Bundesliga
The race to follow in the footsteps of previous Golden Boy winner Lamine Yamal has begun, with a list of 100 contenders for the crown of best U21 player on the continent released by Tuttosport. With 11 players from the Bundesliga in contention for the prestigious award, bundesliga.com runs you through the nominees from your favourite division.
1. Tom Bischof - Hoffenheim
The highest ranked Bundesliga candidate is 19-year-old Bischof, whose spectacular form for Hoffenheim in 2024/25 earned him a move to champions Bayern Munich ahead of next season. The Germany U20 international is 16th on the overall shortlist.
While Hoffenheim didn’t hit the heights they hoped they would this past season, Bischof’s performances went to another level as he became almost undroppable for the Sinsheimers. His commanding performances from attacking midfield, which resulted in five goals and two assists, also saw him named in Julian Nagelsmann’s Germany squad for the Nations League Final Four fixtures in early June.
Watch: the best of Tom Bischof
2. Antonio Nusa - RB Leipzig
Another of those gunning for gold, but better known for his exploits in white and red, is Leipzig's Nusa, who currently sits 22nd on the Golden Boy shortlist.
Having joined from Belgian side Club Brugge last summer, the 20-year-old Norway international was quick to make an impression at the Red Bull Arena, scoring the only goal of the game in their opening day win over Bochum. A further two goals and three assists within a total of 16 starts and 25 appearances overall in the league capped off a promising first Bundesliga campaign for Nusa.
Watch: Nusa on target against Bochum
3. Arthur Vermeeren - RB Leipzig
The Norwegian’s closest companion on the list is fellow Leipzig man Vermeeren, who spent the 2024/25 season on loan in Saxony from Atletico Madrid.
While the Belgian didn’t hit the ground running quite as quickly as Nusa, he eventually found his feet and went on to make 28 league appearances for the side. Having made just five starts before Matchday 15, Vermeeren then went on to start 13 times in the remaining 19 games, with the team losing just two of the final seven games that he started in. His eye for a pass and tenacity off the ball saw him become an important cog within Leipzig’s engine room in the second half of the campaign.
4. Jean-Mattéo Bahoya - Eintracht Frankfurt
The next candidates on the list see us switch from Bulls to Eagles, with Frankfurt’s Bahoya and Can Uzun sat in 63rd and 67th place respectively. Bahoya’s role in the Frankfurt squad changed from the end of January onwards as a result of the Omar Marmoush shaped hole that appeared next to Hugo Ekitiké after the Egyptian’s move to Manchester City. The France U20 international rose to the occasion, however, registering three goals and an assist from February on – all whilst setting a Bundesliga speed record too, clocking in at 37.16 km/h against Bochum.
5. Can Uzun - Eintracht Frankfurt
Talking of speed, his teammate Uzun’s reputation is quickly on the rise too, following an impressive debut campaign for Dino Toppmöller’s side.
Watch: the best of Can Uzun
Having joined from Bundesliga 2 side Nuremberg, Uzun was quickly made a part of the first team squad, appearing in six of the first nine matches. While the majority of his 20 league appearances came from the bench, that was more than enough time for the young magician to score four goals and record two assists, in addition to making a further 11 appearances across the DFB Cup and UEFA Europa League.
6. El Chadaille Bitshiabu - RB Leipzig
Leipzig’s 20-year-old French defender Bitshiabu sits 65th on the shortlist. With 21 appearances in 2024/25, he more than tripled his tally from 2023/24, putting injury problems behind him to demonstrate how important he can be for the Red Bulls’ backline. Standing at almost two metres tall, he blends physicality with tremendous composure on the ball, qualities that earned him a first France U20 cap in September 2024.
7. Paul Wanner - Heidenheim
Close behind in 68th is Bayern’s Wanner, who spent last season on loan to Heidenheim. It was a difficult season for Frank Schmidt’s men, who balanced Europa Conference League football with a relegation battle, but nevertheless, Wanner’s quality managed to shine through a stormy campaign for the club. In his first full Bundesliga season Wanner scored three times, including a beauty against Stuttgart on Matchday 14, as well as registering two assists.
8. Bence Dardai - VfL Wolfsburg
Another emerging midfielder that completed his first Bundesliga season is Wolfsburg’s Dardai, who is 72nd in the rankings. With 16 starts in 2024/25, Dardai took to top flight football like a duck to water, proving more than capable of marshalling the Wolves’ midfield. That jump is made even more impressive when considering that he made just eight Bundesliga 2 appearances for Hertha Berlin in 2023/24, spending the majority of the season playing for their U19 side.
Watch: Wanner made waves for Heidenheim
9. Julien Duranville - Borussia Dortmund
Dortmund’s Duranville battled back from a hamstring injury to make 22 appearances in all competitions for the Black Yellows, with nine of those coming in the club’s run to the Champions League quarter-finals. Still just 19, the faith placed in Duranville during their European adventure symbolises the quality the young Belgian possesses, and the trust the club has in him.
A start at home to Barcelona in December was just his fifth appearance of the season, but he was quick to remind everyone of just how dangerous he can be, providing a dazzling performance against a European giant under the lights of the Signal Iduna Park. His limited appearances in 2024/25 were stil enough to see him placed 75th in the rankings, too.
10. Finn Jeltsch - VfB Stuttgart
Having caught the eye at Nuremberg during the first half of the 2024/25 season, Stuttgart were quick to pounce upon 18-year-old Jeltsch’s talents in January, and he went on to appear 12 times in their last 13 Bundesliga games, with nine of those being starts.
A modern centre-back with a brilliant range of passing and an understanding of the game beyond his years, Jeltsch’s latest appearance for the Swabians came at the end of their DFB Cup final win over Arminia Bielefeld, a fitting end to a fantastic season for him.
11. Nelson Weiper - Mainz
Some 10 places below Jeltsch in 100th place is Weiper, who scored three goals in Mainz’s run to securing Europa Conference League football.
Already a Germany U21 international, Weiper’s physical presence and eye for goal became an important asset for the 05ers in 2024/25, with his late equaliser against Holstein Kiel on Matchday 28 securing an important point for Bo Henriksen’s men.