The Italian newspaper Tuttosport, which is behind the Golden Boy award, has this year also instituted the Golden Girl award, a prize awarded to Europe's best player under the age of 21, where the winners are chosen by the newspaper after a vote among 40 sports journalists in the world.
Bennison, a regular at Everton, is one of 15 names on the list which will be reduced to ten names in mid-October.
On the men's side, Swedish national team striker Anthony Elanga, 20, is one of 40 candidates to win the Golden Boy award.