- Nineteen-year-old Carlos Baleba, emerging from Cameroon’s Boissons du Cameroun Elite Football Club, has been shortlisted for the Golden Boy award, a testament to his exceptional talent among under-21 players globally
- His nomination is a milestone, marking the first time a Cameroonian has been considered for this honor, following in the footsteps of football greats like Messi and Mbappé
- Baleba’s impressive season with Brighton Albion and the presence of other African nominees underscore the continent’s burgeoning impact on international football
In a groundbreaking moment for Cameroon, Carlos Baleba, the young midfielder honed by the Boissons du Cameroun Elite Football Club, has earned a spot among the top 100 contenders for the Golden Boy award, which recognizes the world’s most promising players under the age of 21.
This accolade, previously bestowed upon iconic figures such as Lionel Messi in 2006 and Kylian Mbappé in 2018, saw Jude Bellingham as its most recent recipient. The Italian outlet Tuttosport, which oversees the award, unveiled this year’s nominees, with Baleba being the inaugural Cameroonian to make the list.
Having transitioned from LOSC Lille to Brighton Albion, Baleba’s noteworthy contributions include participating in 21 Premier League games, 6 Europa League encounters, and a single League Cup match, earning him the 53rd rank among nominees.
His recognition heralds a significant moment for African football, as he joins a cohort of young African stars such as Moroccan Ilias Akhomach, Gambian Yankuba Minteh, and others, who are carving out their legacies in Europe’s top leagues.
Africans on the list (The Golden Boy Football Benchmark Index value is based on the players’ performance between 3rd October 2023 and 27th March 2024)
20th- 19years old Moroccan Ilias Akhomach who plays for Villarreal
21st- Yankuba Minteh from the Gambia who plays for Feyenoord
25th- Moroccan Bilal El Khannouss who plays for Genk
28th-Senegalais El Hadji Malick Diouf of Sk Slavia Praha
41th-Ghanian Ibdahim Osmane who plays for Superliga club Nordsjælland
42th-Ivorian Karim Konate Plays for Red bull Salzburg
53th- Cameroon’s Carlos Baleba who plays for Brighton
60th-Ghanian Christopher Bonsu Baah who plays for Genk
63th-Noah Sadiki from DRC who plays for Union Saint-Gilloise
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