---
title: "Alex Iwobi named on UEFA Golden Boy shortlist"
canonical: "https://readarsenal.com/2016/09/29/arsenals-alex-iwobi-named-on-uefa-golden-boy-shortlist/"
type: "post"
language: "en-GB"
author: "Michael Oliver"
section: "Arsenal News"
published: "2016-09-29T10:03:12Z"
modified: "2016-09-29T10:44:32Z"
---

# Alex Iwobi named on UEFA Golden Boy shortlist

Arsenal winger Alex Iwobi [has been named](https://en.as.com/en/2016/09/29/football/1475138780_369084.html) on the shortlist for the UEFA Golden Boy award.

Seen as the ‘Ballon d’Or for U21 players’, Iwobi joins 39 of the best talents playing in European football today on the list organised by Italian publication *[Tuttosport](https://www.tuttosport.com/)*.

National newspapers around Europe will nominate five players to win the award, awarding them points which vary on how impressive they think each young player has been over the last 12 months – 10 points for the most impressive, 7 points for second, 5 for third, 3 for fourth and 1 point for the fifth-most impressive nominee.

Adjudicating newspapers include *[BILD](https://www.bild.de/)* (Germany), *[Blick](https://www.blick.ch/)* (Switzerland), *[A Bola](https://www.abola.pt/)* (Portugal), *[l’Équipe](https://www.lequipe.fr/)* (France), *[France Football](https://www.francefootball.fr/)* (France), *[Marca](https://www.marca.com/)* (Spain), *[Mundo Deportivo](https://www.mundodeportivo.com/)* (Spain), *[Ta Nea](https://www.tanea.gr/)* (Greece), *[Sport Express](https://www.sport-express.ru/)* (Russia), *[De Telegraaf](https://www.telegraaf.nl/)* (Netherlands), and *[The Times](https://www.thetimes.co.uk/)* (United Kingdom).

![Julian Finney/Getty Images Sport](https://cdn.readeverything.co/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/518696862.jpg)

The award was introduced in 2003, with the inaugural winner being Rafael van der Vaart, then of Ajax. Other notable past winners include Wayne Rooney (2004), Lionel Messi (2005), Sergio Aguero (2007), Mario Gotze (2011) and Paul Pogba (2013). Last year’s winner was Anthony Martial.

20-year-old Iwobi broke into the Arsenal side during the 2015/16 season, where he made 21 first-team appearances, scoring twice and recording three assists in the process.

This season, Arsene Wenger has put more faith in the young Nigerian attacker, who seems to have moved ahead of Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain in his squad, making six appearances so far this season, assisting twice. Iwobi has started each of Arsenal’s last four games in all competitions.

Other notable players nominated for this year’s award include Marcus Rashford ([Manchester United](https://readmanutd.com/)), Ruben Loftus-Cheek ([Chelsea](https://readchelsea.com/)), Kelechi Iheanacho ([Manchester City](https://readmancity.com/)), Dele Alli ([Tottenham](https://readtottenham.com/)), Demarai Gray ([Leicester City](https://readleicester.com/)), Moussa Dembele (Celtic), Marco Asensio ([Real Madrid](https://readlaliga.com/)) and Kingsley Coman ([Bayern Munich](https://readbundesliga.com/)).