Jude Bellingham, Alejandro Balde and more: Final list of nominees for the Golden Boy 2023 award revealed

Jude Bellingham and Alejandro Balde are among the 20 players to have made the final list of nominees for the Golden Boy 2023 award.

The list of nominees has been cut down to 20, and both Real Madrid superstar Bellingham and Barcelona wonderkid Balde feature. The duo are positioned as two of the heavy favorites to win the award later this month.

Bellingham, 20, has made a scintillating start to life at Madrid following a €103 million move from Borussia Dortmund. The English midfielder has bagged 10 goals and three assists in just 10 games across competitions.

However, his nomination comes from his past season at Dortmund which saw him come to the fore as one of Bundesliga's top talents. He scored 14 goals and provided seven assists in 42 games across competitions.

Bellingham became the youngest captain in Bundesliga history and won the German league's Player of the Year award. He also became the youngest captain to score in a UEFA Champions League game.

Meanwhile, Balde's stock has grown at Barca and he's replaced Jordi Alba as the Catalan giants' undisputed left-back. The 19-year-old made 44 appearances across competitions last season, scoring one goal and providing seven assists.

Other names that make the cut include Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala, Bayer Leverkusen midfield maestro Florian Wirtz, and Manchester United's new frontman Rasmus Hojlund.

Here's the 20-man list of nominees for the Golden Boy 2023 award:

• Jude Bellingham - Real Madrid
• Jamal Musiala - Bayern Munich
• Xavi Simons - RB Leipzig (on loan from Paris Saint-Germain)
• Antonio Silva - Benfica
• Alejandro Balde - Barcelona
• Florian Wirtz - Bayer Leverkusen
• Benjamin Sesko - RB Leipzig
• Giorgio Scalvini - Atalanta
• Rasmus Hojlund - Manchester United
• Levi Colwill - Chelsea
• Johan Bakyoko - PSV Eindhoven
• Milos Kerkez - Bournemouth
• Arthur Vermeeren - Royal Antwerp
• Evan Ferguson - Brighton & Hove Albion
• Lucas Gourna-Douath - Red Bull Salzburg
• Warren Zaire-Emery - PSG
• Ousmane Diomande - Sporting CP
• Arnau Martinez - Girona
• Mathys Tel - Bayern Munich
• Andy Diouf - Lens

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Real Madrid legend Guti claims Bellingham is eyeing Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi's throne

Guti has lavished massive praise on the Madrid superstar by claiming that he's going after the throne left behind by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. He said (via ESPN):

"Bellingham is the only one that's realized there's a throne that's no longer for Messi or Cristiano and that someone has to be there... he's going after it."

The England international has been a revelation at the Santiago Bernabeu. He has matched Ronaldo as the second player in Los Blancos' history to score four goals in his first four games for the club.

Both Ronaldo and Messi have left Europe following their moves to Al-Nassr and Inter Miami, respectively. It's left the role of European football's king vacant and the Madrid superstar's form is earning comparisons to the iconic duo.