Every Golden Boy winner in history: Where are they now?

FootballTransfers provides a retrospective on the careers of Golden Boy award winners, tracking the trajectories of recipients from inaugural winner Rafael van der Vaart in 2003 through Kylian Mbappe in 2017. Founded by Italian newspaper Tuttosport, the prestigious honor is awarded annually to the best U21 player in world football based on a 12-month evaluation period.

The feature tracks varying career arcs, including all-time greats like Lionel Messi and Wayne Rooney who fulfilled early expectations, alongside players who transitioned into management like Cesc Fabregas. It also details the winding career paths of winners such as Alexandre Pato, Anthony Martial, Mario Balotelli, and Renato Sanches.