Casablanca – Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi has earned a place among the 25 finalists for the 2026 Golden Boy award.
The award recognizes leading Under-21 players competing at European clubs.
Tuttosport, the Italian newspaper behind the award, announced the final shortlist on Monday at Villa Furstenberg in Mestre. Twenty players qualified through the October update of the European Golden Boy Top 100, compiled with Transfermarkt, while another five entered through wild-card selections.
Bouaddi, 18, joined Manchester City from Lille in August on a five-year contract running through 2031. City did not disclose the transfer fee, although reports around the move placed the deal at close to €100 million.
The Moroccan midfielder arrived in England after making 96 senior appearances for Lille and has since begun establishing himself in Enzo Maresca’s squad.
Bouaddi has had a breakthrough year on the international stage. After previously representing France at youth level, Bouaddi committed his senior future to Morocco and featured prominently for the Atlas Lions during the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The final short list also includes Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi, Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery, Real Madrid pair Endrick and Yan Diomande, Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi.
A 50-member jury of journalists from across Europe will now vote for the winner, with the 2026 Golden Boy scheduled to be announced in November.
The award can only be won once, ruling out previous recipient Desire Doue from defending the title.
Bouaddi now heads into the final vote with his name firmly established among the standout young players in European football, after a year that has accelerated his rise at both club and international level.
