Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies, Sergino Dest and Giovanni Reyna among Golden Boy Award nominees

Davies, David, Dest & Reyna among Golden Boy nominees

Alphonso Davies - smiling - at Bayern Munich

Canada national team stars Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David have been nominated for Italian newspaper Tuttosport's Golden Boy Award for 2020, as has recently cap-tied US national team fullback Sergino Dest and American youth international Giovanni Reyna.


Those four are among a field of 100 nominees who will be considered for their performances already in 2020 and over the rest of the year. With participation of many of Europe's most reputable sports periodicals, the award christens the player perceived as the best U-21 player in Europe over a calendar year.


Davies, the former Vancouver Whitecaps player, may have the best shot at the making noise in the selection process, having emerged as Bayern Munich's starting left back this season and a dangerous two-way threat for a side that has nearly wrapped up another Bundesliga title. Former NYCFC academy talent Reyna has also emerged in the Bundesliga for Munich rivals Borussia Dortmund, making 13 league appearances for the current second-place club.


In the Netherlands, Dest broke into defending champion Ajax's first team to make 20 appearances so far (15 starts) in the Eredivisie before the season was suspended and eventually abandoned due to COVID-19. In Belgium, David had scored 21 goals in all competitions for second-place Gent before the Jupiler League also that league was also called off early, with first-place Brugge awarded the championship.


Created in 2003, the award's winners have included former D.C. United, Manchester United and England star Wayne Rooney, six-time Ballon d'Or winner Lionel Messi, and many more of the world's most famous players.