Overview
- Organizers revealed the 25 finalists at Genoa’s Badia di Sant’Andrea in a media event hosted by Patrick Vieira.
- Under Tuttosport rules, 2024 winner Lamine Yamal is excluded from the final vote despite leading the statistical index.
- Paris Saint‑Germain leads club representation with three nominees in Désiré Doué, Warren Zaïre‑Emery and Senny Mayulu.
- Désiré Doué is widely viewed as the effective frontrunner after placing second in the index behind the ineligible Yamal.
- Selections were guided by Football Benchmark’s Golden Boy Index, which weighs performance, minutes and club strength, with several wild‑card picks such as Jobe Bellingham, Francesco Pio Esposito, Aleksandar Stankovic, Giovanni Leoni and Rodrigo Mora.