Kylian Mbappe and Christian Pulisic Head Revised 2018 Golden Boy Shortlist

Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappe and Borussia Dortmund playmaker Christian Pulisic are the headline names among the 2018 Golden Boy nominees after the shortlist was cut from 100 to 60. 

Mbappe is the current holder of the award and looks a shoo-in to claim it a second time after his 2018 FIFA World Cup heroics with triumphant France, while Liverpool's Trent Alexander-Arnold, Real Madrid's Vinicius Junior and Ajax's Matthijs De Ligt were also included in the latest shortlist released by organisers Tuttosport (h/t the Mirror's Aaron Flanagan).

Other notable nominees include Patrick Cutrone of AC Milan, Phil Foden of Manchester City, Roma's Justin Kluivert and Fulham's Ryan Sessegnon.

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The award recognises the best player in Europe's top leagues under the age of 21 and is voted for by a variety of journalists.

Since its inception in 2003 it has been won by some of the biggest stars in football, including Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney, Sergio Aguero and Paul Pogba.

No player has ever won it twice, but it would be a huge shock were Mbappe, 19, not to claim the award again in 2018.

Dortmund's Pulisic has enjoyed an impressive year in which he has continued to play a key role in the Bundesliga side's first team.

But Mbappe's achievements in 2018 have been far greater than any of the other players on the shortlist.

He played a major role in PSG winning a domestic treble in 2017-18, and he has started the new campaign in similarly impressive style.

Meanwhile, he netted four goals for France as they won the World Cup in Russia, including one in the final, and was awarded the tournament's Best Young Player Award.

Mbappe is a prodigious talent who is already making his mark on the world stage despite still being in his teens, and he is sure to be in the running for this year's Ballon d'Or.