s goals in the Europa League saw him become the club’s youngest ever scorer in European competition.
- 10 Premier League goals
Greenwood became the first teenager since 1997/98 to score 10 Premier League goals or more in a season.
- Absolutely prolific at youth level
Greenwood scored 31 goals in 30 under-18 games, plus five in five UEFA Youth League matches. He scored three in three FA Youth Cup games, and four in seven under-23 matches, before being fast-tracked to the first team.
- Already a Champions League scorer
Greenwood scored his first Champions League goal for Manchester United against RB Leipzig. It came with his first ever shot in the competition.
- The 20 goal mark
Greenwood scored his 20th United goal in December 2020. He became the youngest United player to do so since Norman Whiteside in 1987.
- Double figures again
Greenwood reached double figures for the second successive season in the win over Roma. He became the second United player to score in five separate competitions in the 2020/21 season, and has now netted in a European semi-final.
- The 30 goal barrier
Greenwood scored his 30th Manchester United goal in August 2021. At just 19, he became one of just three teenagers to do so for the club, along with Whiteside and George Best.
Amad a true star in the making
Amad’s fantastic career start
- Amad scored on his Atalanta debut
Amad made an instant impression scoring in a 7-1 win for Atalanta on his Serie A debut in 2019.
- Too good for United under-23s
In three games for Manchester United under-23s, Amad scored three goals and provided four assists.
- Europa League star
Amad scored in his third ever Europa League game, netting an opening goal against AC Milan.
- Premier League impact
Amad provided an assist on his first ever Premier League start, setting Mason Greenwood up for a goal against Leicester.
- International hero
On just his second international appearance, Amad scored a matchwinning free-kick for Ivory Coast against Burkina Faso.
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