The Golden Boy 2015 Award shortlist was released last week, and while nearly all of the Under-21 stars were major contributors to their respective teams, the list felt incomplete with a variety of omissions.
Certainly the likes of Anthony Martial, Adrien Rabiot and Hector Bellerin belonged on the list, but can the likes of Jordon Ibe or Dele Alli really be considered as likely winners of the award?
Here we take a look at seven outstanding youngsters who had incredible seasons but were sadly snubbed from the Golden Boy Award list:
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Jack Grealish, Aston Villa
A key player for Aston Villa in the 2014-15 season as they escaped relegation and enjoyed an improbable run to the 2015 FA Cup Final.
Óliver Torres, Atletico Madrid
Had an incredible season on loan to Porto, racking up seven goals in just 27 league appearances.
Jose Luis Gaya, Valencia
Solid defender for Valencia, playing more than 30 La Liga matches.
Breel Embolo, FC Basel
Hard to understand why Embolo wasn’t even given the time of day. He had double-digit goals and was a force for the Swiss club in the Champions League qualifiers.
Ryan Gauld, Sporting CP
The Scotitsh youngster made a successful transition to Portuguese football, making over two dozen appearances and several goals for Sporting B.
Jose Gimenez, Atletico Madrid
A valuable addition to Atletico’s defence, Gimenez got off to a great start back in January with a header to beat Real Madrid in the 2015 Copa Del Rey upset.
Nabil Bentaleb, Tottenham Hotspur
The lanky youngster helped Tottenham to a top-six finish in the Premier League and has been used early and often in European competitions.