PSG’s Kylian Mbappe could make history as first two-time Golden Boy winner

The FC crew discuss Thomas Tuchel’s decision to bench Kylian Mbappe and Adrien Rabiot for the first half of Le Classique after the two were late for a team meeting.

PSG’s Thomas Tuchel says Kylian Mbappe started from the bench against Marseille due to disciplinary reasons even though he would have liked him to have started.

Kylian Mbappe came off the bench to score the opener and Julian Draxler finished off the win in stoppage time as PSG overcame rivals Marseille.

Ligue 1: Kylian Mbappe (65′) Marseille 0-1 PSG

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe is on course to become the first-ever two-time Golden Boy award winner after being named in the final 20-man shortlist.

The award for Europe’s best player under the age of 21 will now be voted for by a panel of 30 journalists from some of Europe’s leading newspapers after the final shortlist was drawn up by Tuttosport.

Mbappe won his first award in 2017 and no player has ever won it twice. The World Cup winner will face competition from Liverpool right-back Trent Alexander-Arnold, who is also in contention for the 2018 Golden Boy award.

Everton’s Thomas Davies, Manchester United’s Diogo Dalot, Manchester City’s Phil Foden and Celtic’s Odsonne Edouard are also on the shortlist which includes Matthijs De Ligt of Ajax and Roma’s Justin Kluivert among the favourites, based on an online poll used to reduce the list of 100 candidates from last July to the final 20.

The winner will be announced later this month.

Bayern Munich’s Renato Sanches won the prize in 2016, after Anthony Martial was voted 2015’s winner. Raheem Sterling won the previous year, following Paul Pogba, Isco, Mario Gotze and Mario Balotelli, who had all taken the award.

Rafael van der Vaart won the inaugural 2003 award, with Wayne Rooney winning in 2004 and Lionel Messi a year later.

Golden Boy 2018 nominees

1. Trent Alexander-Arnold, Liverpool
2. Kelvin Amian, Toulouse
3. Houssem Aouar, Lyon
4. Josip Brekalo, Wolfsburg
5. Patrick Cutrone, AC Milan
6, Dani Olmo,, Dinamo Zagreb
7. Thomas Davies, Everton
8. Matthijs De Ligt, Ajax
9. Diogo Dalot, Manchester United
10. Eder Militao, Porto
11. Odsonne Edouard, Celtic
12. Phil Foden, Manchester City
13. Gedson Fernandes, Benfica
14. Amadou Haidara, Red Bull Salzburg
15. Achraf Haikimi, Borussia Dortmund
16. Nanitamo Ikone, Lille
17. Justin Kluivert, Roma
18. Kylian Mbappe, Paris Saint-Germain
19. Dayot Upamecano, RB Leipzig
20. Vinicuis Jnr., Real Madrid

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