Since its introduction in 2003, the Golden Boy award has celebrated Europe’s most promising young talent. It is awarded to the under 21 player who has had the best season, and the list of previous winners boasts some serious names. Wayne Rooney, Paul Pogba, Sergio Aguero, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland and Lamine Yamal have all won it; yet only one player has ever gone on to win the Ballon d’Or – Lionel Messi.
Why is that?
Looking through the list of past Golden Boy winners, a few names stand out for the wrong reasons. Players like Anderson, Alexandre Pato and Renato Sanches never quite reached the heights many expected. The pressure of expectation can be crushing, and some players simply peak too early.
Winning the Golden Boy brings fame, scrutiny and comparisons to world-class players before a career has properly settled. Being the standout youngster in a single season doesn’t necessarily mean a player has the mentality or consistency to reach new levels, which is exactly what it takes to win the Ballon d’Or.
The Golden Boy also rewards early breakout form rather than long-term potential. It celebrates who’s shining right now, not necessarily who is most likely to become the best player in the world.
Recent Ballon d’Or trends have widened that gap even more. The award has started to favour collective success over individual brilliance. Players who lift major trophies like the Champions League or World Cup are now prioritised over those who produce incredible seasons without silverware.
It explains why even though Kylian Mbappé and Erling Haaland are arguably the two best players on the planet, neither has claimed the Ballon d’Or. Both have won plenty of silverware, but Ousmane Dembélé was chosen in 2025 off the back of PSG’s dominance, while Rodri won the year before as a European champion with Spain.
The biggest reason, though, is timing. Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo ruled world football for well over a decade. Between 2008 and 2023, only Luka Modrić and Karim Benzema managed to interrupt their monopoly. Messi collected eight Ballon d’Ors, Ronaldo five. Competing with that level of brilliance was almost impossible.
In another era, players like Sergio Agüero, Cesc Fàbregas and Wayne Rooney could easily have been serious contenders, but they were playing in a time when even excellence wasn’t enough.
It’s unlikely Messi will remain the only player to complete the double for long. Mbappé, Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal are all operating at a level that keeps them firmly in Ballon d’Or contention. With the next award falling in a World Cup year, that tournament could prove decisive. Spain are early favourites, which could strengthen Yamal’s case, but England and France will be close behind, giving Bellingham and Mbappé every chance.
For now, Messi stands alone as the only player to have won both the Golden Boy and the Ballon d’Or. But with a new generation emerging fast, it might not stay that way much longer.
