A recent update of the Golden Boy 2026 award, which took place on August 14, 2026, placed three young Brazilian athletes among the top ten candidates for the honor of best under-21 player in European football. Rayan, Endrick and Estêvão are, respectively, in seventh, eighth and tenth place. In addition to them, Vitor Reis also stands out in the dispute, occupying 14th place on the list.
The main change in the ranking was seen at the top, where Pau Cubarsí surpassed Lamine Yamal and reached first position. The Barcelona defender stood out for his performance in the Spanish team’s World Cup campaign, moving up two places in the recently released ranking.
Lamine Yamal, who previously led the awards, is now in second place. The striker also participated in the World Cup with the Spanish team, but his performance was considered below expectations, especially in comparison to what he had been showing at his club, Barcelona.
The Golden Boy award is a joint initiative between the Italian newspaper “Tuttosport” and the “Transfermarkt” platform. It recognizes football talent under the age of 21 who are playing in European leagues, and is an important indicator of future stars in the sport.
Performance of Brazilians on the Golden Boy list
Among Brazilian players, Rayan is the one who appears in the highest position. The striker who plays for Bournemouth is in seventh place, accumulating 61.1 points on the Golden Boy Index. The young man gained more space in the Brazilian team during the World Cup, gaining a starting role in attack throughout the tournament.
Soon after comes Endrick, in eighth place, with 60.9 points. The Real Madrid striker was on the bench during the World Cup under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, but remains among the top contenders for the award.
Closing the group of the top ten, Estêvão, from Chelsea, occupies tenth place, with 60.4 points. The player was left out of the World Cup due to an injury and, as a result, fell four positions in the most recent update.
Brazil has another name among the 15 best. Vitor Reis is in 14th place, reaching the ranking after a positive season with Girona, in Spain. The defender is linked to Manchester City and is looking for an opportunity in the English main squad.
Discover the top 10 of the Golden Boy 2026 awards
- 1st – Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona, Spain)
- 2nd – Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)
- 3rd – Yan Diomande (Real Madrid, Ivory Coast)
- 4th – Zaïre-Emery (PSG, France)
- 5th – Bouaddi (Lille, Morocco)
- 6th – Victor Froholdt (Porto, Denmark)
- 7th – Rayan (Bournemouth, Brazil)
- 8th – Endrick (Real Madrid, Brazil)
- 9th – Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth, France)
- 10th – Estêvão (Chelsea, Brazil)
Third place goes to Yan Diomande, from Real Madrid. The Ivorian striker has 75.3 points and gained notoriety not only on the field, but also for becoming the most expensive signing in the history of the Spanish club.
Real Madrid invested 125 million euros, equivalent to around R$736 million, to acquire the player. Diomande is ahead of names like Warren Zaïre-Emery, from Paris Saint-Germain, and Ayyoub Bouaddi, who plays for Lille.
Following the list, Danish Victor Froholdt, who plays for Porto, is in sixth place. Junior Kroupi, a Bournemouth player, appears in ninth, completing the list between Brazilians Rayan and Estêvão.
The public voting phase for Golden Boy 2026 has already started. In October, the list of candidates will be reduced to 20 names. From this stage onwards, an international panel of judges will be responsible for defining the winner of the recognition.
