Barcelona teenage sensation Pedri wins the 2021 Golden Boy award
Barcelona teenage star Pedri has won this year’s Golden Boy award – for the best under-21 player in Europe, with a record-breaking result as England international Jude Bellingham ranked second.
The 18-year-old broke into the first-team at Barcelona last season and has established himself over this calendar year with spectacular performances for the club and his country Spain.
By May, he had made 50 first-team appearances for Barcelona, a figure that now stands at 56 and has also been capped 10 times by Spain and was part of Luis Enrique’s squad for Euro 2020.
Pedri also represented his nation at the Olympics, reaching the final where Spain lost to Brazil.
Italian outlet Tuttosport named Pedri as the 2021 Golden Boy on Monday, with director Xavier Jacobelli commenting:
“I am pleased to report that the Barcelona midfielder and Spanish National Pedri has won the nineteenth edition of our international trophy which elects the best under 21 in the world registered for a European club in a top division.”
“It is a deserved triumph. The Canarian boy, who succeeds the Norwegian Erling Haaland, has beaten the competition by some distance.”
“Of the forty journalists who vote, representing the most illustrious newspapers of our continent, 24 placed him in first place of their preferences, another nine in second position and three in third.”
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However, he came up against some sensational talent in the race including the likes of Borrusia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham and Gio Reyna, Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga, Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala, Manchester United’s Mason Greenwood, Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka, Bayer Leverkusen’s Florian Wirtz, and his teammate Gavi.
Pedri finished 199 points ahead of second-place England international Jude Bellingham and becomes the biggest gap between the winner and the runner-up in the history of the award.
Pedri after winning the award has some heartfelt words for Tuttosport.
“I thank Tuttosport for this trophy, which makes me proud. Thanks also to all the members of the jury and the fans who have always supported me in this simply incredible 2021 for me.”
“And of course, many thanks to Barca, the national team, my family, my friends and obviously to all those who have been close to me day after day. Without them I would not have been able to win the Golden Boy award.”
Pedri takes over from Erling Haaland who won the award last year and becomes the first Barcelona player to win it after Lionel Messi’s exploits in 2005.
