Jude Bellingham and Fabio Carvalho make Golden Boy final shortlist

Pedri was the winner of the award last year

Jude Bellingham is among the leading contenders to be named the 2022 Golden Boy (Getty Images)

Jude Bellingham is among the leading contenders to win the 2022 Golden Boy award after being named on a final 20-player shortlist.

The annual award, created by Italian newspaper Tuttosport in 2003, is presented to the leading footballer under the age of 21 and is voted on by journalists from around Europe.

The final shortlist includes two Premier League players in Liverpool’s Fabio Carvalho and Wilfried Gnonto of Leeds.

Pedri was named the 2021 Golden Boy and the Barcelona midfielder again makes the shortlist as one of four players from the Catalan club, while Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala is also included.

Previous winners of the award include Lionel Messi (2005), Paul Pogba (2013) and Erling Haaland (2020).

Were Bellingham to take the gong, he would be the third English winner: Wayne Rooney was the 2004 Golden Boy and Raheem Sterling was voted to the prize in 2014.

20-player shortlist for 2022 Golden Boy award

• Karim Adeyemi (Borussia Dortmund, Red Bull Salzburg)
• Antonio Silva (Benfica)
• Jude Bellingham (Borussia Dortmund)
• Eduardo Camavinga (Real Madrid)
• Fabio Carvalho (Liverpool, Fulham)
• Ansu Fati (Barcelona)
• Gavi (Barcelona)
• Wilfried Gnonto (Leeds United, FC Zurich)
• Ryan Gravenberch (Bayern Munich, Ajax)
• Josko Gvardiol (RB Leipzig)
• Fabio Miretti (Juventus)
• Jamal Musiala (Bayern Munich)
• Nico (Valencia, Barcelona)
• Nuno Mendes (Paris Saint-Germain)
• Pedri (Barcelona)
• Giorgio Scalvini (Atalanta)
• Benjamin Sesko (Red Bull Salzburg)
• Mathys Tel (Bayern Munich, Rennes)
• Destiny Udogie (Udinese)
• Nicola Zalewski (Roma)