Brighton and Hove Albion’s Nigerian summer signing Zadok Yohanna has been named among the top 100 candidates for the 2026 European Golden Boy award, with the 19-year-old ranked 80th in the prestigious annual rankings.
The list, released by Italian daily Tuttosport — the organisers of the award — recognizes players under the age of 21 based on their performances and achievements throughout 2026. The winner will be decided in November.
Yohanna, who joined Brighton from Swedish club AIK Stockholm this summer on a five-year contract running until June 2031, earned his place on the list following an impressive stint in Allsvenskan. The teenager scored five goals and provided four assists in 18 appearances for AIK, catching the attention of Premier League scouts with his displays.
His form also earned him a call-up to Nigeria’s Super Eagles squad for the 2026 Unity Cup, though AIK did not release him for the tournament as it fell outside FIFA’s international match window.
The 100-strong list features some of world football’s most exciting young talents. Barcelona and Spain winger Lamine Yamal, Arsenal and England left-back Miles Lewis-Skelly, and Chelsea’s Brazilian starlet Estevao all make the cut alongside Yohanna.
Other notable names include France and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, Sporting Lisbon’s Ousmane Diomande, Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi of Lille, Germany and Bayern Munich talent Lennart Karl, and Chelsea’s Dutch defender Jorrel Hato.
While Yamal technically heads the rankings, the Barcelona prodigy is ineligible to win the award having already claimed the trophy in 2024. Golden Boy rules prevent repeat winners, meaning the 2026 edition will crown a new champion.
The Golden Boy award has historically been dominated by players representing Spanish clubs, with Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Aguero, Isco, Pedri, Gavi, and Jude Bellingham among past recipients.
Spain leads the all-time winners’ list with four recipients, followed by France with three. Argentina, Brazil, England, the Netherlands, and Portugal have each produced two winners across the award’s history.
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