Barcelona Midfielder Pedri Wins 2021 Golden Boy Award
Barcelona midfielder Pedri has won the 2021 Golden Boy award for the best Europe-based talent under the age of 21, beating Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham who was in second place.
Pedri secured 24 of the 40 first-place votes and 318 total points, with Bellingham finishing on 119 points, following a vote by a panel of football journalists.
The 18-year-old claimed the prize, which is presented annually by Italian publication Tuttosport to a European-based player aged 21 or under.
“I thank Tuttosport for this trophy, which makes me proud, and I also thank all the members of the jury and the fans who have always supported me in what has been an incredible 2021 for me,” Pedri said in a video message.
“Of course, I also thank Barcelona, the Spanish national team, my family, my friends and all those who have been close to me day after day. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to win the Golden Boy award.”
Pedri will collect the prize at a ceremony in Turin on December 13, taking the award that Erling Haaland was given in 2020.
Pedri joined Barcelona from Las Palmas in 2020 and won the Copa del Rey in the 2020/2021 season with Barcelona. He also won a Silver medal with Spain at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.
Barcelona congratulated the Spanish teenager on Instagram.
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Pedri joins other former high-profile winners of the award, such as Wayne Rooney (2004), Lionel Messi (2005), Cesc Fabregas (2006), Sergio Aguero (2007), Mario Balotelli (2010), Paul Pogba (2013), Raheem Sterling (2014) and Kylian Mbappe (2018).
Isco (2012), Joao Felix (2019), Anthony Martial (2015), Mario Gotze (2011), Renato Sanches (2016), Pato (2009), De Ligt (2018) and Anderson (2008) are other recipients of the prestigious award.
Chidi Nwoke/Barcelona.
