The "Golden Boy" refers to an award, not a person, so it doesn't have an age. However, the recipients of the Golden Boy award must be under the age of 21.
Therefore, to clarify the question: the players eligible for the Golden Boy award are under 21 years old. This means the maximum age a player can be to win the award is 20 (as they must still be under 21 for the duration of the calendar year).
Here's a breakdown:
- The Golden Boy Award: An annual award given to the best young football player in Europe.
- Eligibility: Players must be under 21 years old and play in a European nation's top-tier league.
- Awarding Body: The Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport.
- Selection: Sports journalists vote for the most impressive young player during a calendar year (spanning two halves of two separate seasons).
Therefore, while the award itself doesn't have an age, its recipients are all young players under the age of 21.