Jude Bellingham, a midfielder for Real Madrid and an England international, has been officially named the 2023 Golden Boy winner. 

For players under the age of 21, the annual trophy is often thought of as the pinnacle of European football honors. 

The 2023 winner, Bellingham, was formally presented with the trophy at a ceremony in Turin on Monday night, albeit the announcement had been made in November. 

Although he was beaten out by Barcelona midfielders Pedri and Gavi, the Birmingham-born phenom is no new to the Golden Boy committee. In 2021 and 2022, he was also named to the shortlist. 

After an incredible year in which he signed a €103 million deal with Real Madrid during the summer transfer window, nobody could dispute Bellingham’s victory in the 2023 calendar year. 

Bellingham had previously spent three years at Borussia Dortmund, where he nearly helped win the Bundesliga title in 2022–23 but the team’s heartbreaking last-minute loss to Bayern Munich ended their hopes of reclaiming the crown. 

But Bellingham’s stock price has risen even further in the second half of 2023. With 11 goals in 13 LaLiga games and 4 in 4 Champions League matches, the 20-year-old has 15 goals in 17 outings total. 

Bellingham has scored more goals for Real Madrid than club greats Cristiano Ronaldo and Alfredo De Stefano in the team’s first fifteen games. 

After 15 matches in LaLiga, Bellingham and Madrid had just lost once, putting them in first place. Plus, they’ve beaten Napoli twice in their first five Champions League group stage matches, and they’re undefeated overall.