{"id":1107497,"date":"2023-07-02T14:00:36","date_gmt":"2023-07-02T13:00:36","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1107497"},"modified":"2023-07-02T14:30:19","modified_gmt":"2023-07-02T13:30:19","slug":"where-are-they-now-every-previous-golden-boy-winner","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/where-are-they-now-every-previous-golden-boy-winner\/","title":{"rendered":"Where are they now? Every previous Golden Boy winner"},"content":{"rendered":"

Over the years, some of Europe’s brightest young stars have been crowned the Golden Boy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

The award was established by Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport in 2003 and has grown to become one of the most talked-about lists of the football calendar, with votes coming from a number of European papers.<\/p>\n

The current judging panel includes Bild (Germany), Blick (Switzerland), A Bola (Portugal), l’\u00c9quipe (France), France Football (France), Marca (Spain), Mundo Deportivo (Spain), Ta Nea (Greece), Sport Express (Russia), De Telegraaf (Netherlands), and The Times (UK).<\/p>\n

So, who are the members of this exclusive club?<\/p>\n\n

2003: Rafael van der Vaart\u00a0<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current club:\u00a0Retired<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Rafael van der Vaart picked up the gong at Ajax but the Dutch midfielder failed to settle at one club throughout his career. His time at Real Madrid was unsuccessful while a spell with Tottenham Hotspur was plagued by injuries.<\/p>\n

In 2015, he made a surprising move to Real Betis, but his time there lasted just one season. He joined Danish side Esbjerg fB and eventually called time on his playing career in November 2018. In 2019, Van der Vaart became a professional darts player, making his debut in the BDO Denmark Open, although he was knocked out in the second round.<\/p>\n

2004: Wayne Rooney<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current club: D.C. United (manager)<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Rooney was not only the Golden child of English football, it seems. Although he was routinely criticised on these shores for not quite scaling the heights we once expected he might, you can’t argue with his records.<\/p>\n

The striker was captain of both England and Manchester United, and is now the all-time time scorer for both. He would return to his first club Everton in 2017 before spending a spell with D.C. United in MLS. Rooney moved back to England in January 2020, joining Derby County, taking on the captain’s armband and taking interim charge of the Rams.<\/p>\n

He has since retired from playing and managed Derby full-time, where he endeared himself to the Pride Park faithful after putting together a fiercely-competitive Championship team in 2021\/22, despite the club’s well-documented and severe financial difficulties that put their very existence in the balance. He was, unfortunately, unable to keep them up and has since returned to the States to manage another former club in D.C. United.<\/p>\n

2005: Lionel Messi<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Current club: Unattached<\/h4>\n

\"\"<\/p>\n

Yeah, we haven’t heard of this bloke either? He must have drifted off into obscurity… Oh sorry, our mistake he’s arguably the finest player to ever be born and a downright Barcelona legend.<\/p>\n

As a Spanish commentator once suggested, we should be thankful he is part of our lives. Give thanks. The only negative we could possibly find is that he didn’t get to say goodbye to the Barcelona fans before moving to Paris Saint-German with his former club in financial turmoil. He’s since ended his Parisian stay and is expected to join MLS outfit Inter Miami.<\/p>\n

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