Hit or miss Golden Boy award winners
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Hit or Miss Golden Boy award winners after Sanches secures 2016 gong

| 03.11.2016
SPORTSBOOK ODDS

Hit or Miss Golden Boy award winners

Bayern Munich summer signing Renato Sanches recently became the 14th recipient of the annual Golden Boy award after the youngster helped Portugal win their maiden international trophy by claiming Euro 2016 in France.

Sanches was a star for Portugal at Euro 2016 and followed up by winning the Golden Boy award.

Sanches was a star for Portugal at Euro 2016 and followed up by winning the Golden Boy award.

The Golden Boy award, handed to the best young player in Europe, has been won by many promising talents that went on to become some of the world’s elite stars, though many have also failed to deliver on their potential too.

Portugal’s midfield ace from the summer will look to build upon his early personal and international success with Bayern in his first season in Germany, and Carlo Ancelotti’s men are 7/2 second-favourites with Coral for Champions League supremacy.

In light of Sanches’ win, having beaten Manchester United’s Marcus Rashford to the honour, Coral look back at past victors with hit or miss Golden Boy award winners.

Rafael van der Vaart, 2003 (HIT)

Van der Vaart features in our hit or miss Golden Boy award winners.

Van der Vaart features in our hit or miss Golden Boy award winners.

Now in the closing stages of his long-standing career, the 2003 and inaugural winner of the Golden Boy award Van der Vaart has enjoyed much success throughout his 16 years in the sport.

The 33-year-old Dutchman earned over 100 caps for his country being part of the 2010 World Cup runners-up side, and won two Eredivisie titles with Ajax before two-year stints at both Real Madrid and Tottenham.

Wayne Rooney, 2004 (HIT)

Rooney is England's all-time goalscorer and could soon follow that path at club level.

Rooney is England’s all-time goalscorer and could soon follow that path at club level.

Despite his recent form having dwindled at both club and international level, 2004 Golden Boy Rooney has achieved almost everything there is to claim in his time with Manchester United and England.

An abundance of Premier League titles, an FA Cup and a Champions League medal see him vastly decorated at Old Trafford, while the Red Devils skipper is just short of becoming the club’s all-time goalscorer. This is a feat he has already amounted to for the Three Lions, netting 53 times in 118 appearances.

Lionel Messi, 2005 (HIT)

Barcelona maestro Messi can be nothing but a hit.

Barcelona maestro Messi can be nothing but a hit.

Over a decade after being awarded the Golden Boy honours, Barcelona superstar Messi has become arguably the greatest player ever to grace the pitch.

With just shy of 30 major titles with the Catalan giants, including an incredible four European Cup medals, the Argentine ace is also a four-time Ballon d’Or winner, while only a major international trophy so far eludes him.

Cesc Fabregas, 2006 (HIT)

Fabregas' future is in doubt at Chelsea but he is seen as a hit in our hit or miss Golden Boy award winners list.

Fabregas’ future is in doubt at Chelsea but he is seen as a hit in our hit or miss Golden Boy award winners list.

The future of Chelsea midfielder Fabregas may currently be under speculation, but the Spaniard has definitely lived up his early potential from younger years as an Arsenal prospect and 2006 Golden Boy winner.

Now 29 years of age, Fabregas has tasted silverware success everywhere he has been, including at the Gunners, Barcelona, Chelsea and, of course, being part of the previously dominant Spain side under now-retired Vicente del Bosque.

Sergio Aguero, 2007 (HIT)

Man City marksman Aguero has been pivotal to success in blue since arriving and after winning the Golden Boy award in 2007.

Man City marksman Aguero has been pivotal to success in blue since arriving and after winning the Golden Boy award in 2007.

Manchester City hitman Aguero has become one of the most revered strikers in Europe since arriving at the Etihad in 2011.

The Argentina marksman was instrumental in the club gaining their first ever Premier League crown in 2012 and will go down in the club’s folklore for that memorable title winning strike against QPR. He has also earlier won the Europa League with Atletico Madrid, proving he is a proven hit since winning the Golden Boy award.

Anderson, 2008 (MISS)

After a bright start, Anderson became a flop at Old Trafford.

