Pogba beats Lukaku & Varane to Golden Boy award

The award, handed out to the best player under the age of 21 on an annual basis, was given to the Juventus midfielder ahead of a host of top youngsters

Juventus midfielder Paul Pogba has won the 2013 Golden Boy award on the back of his breakthrough season for club and country.

The 20-year-old was languishing on the bench at Manchester United a year and a half ago, but a move to Turin has seen him play a part in the side winning the Scudetto, break into the senior France team and win the Under-20 World Cup.

FORMER GOLDEN BOY WINNERS
LIONEL MESSI - 2005
	The third winner of the award, the Barcelona attacker was already making waves eight years ago. Although he was not yet the finished product, his raw talent was obvious for all to see.
ANDERSON - 2008
	The best example of a Golden Boy winner who has not lived up to his hype. Tuttosport, who established the award, suggested that the Manchester United midfielder could be "the heir to Roy Keane".
MARIO BALOTELLI - 2010
	Balotelli won the award while at Manchester City but he failed to shine consistently and since joined AC Milan, where he has shown more regular glimpses of his ability.
MARIO GOTZE - 2011
	The attacker was the first - and still only - Bundesliga victor for being key to Dortmund's league success. He has since joined rivals Bayern Munich for €37 million.

Pogba's performances and achievements in 2013 saw him pip striker Romelu Lukaku - who finished second - to the award, which judges the best player in the world under the age of 21 and is voted for by 30 newspapers around the world.

The Chelsea striker has shone during loan spells at West Brom and now Everton, as well as helping Belgium reach the World Cup finals as a seeded nation.

Schalke youngster Julian Draxler - linked with a mega-money move to the Premier League regularly this year - finished third, ahead of Real Madrid defender Raphael Varane and Paris Saint-Germain's Brazilian defender Marquinhos.

Three Arsenal entrants made the top 25 (Yaya Sanogo in sixth, Serge Gnabry in 16th and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain in 24th) while Man Utd's Adnan Januzaj is the highest-ranked 18-year-old in seventh.

No Barcelona, Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund players made the shortlist.

Pogba - the first Frenchman to win the Golden Boy - spoke after being given the award about his "golden year" and said he wants to win everything possible under Antonio Conte.

Last year's winner of the 11-year-old prize was attacking midfielder Isco, who has since left Malaga for Real Madrid.