Contenders for the 2026 Golden Boy Award
Two young forwards from Ukrainian clubs have been nominated for the prestigious Golden Boy prize. Kauan Elias, who plays for Shakhtar Donetsk, and Matviy Ponomarenko of Kyiv’s Dynamo are both in the running for the 2026 award. This annual honor, presented by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport, recognizes the best young footballer in Europe. This year’s contenders are players born in 2006 or later.
Current Rankings and Player Achievements
In the current ranking, Elias holds the 84th position, while Ponomarenko is just behind at 86th. The list of candidates will be cut down to just 20 players in October 2023. The current frontrunner is Lamine Yamal, a forward for FC Barcelona, who won the award in 2024 and is therefore ineligible to win again. So far this season, Ponomarenko has netted 15 goals in 22 matches across all competitions. In comparison, Elias has appeared in 36 games, scoring 11 times and providing 7 assists.
The Golden Boy award was first handed out in 2003, with Dutch midfielder Rafael van der Vaart taking the inaugural prize. Notably, only one Golden Boy winner—Lionel Messi, who won in 2005—has later gone on to claim the Ballon d'Or. Last year’s recipient was Désiré Doué of Paris Saint-Germain.
In Ukrainian league action, Shakhtar recently lost to Kolos in the Premier League, with Elias not included in the matchday squad. Dynamo, meanwhile, triumphed in the 2025/26 Ukrainian Cup final, thanks to a brace from midfielder Vitaliy Buyalskyi and a goal from winger Andriy Yarmolenko.
The inclusion of Kauan Elias and Matviy Ponomarenko among the Golden Boy nominees highlights the growing potential of young Ukrainian footballers on the international stage.
Both players are delivering impressive performances for their clubs, signaling their development and potential to become key figures in Ukrainian football in the years ahead. Success at international tournaments could also help raise the profile of Ukrainian football across Europe.
As young talents like Kauan Elias and Matviy Ponomarenko make headlines, it's worth noting that other clubs are also on the lookout for promising players. For instance, Udinese has expressed interest in Karpaty forward Faal, highlighting the increasing demand for emerging football stars across Europe. This trend underscores the competitive landscape for young athletes striving for recognition on the international stage.