After a bright start, Anderson became a flop at Old Trafford.

On to a big miss on our list. Former Man Utd flop Anderson had arrived at Old Trafford with a huge reputation and the Brazilian did help the club win a Premier League and European double in his maiden season.

Although, it was all downhill from there for the Brazilian, who now plies his trade with Internacional in his homeland.

Alexandre Pato, 2009 (MISS)

Former Milan prospect Pato will look to revive his form and fortunes at Villarreal.

Former Milan prospect Pato will look to revive his form and fortunes at Villarreal.

Another Brazilian on our list, this time former AC Milan and Samba Boys prospect Pato. The previous Chelsea flop shot to prominence as a huge talent at the San Siro, winning the Golden Boy in 2009 for his outstanding showings.

Pato was part of Milan’s last Serie A winning side but has since endured a massive decline, moving on to Corinthians, before hapless loan spells with Sao Paulo and Chelsea. Now residing at Villarreal, the once highly-rated forward will look to finally return to top form in La Liga.

Mario Balotelli, 2010 (MISS)

Could we be seeing the real Balotelli finally standing up at Nice in France?

Could we be seeing the real Balotelli finally standing up at Nice in France?

Balotelli may yet prove to be a big hit after recently helping Nice star in Ligue 1 this term, but past underwhelming campaigns with Man City, AC Milan (twice) and Liverpool have seen him so far fail to fulfil his early potential.

Mario Gotze, 2011 (HIT)

Gotze will be hoping to show the kind of form again for Borussia Dortmund that led to Bayern Munich buying him.

Gotze will be hoping to show the kind of form again for Borussia Dortmund that led to Bayern Munich buying him.

It will be hard for Gotze to ever top scoring the winning goal in the 2014 World Cup final. The Germany attacker handed his nation glory two years with an extra-time strike but has suffered a decline in form since.

Although, with five Bundesliga titles with both Borussia Dortmund, his current club again, and Bayern, the 24-year-old is still seen as a hit with Coral and has plenty of time to return to his best.

Isco, 2012 (MISS)

Despite Champions League success, Isco has failed to cement his spot at Real Madrid.

Despite Champions League success, Isco has failed to cement his spot at Real Madrid.

Real Madrid’s Spanish playmaker Isco has endured an indifferent spell at the Bernabeu after moving from Malaga. He has been involved in two European Cup winning squads but his impact hasn’t been as expected and has fallen out of favour under Zinedine Zidane.

Paul Pogba, 2013 (HIT)

Serie A success with Juventus makes Pogba a hit with us.

Serie A success with Juventus makes Pogba a hit with us.

Pogba became the world’s most expensive player when returning to Man Utd and, in spite of early lacklustre showings, he was a vital component for Juventus in their domestic dominance in Italy before his £100m departure.

Raheem Sterling, 2014 (MISS)

Sterling has been impressing under Guardiola for Man City.

Sterling has been impressing under Guardiola for Man City.

Despite securing a £50m switch from Liverpool to Man City, Sterling is so far yet to deliver on his price tag, but that could change after this season under the watchful eye of Pep Guardiola.

Anthony Martial, 2015 (HIT)

Martial was superb for Man Utd in his maiden season at Old Trafford.

Martial was superb for Man Utd in his maiden season at Old Trafford.

Last year’s Golden Boy winner Martial was one of Man Utd’s biggest performers in Louis van Gaal’s final term in charge. The Frenchman dazzled with a debut goal over bitter rivals Liverpool and won the FA Cup, also earning a call-up to France’s Euro 2016 set-up.

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Author

Lee Gormley

Lee joined the Coral team in 2014 after studying at Leeds Trinity University, having moved across the water from Ireland, and has plenty of industry experience from his time with various news outlets in both England and Northern Ireland. After graduating with a BA Honours degree in Sports Journalism, he has since become an important member of the talented sports desk, passionately covering boxing, football and snooker, among many other sports. Lee is also a massive Manchester United and Republic of Ireland fan, but curbs any bias during his work, and outside of his job can be found regularly taking part in sport himself, such as boxing, GAA and football.