Why did Klinsmann’s team choose Argentina’s Enzo Fernandez and not Jude Bellingham for FIFA Young Player Award?

German legend Jungen Klinsmann was part of the FIFA technical study group that picked the winners for various awards at the world cup. Leonel Messi won the Golden Ball for best player, Kylian Mbappe, the runner-up, won the Golden Boot, Emiliano Martinez won the best goalkeeper and Hernandez chosen as the best young player.
Klinsmann gave the reasons for the selections in his BBC newsletter.
“For the Fifa Young Player Award we wanted to select someone from a side who reached at least the semi-finals, and so this ruled out some outstanding candidates such as England’s Jude Bellingham. Of the players aged 21 or under who did reach the semi-finals, Enzo Fernandez was the outstanding choice. Fernandez played every minute of the final and was instrumental as his side dominated for much of the game,” Klinsmann writes.
The rest of the choices were far easier to make for the team, Klinsmann writes.
“Messi winning the Golden Ball for best player – well, hopefully this one isn’t too controversial, and then Mbappe who was runner-up, of course won the Golden Boot as top scorer.
Emiliano Martínez was one of four superb keepers in the semi-finals, but his performance in the final, both in making an extraordinary save from Randal Kolo Muani in the final minute of extra-time, and then starring in the penalty shootout help to explain why he came out on top.  Incredibly though these four award winners and all the other players who represented their nations in Qatar will not have much time to reflect. For many there will be club matches to come before the end of the year.”
Klinsmann also took time out to track the rise of Messi and Argentina through the world cup.
“So it was Messi who lifted the World Cup trophy. He has spent his entire career being compared to Diego Maradona. Argentina adores Maradona so extremely, because he won a World Cup for his home country. For Messi, because he left Argentina as a child to go to Barcelona, he always had in the back of his mind that if he wants to be seen on the level of Maradona he had to deliver at this World Cup.
“The entire team was fighting for that dream, it was wonderful to see. For every inch on the field, every ball, they threw themselves in there. Alvarez dedicated his game to Messi, doing everything he couldn’t physically with the high press. This doesn’t mean we should underestimate this Argentina side, which has a lot of quality. From the goalkeeper Martinez, who was decisive throughout the tournament, to their backline, the midfield with Enzo Fernandez, who became the young player of the tournament, to Alvarez, who played selflessly but scored four goals at this World Cup at just 22 years of age.

But Argentina was waiting for Messi to bring that trophy home, and Messi delivered. He started his journey with an Olympic gold in 2008, two years ago he brought home the Copa America for the first time in near 30 years, now he’s won the World Cup, the biggest, most important trophy of a career full of domestic highlights. There’s nothing left to win for him!”