Warren Zaïre-Emery is a finalist for the 2026 Golden Boy award. The Paris Saint-Germain midfielder is among the 25 players shortlisted for the trophy awarded annually to the best under-21 player at a European club.

The official list was confirmed on Monday, October 5th. It comprises the top 20 players from the October update of the Golden Boy Top 100 ranking, plus five 'Wild Cards' selected by the organiser Tuttosport. Zaïre-Emery, aged 20, was already named in the initial 100-candidate list unveiled in July.

An international jury

The winner will be chosen by an international jury of 50 European journalists. The announcement is scheduled for November, ahead of an award ceremony to be held in December in Turin, Italy.

This nomination highlights the club's youth development. It comes one year after Désiré Doué's victory, who won the Golden Boy award in 2025. The midfielder was Paris Saint-Germain's most-used player in Ligue 1 last season, making 32 appearances with 27 starts, helping the club secure the 2025/26 French title.

A competitive context

Zaïre-Emery's path this season fits into a positive dynamic for Paris Saint-Germain, who currently sit third in the league with 11 points from five games. The club is on a two-game winning streak in the league, including a victory in Le Classique against Marseille (2-1) on September 20th. On a personal level, the young midfielder has already scored 2 goals in 5 Ligue 1 matches this campaign, and was decisive in the Champions League last week by providing an assist for the win against Celtic Glasgow.

The player faces high-level international competition among the finalists. The list includes Pau Cubarsí and Marc Bernal of FC Barcelona, Real Madrid's Yan Diomande and Endrick, and Manchester City's Ayyoub Bouaddi.

Teammate Fabian Ruiz highlighted his exceptional resume. "Nobody won as much as him last season, and as the only player to win the UEFA Champions League and the FIFA World Cup, he has a point," he said.

Paris Saint-Germain's next fixture is at home against Le Mans, who are ninth, this Saturday, October 10th at the Parc des Princes. The Parisian squad, relying on Ferran Torres and his four goals this campaign, can call upon its full squad list to prepare for the match.

Background and full detail: Paris Saint-Germain.fr