City's Bouaddi on Golden Boy shortlist after World Cup with Morocco

📰 Man City midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi has made the 25-man shortlist for the 2026 Golden Boy. 📌 Key points 🏆 Bouaddi is in the running for Europe's best under-21 player. 🇲🇦 His World Cup with Morocco earned him his place. 🏴 Eight of the 25 nominees play in the Premier League. 🇪🇸 Barcelona's Pau Cubarsí is seen as the favourite. 🗳️ The winner is chosen by a vote of 50 European journalists. 📝 What happened 🏆 The 25-man shortlist for the 2026 Golden Boy, organised by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, has been revealed. It is open to men's players born on or after 1 January 2006 at clubs in UEFA's top 25 leagues. 🔵 Bouaddi, who joined City this summer, is the club's representative. Yahoo Sports noted that he earned his place after a breakthrough World Cup with Morocco. 🏴 The eight Premier League nominees are Bouaddi, Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly, Chelsea's Estêvão and Jorrel Hato, Brighton's Luka Vušković and Charalampos Kostoulas, and Bournemouth's Eli Junior Kroupi and Rayan. 🇪🇸 Cubarsí is the frontrunner. Barcelona have the most nominees with three: Cubarsí, Marc Bernal and Xavi Espart. 📊 By the numbers • Shortlist: 25 players (8 from the Premier League) • Voters: 50 European journalists • Barcelona nominees: 3 (the most) 🔭 Why it matters It is a big statement that City's young summer signing is already among Europe's top prospects. The winner is due to be announced at a ceremony in Turin later this year. Before then, City face Liverpool on 11 October and PSG on the 14th.