Nigeria Youngster Makes 40-man Shortlist For 2019 Golden Boy Award [See Full list]

Super Eagles youngster Samuel Chukwueze has been named on the 40-man list of nominations for the 2019 Golden Boy award.

The Villareal of Spain star together with Jadon Sancho, Joao Felix and Matthijs de Ligt made the shortlist for the second year running,

The Golden Boy prize is an annual award established by Italian newspaper Tuttosport which is handed to the best player in European football under the age of 21 over the previous calendar year.

Last year, De Ligt was named the 2018 Golden Boy, by an international panel after beating off stiff competition from Kylian Mbappe and Justin Kluivert.

The former Ajax captain became the first defender to receive the prize, which has previously been won by eight midfielders and seven forwards.

This year, he will be challenged by Nigeria winger, Chukwueze, who plays his club football for Villarreal in Spain.

There is also England’s Jadon Sancho, who had a stunning season for Borussia Dortmund.

2019 GOLDEN BOY SHORTLIST

Benoit Badiashile (Monaco)
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal)
Michael Cuisance (Bayern Munich)
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford)
Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus)
Krepin Diatta (Club Brugge)
Gianluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)
Denis Dragus (Standard Liege)
Eljif Elmas (Napoli)
Ibrain Florentino Luis (Benfica)
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Matteo Guendouzi (Arsenal)
Erling Haaland (Red Bull Salzburg)
Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad)
Joao Felix (Atletico Madrid)
Dejan Joveljic (Frankfurt)
Boubacar Kamara (Marseille)
Moise Kean (Everton)
Justin Kluivert (Roma)
Ibrahima Konate (RB Leipzig)
Alban Lafont (Nantes)
Diego Lainez (Real Betis)
Kang-in Lee (Valencia)
Andriy Lunin (Valladolid)
Donyell Malen (PSV Eindhoven)
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Nehuen Perez (Famalicao)
Reiss Nelson (Arsenal)
Abdulkadir Omur (Trabzonspor)
Strahinja Pavlovic (Partizan Belgrade)
Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
Rodrygo (Real Madrid)
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord)
Jean-Clair Todibo (Barcelona)
Ferran Garcia Torres (Valencia)
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma)