The England international midfielder is regarded as the world’s most promising young player under the age of 21. He now has a dazzling trophy to show for it, with the 20-year-old playmaker’s efforts at Borussia Dortmund and Real Madrid recognized. Bellingham follows in the footsteps of past Golden Boy winners Wayne Rooney, Lionel Messi, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland.

Bellingham, who has 15 goals for the Blancos in 17 matches, breaking Cristiano Ronaldo’s record, said when accepting his coveted award in Turin: “I can’t be more grateful to all the people I’ve met along the way to help get me to where I am now.” It’s about wanting to make my team and country the best teams in the world, and to be the best player in the world, you have to help your teams win, so being named to that list is a huge honor.

I think Wayne Rooney was my biggest inspiration growing up, obviously because he was from England and the way he played and fought, but there are so many more players from whom I’ve absorbed bits. I’m extremely grateful for everything football has provided me thus far in my life, and the encouragement from my family to keep playing and enjoying it has been enormous.”

Haaland also added another trophy to his collection courtesy of the Tuttosport awards, with the prolific Manchester City striker exacting some vengeance on Ballon d’Or winner Messi by winning the Golden Player Man award – having hit 52 goals last season in City’s historic Treble triumph.