Greenwood, Saka, Bellingham: Who is England's greatest Golden Boy? - The Verdict | OneFootball

A number of familiar faces have been nominated for the prestigious Golden Boy Award.

Indeed, with previous winners including the likes of Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Kylian Mbappe (to name just a few), it was one of the premier individuals awards on offer in the game, so it'll be hugely promising for a number of Premier League fans to see their prized assets in with a chance.

Kieran Trippier CLOSE to joining Man United! But there's bad news about Raphael Varane - Hear more on The Football Terrace...

The likes of Mason Greenwood, Bukayo Saka, Gabriel Martinelli, Billy Gilmour and Curtis Jones feature from clubs on these shores, with Borussia Dortmund's England star Jude Bellingham also nominated.

With a host of household names (some of who are in Gareth Southgate's squad) to sift through, GIVEMESPORT writers Jonathan Gorrie, Sam Brookes, Joshua Cole and Christy Malyan have shared their verdicts on who really is England's Golden Boy.

Jonathan Gorrie

Mason Greenwood.

Granted, Bellginham's rise to become a fully-fledged England international playing at a showpiece tournament is a touch more eye-catching, but Greenwood has something special about him.

Hailed as having a 'freakish' ability to finish chances by United legend Andy Cole, the 19-year-old has outperformed his xG in each of the last two seasons (via UnderStat).

Already having scored 18 goals with his left foot, 9 with his right and 2 with his head, he became the first 18-year-old to score 10 goals in a Premier League season in 22 years in July 2020, joining prodigious talents Michael Owen and Robbie Fowler in that feat.

A serious finisher and someone Old Trafford could realistically host for years, Greenwood is golden.

Sam Brookes

"Bukayo Saka has a massive future ahead of him.

"Given the wingers that England currently have at their disposal such as Phil Foden, Jack Grealish and Jadon Sancho, it could be said that Saka sometimes goes under the radar.

"Yet he deserves to be spoken about in the same breath as these players. Despite not turning 20 until September, Saka carried Arsenal at times this season, showing maturity beyond his years.

"As per WhoScored, he was directly involved in eight Premier League goals, and he also topped the Gunners’ rankings when it came to key passes (38) and successful dribbles (46).

"He deserves to be recognised as an exceptional talent, and I cannot wait to see how his career progresses over the coming years."

1 of 15

Who has won more Champions League titles?

Cristiano Ronaldo Lionel Messi

Joshua Cole

“When you consider just how impressive Greenwood has been since making his debut for United, it is hardly a surprise that he has been nominated for the Golden Boy award.

“The 19-year-old’s displays during the previous campaign were fantastic as he managed to provide 18 direct goal contributions for the Red Devils whilst averaging an impressive WhoScored match rating of 6.72 in the Premier League.

“With plenty of time left in his career to fulfill his potential, Greenwood is unquestionably one of the brightest prospects in European football and thus it could be argued that he is the stand-out player for his age in the top-flight.

“Providing that he continues to improve as a player, there is no reason why the England international cannot become an ever-present in United’s starting eleven.”

Christy Malyan

"I'd be lying if I said I've seen as much of Jude Bellingham as I have Bukayo Saka and Mason Greenwood, but sometimes just a few glimpses are all you need to recognise a player's immense potential. There's something about the former Birmingham City youngster's calmness that's almost eerie for a player so young, combined with a skillset that seems to incorporate a little bit of everything. He's incredibly disciplined off the ball, he's got quality in possession and he can burst forward to start or support attacks.

"It speaks volumes that he was the best player on the pitch in Dortmund's Champions League clash with Manchester City and has already established himself as an option for England while still just 17 years old. In truth, I think Greenwood, Saka and Bellingham will all have really big futures - but for me the latter looks set to shine brightest."