Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham wins the Golden Boy Award 2023
Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham has won the 2023 Golden Boy award and will receive the trophy in an event next month. The English youngster has had a wonderful year in his career and has deservedly beaten some of the best youngsters in the game to the award.
Los Blancos paid a premium price (€103 million) to sign Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund, and the Englishman has proven his worth to them in a short time. He won the Kopa Trophy for the best U-21 player in world football earlier this year, showing his overall impact on club and country.
The young midfielder has won the Golden Boy award for 2023, beating competition from Jamal Musiala, Rasmus Hojlund, and Alejandro Balde, among others. He becomes the first Englishman to win the award since Raheem Sterling nine years ago.
The Golden Boy award is organised by the Italian publication Tuttosport and is presented to the best U-21 player in the world each year. Bellingham, who had 14 goals and seven assists in 42 club appearances in the 2022-23 season, will receive his award at a ceremony in Turin on December 4.
Bellingham has not been far from the news headlines all year long, having impressed at Borussia Dortmund, earning a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid. The 20-year-old midfielder was the subject of a great deal of transfer speculation in the final months of the 2022-23 season.
The Golden Boy award win is a culmination of his performance in his last season in Germany and for the English national team over the past year. The midfielder succeeds Gavi as the winner of the award.
Jude Bellingham: Real Madrid's Golden Boy
Real Madrid paid €103 million to sign Jude Bellingham in the summer, but even they could not have anticipated how much of an impact he would have. The youngster has taken the bull by its horns at the club, scoring 13 times and providing three assists in 14 appearances across competitions.
Bellingham was instrumental last season to Borussia Dortmund as they came within minutes of winning the Bundesliga title. He was one of the side's captains and took on the armband on a number of occasions.
Real Madrid were without their young talisman for their last game against Valencia after he picked up a shoulder injury against Rayo Vallecano. He pulled out of the Three Lions squad for the international break and is back training at the club's Valdebebas base.
Jude Bellingham is expected to have a huge impact on Real Madrid and England in the coming years. The boy from Birmingham will explode into superstardom with his quality and maturity.