Four young LaLiga players have made the 40-player shortlist for the UEFA Golden Boy award for 2016, it has been revealed.
Marco Asensio (Real Madrid), Lucas Hernandez (Atletico Madrid), Tonny Sanabria (Real Betis) and Carlos Fernandez (Sevilla) have all made the shortlist for the award, which selects the best under 21 players around Europe annually.
The award was last won by a Spanish-based player in 2012 when Isco – then at Malaga – scooped the prize, while Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas and Sergio Aguero are all past winners of the prize.
Former Barcelona player Alen Halilovic – now at German club Hamburg after a loan spell at Sporting Gijon last season – is also on the shortlist.
The prize was started in 2003 by Tuttosport and previous winners have gone on to great fame with Anthony Martial (2015), Raheem Sterling (2014), Paul Pogba (2013), Isco (2012) and Mario Gotze (2011).
