Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Mario Balotelli have all won the Golden Boy award... but what did the 14 previous winners achieve after early success?

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Kylian Mbappe and Marcus Rashford are among the young stars hoping to follow in the footsteps of Lionel Messi by winning the 2017 Golden Boy award.

Organised by Tuttosport and voted for by newspapers around Europe, the award recognises the brightest talent under the age of 21 on the continent.

Messi picked up the gong in 2005, while a host of other big names have also been honoured. Here, Sportsmail takes a look at what they went on to achieve. 

2003 - Rafael van der Vaart (Ajax)

After coming through the ranks at Ajax, Van der Vaart went on to enjoy spells at Hamburg, Real Madrid and Tottenham before returning to the Bundesliga club.

Now at Danish side Midtjylland following a brief stint at Real Betis, the 34-year-old Dutchman has 109 caps for his country and seven trophies under his belt, including two Eredivisie titles and the Spanish Super Cup.

Rafael van der Vaart (right) lifts the Eredivisie trophy after leading Ajax to victory in May 2004

2004 - Wayne Rooney (Manchester United)

Everton's boy wonder departed for Manchester United during the year he won the award, going on to become their record goalscorer and a club legend.

Rooney also became England's all-time top scorer and won a host of silverware during his time at Old Trafford - including five Premier League titles, an FA Cup and the 2007-08 Champions League - before making an emotional return to the blue half of Merseyside during the summer transfer window.

Wayne Rooney was named Golden Boy in 2004 after a breakthrough year for club and country

2005 - Lionel Messi (Barcelona)

The only one-club man on the list of previous winners, Messi has gone on to become arguably the greatest player of all time.

With five Ballon d'Or awards to his name, plus 29 trophies with Barcelona, the Argentine has more than lived up to the hype which surrounded him as a teenager.

Lionel Messi has gone on to achieve great things since being recognised back in 2005

2006 - Cesc Fabregas (Arsenal)

After making his way through Barca's La Masia academy, Fabregas burst onto the scene with Arsenal in 2003 before returning to his boyhood club eight years later.

A World Cup and two-time European Championship winner with Spain, the 30-year-old now finds himself part of Antonio Conte's Chelsea squad.

Cesc Fabregas plays a pass under pressure from Frank Lampard during a 1-1 draw in 2006

2007 - Sergio Aguero (Atletico Madrid)

The 2007 award was handed to Aguero following his fine start to life at Atletico Madrid following a big-money move from Argentine club Independiente.

His knack of scoring goals grabbed the attention of Manchester City, for whom he has starred for the last six years, most notably scoring a dramatic Premier League title-winning goal in 2012. 

Sergio Aguero attracted the attention of Manchester City after his form for Atletico Madrid

2008 - Anderson (Manchester United)

After making a bright start to life as a Manchester United player, Anderson's career at Old Trafford gradually went downhill before he departed for a loan spell at Fiorentina in 2014.

A permanent move to Internacional arrived the following year, although he is now on loan at struggling Brazilian side Coritiba after failing to reach his full potential. 

Anderson could not live up to his early promise after being named Golden Boy in 2008

2009 - Alexandre Pato (AC Milan)

After being labelled as the next big Brazilian star following his move to AC Milan in 2007, Pato initially excelled in Italy before struggling with form and fitness.

He returned to his home country with Corinthians in 2013 but has lived a nomadic lifestyle since, moving to Sao Paulo, Chelsea and Villarreal before joining Chinese side Tianjin Quanjian earlier this year.

Alexandre Pato poses with his Golden Boy award following a superb year with AC Milan

2010 - Mario Balotelli (Manchester City)

Like Anderson and Pato, 2010 Golden Boy winner Balotelli also struggled to become the player many hoped he would be after breaking through at Inter Milan.

A troubled three-year spell at Manchester City was followed by a fine season at AC Milan, but a return to England with Liverpool proved to be the wrong decision and he is now finding his feet again with French side Nice.

Big things were expected of Mario Balotelli when he joined Manchester City in 2010

2011 - Mario Gotze (Borussia Dortmund)

Gotze was impressing for Dortmund when he picked up his award, with his skill and technique earning him a controversial move to Bayern Munich two years later.

The highlight of his career arrived in 2014 when he scored the winning goal for Germany in the World Cup final against Argentina, while at club level he is back playing in the yellow and black after recovering from a metabolic disorder. 

Mario Gotze has had an up-and-down career since being named Europe's brightest young star

2012 - Isco (Malaga)

A host of European giants were keen on Isco following his breakthrough at Malaga, but it was Real Madrid who lured the young Spaniard away from La Rosaleda.

Despite speculation about a move elsewhere, the tricky playmaker has developed into a key member of Zinedine Zidane's side, helping Real win back-to-back Champions League trophies and last season's La Liga title.

Isco is now starring for Real Madrid after making his breakthrough with La Liga side Malaga

2013 - Paul Pogba (Juventus)

After controversially leaving Manchester United on a free transfer in 2012, Pogba quickly established himself as one of Europe's most dynamic midfielders at Juventus.

His eye-catching form helped the Turin giants win four consecutive Serie A titles before a then-world-record £89m return to Old Trafford last summer. 

Paul Pogba announced himself to the world during a successful four-year spell with Juventus

2014 - Raheem Sterling (Liverpool)

Having been snapped up from QPR in 2010, it didn't take long for Sterling to make his mark at Liverpool and become a key player under Brendan Rodgers.

He was part of the side which went so close to the Premier League title in 2014, but he would remain at Anfield for just one more season before forcing through a £50m move to rivals Manchester City.  

Raheem Sterling poses with his Golden Boy award before a Premier League clash with Arsenal

2015 - Anthony Martial (Manchester United)

Martial burst onto the scene in 2015 when his form for Monaco led to United making a surprise move for him in a deal worth up to £58m.

After a fine first season at Old Trafford, the Frenchman, who has 15 caps for his country, has found opportunities harder to come by under Jose Mourinho.

Anthony Martial's potential convinced Manchester United to spend big money signing him

2016 - Renato Sanches (Bayern Munich)

The latest winner of the Golden Boy award now finds himself plying his trade on loan at Swansea City following a difficult first season at Bayern Munich.

Sanches already has a Portuguese title, a Bundesliga title and a European Championship under his belt after victory with Portugal in 2016, but a battle against relegation from the Premier League seems likely this term.

Renato Sanches is now on loan at Swansea less than a year after being named Golden Boy