Pedri,18, becomes the first Barcelona player since Messi to win a prize in 2005, given to the best young player in Europe.
He succeeds Erling Haaland, who won it last year, with Joao Felix, Matthijs de Ligt, and Kylian Mbappe also listed among the recent winners.
There were 40 journalists voting for this year’s award and 26 of them placed Pedri first.
“I thank Tuttosport for this trophy, which makes me proud, and I also thank all the members of the jury and the fans who have always supported me in what has been an incredible 2021 for me,” the player said in a video message.
“Of course, I also thank Barcelona, the Spanish national team, my family, my friends, and all those who have been close to me day after day. Without them, I wouldn’t have been able to win the Golden Boy award.”
Barcelona released a statement of their own to congratulate the teenager.
“Pedri was unstoppable in the race to become the Golden Boy,” they said.
