The nominations for this year's Golden Boy award have been announced, with 20 of football's brightest starlets battling it out to win the prestigious trophy.
The award was started in 2003 by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, with experts from across Europe now voting to name the continent's best young player. All the nominees must be playing in one of the top tiers of a European league system and be under the age of 21.
Barcelona star Pedri won last year's award, with the 19-year-old again nominated this year, alongside two of his team-mates. While he remains a starter for Barca, Pedri's chances may be hit by the fact he has spent much of the year on the sidelines with a hamstring injury.
Gavi and Ansu Fati could instead carry the flag for the La Liga giants, who are in desperate need of a boost following their Champions League disaster. Both players have featured heavily under Xavi during this calendar year, though they face strong competition.
Some of that competition could come from the Premier League, with two stars of the English top-flight nominated. The first is Fabio Carvalho, who starred as Fulham won the Championship last season, before he secured a dream move to Liverpool.
The 20-year-old has established himself as a regular option off the bench for the Reds and has already scored two goals. The second Premier League representative is Wilfried Gnonto, who joined Leeds in the summer transfer window.
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He has struggled for game-time at Elland Road, with his hopes of winning the award resting on his performances for Zurich in the first-half of the year. He scored 10 goals and notched eight assists as they stormed to the Swiss Super League title last season.
The league with the most nominations is the Bundesliga, with six players from Borussia Dortmund, RB Leipzig and Bayern Munich making the shortlist. Arguably the favourite for the award also comes from that division, with Dortmund's Jude Bellingham having a strong chance of winning.
Bellingham has starred for the Black and Yellow across this calendar year, even taking on the role of vice-captain at Signal Iduna Park. His efforts on the international stage have also impressed many, with the 18-year-old looking a sure bet for a starting spot at the World Cup.
He is joined in the nominations by team-mate Karim Adeyemi, who is regarded as one of the best young strikers in Europe. Bayern meanwhile have three representatives - Ryan Gravenberch, Jamal Musiala and Mathys Tel, with RB Leipzig's Josko Gvardiol also making the list.
La Liga has five representatives in the nominations, with Real Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga and Valencia's Nico Gonzalez joining the three Barca stars already mentioned. Camavinga helped Los Blancos to win the Champions League last season and has become a regular under Carlo Ancelotti.
Following the Bundesliga and La Liga, Serie A is also well-represented, with four nominations. They are led by Roma star Nicola Zalewski, who has become a key player under Jose Mourinho at the Stadio Olimpico.
Juventus midfielder Fabio Miretti is also included, having become a regular feature for the Old Lady. Udinese's Iyenoma Udogie and Atalanta's Giorgio Scalvini round out the nominations from the Italian top-flight.
The Austrian Bundesliga, Ligue 1 and the Primiera Liga each have one nomination. Red Bull Salzburg star Benjamin Sesko makes the list having been heavily linked with a move to Manchester United in the summer.
Super-club Paris Saint-Germain only have one star in the nominations, in the form of left-back Nuno Mendes. And the nomantions are completed by the inclusion of Benfica's Antonio Silva.
Golden Boy 2022 nominations
Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund)
Joao Antonio Silva (Benfica)
Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
Fabio Carvalho (Liverpool)
Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
Gavi (Barcelona)
Wilfried Gnoto (Leeds United)
Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich)
Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)
Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
Fabio Miretti (Juventus)
Nico Gonzalez (Valencia)
Nuno Mendes (PSG)
Pedri (Barcelona)
Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta)
Benjamin Sesko (Red Bull Salzburg)
Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich)
Iyenoma Udogie (Udinese)
Nicola Zalewski (Roma)
