TheCable

Samuel Chukwueze, Super Eagles winger, and Tom Dele-Ashiru, Flying Eagles midfielder, have been named in the 40-man list of nominees for the 2019 Golden Boy award.

The annual award organised by Tuttosport, an Italian newspaper, recognises the most outstanding player in Europe under the age of 21.

One of the criteria for nomination is that the players nominated must be playing in top tier European leagues.

Nominations and winners are done through voting by journalists.

If either of Chukwueze or Dele-Bashiru win the award, which is its 17th edition, they will make history as the first African to win the Golden Boy award.

Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus claimed the 16th edition in 2018.

Past winners include Manchester City’s Sergio Aguero, Barcelona’s Lionel Messi, Real Madrid’s Isco, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappe of Manchester United and PSG respectively.

Here is a full list of the nominees

Benoit Badiashile (AS Monaco)
Samuel Chukwueze (Villarreal)
Michael Cuisance (Bayern Munich)
Tom Dele-Bashiru (Watford)
Matthijs De Ligt (Juventus)
Krépin Diatta (Club Brugge)
Giuanluigi Donnarumma (AC Milan)
Denis Dragus (Standard Liege)
Eljif Elmas (Napoli)
Florentino Luís (Benfica)
Phil Foden (Manchester City)
Mattéo Guendouzi (Arsenal)
Erling Braut Haaland (RB Salzburg)
Kai Havertz (Bayer Leverkusen)
Alexander Isak (Real Sociedad)
Joao Félix (Atlético Madrid)
Dejan Joveljic (Eintracht Frankfurt)
Boubacar Kamara (Marseille)
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich)
Moise Kean (Everton)
Justin Kluivert (Roma)
Ibrahima Konaté (RB Leipzig)
Rodrygo Goes (Real Madrid)
Alban Lafont (Nantes)
Diego Lainez (Real Betis)
KangIn Lee (Valencia)
Andriy Lunin (Real Valladolid, on loan)
Donyell Malen (PSV)
Mason Mount (Chelsea)
Nehuén Pérez (Famalicao)
Reiss Nelson (Arsenal)
Abdulkadir Omur (Trabzonspor)
Strahinja Pavlovic (Partizan Belgrade)
Rafael Leao (AC Milan)
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid)
Jadon Sancho (Borussia Dortmund)
Luis Sinisterra (Feyenoord)
Jean-Clair Todibo (Barcelona)
Ferran Torres (Valencia)
Nicolo Zaniolo (Roma)