This Monday afternoon in Turin, Englishman Jude Bellingham received the Golden Boy award, a trophy organized by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport that recognizes the greatest Under-21 talent in Europe. This is the twenty-first edition of the Golden Boy, which Gavi received last year and another Barça player, Pedri, the previous year.

Bellingham, 20 years old, is the first Real Madrid footballer to receive this award. In the votes, he swept. Of the participating judges, 45 placed him in first place and five in second place. He scored 485 out of a possible 500 points.

At the award ceremony Bellingham said that the only advice he would give is “play with a smile.” Of the list of predecessors who won the award, he commented that his greatest influence was Wayne Rooney, one of the two Englishmen who had won the award. The other was Raheem Sterling.

Bellingham also commented that to be the best player in the world you not only have to play well and score goals, you also have to help the team. I am very lucky to play for Real Madrid, which is the best club in the world. I am very grateful and enjoy every day that passes. “My only objective is to win as much as possible, both with my club and with the English team.”

The Englishman had a memory for his family: “I am grateful to my family for instilling this sport in me since I was little. Without football, I would not be the same person and I would probably be at university.”

The Golden Boy gala also awarded the Blaugrana Aitana Bonmatí, who won the award for best player over 21 years old and who this year also won the Ballon d’Or. Bonmatí, concentrated with the Spanish team, did not attend the event but left a few words of gratitude: “This award is thanks to my colleagues. I want to thank them for accompanying me throughout my journey, and also to the staff and technicians.”

Another former Barça player, Cesc Fábregas, retired this season, also won the award for his entire career, who said that “the keys to getting here have been the mentality, and taking it very seriously.”

Lamine Yamal, second in the Golden Boy classification, received ‘The Youngest’, for having been the youngest in the history of the award capable of reaching the podium, at home: “He can’t be here because tomorrow… He must go to school!” stated Guido Vaciago, director of ‘Tuttosport’: “she promised that one day she will come here for the other award. She has four years to get it…”