Lamine Yamal Wins the Kopa Trophy for a Third Straight Year

Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for the best player under 21 at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on the evening of Monday 26 October 2026. He is the first player to win it three years in a row: 2024, 2025 and 2026.

What happened?

The 70th ceremony took place at the London Palladium, and the Kopa winner is chosen by former Ballon d’Or winners. Yamal is 19 and first won the award in 2024, aged 17. According to Morocco World News he dedicated the prize to his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí: “I would have liked Cubarsí to win it. He deserves it.”

His 2025-26 season

• 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 appearances in all competitions, according to L’Équipe.
• He helped Barcelona keep the La Liga title under Hansi Flick and win the Spanish Super Cup.
• He was part of the Spain team that won the 2026 World Cup.

Kopa Trophy 2026 ranking

According to Morocco World News:

• 1st: Lamine Yamal (Barcelona).
• 2nd: Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona).
• 3rd: Warren Zaïre-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain).
• 6th: Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco).

A Moroccan presence: Ayyoub Bouaddi

Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, 18, finished sixth, up from joint ninth in 2025. It was his second nomination, earned by his performances for Lille in 2025-26. He joined Manchester City in August.

The Kopa Trophy over the years

• 2018: Kylian Mbappé. 2019: Matthijs de Ligt. 2020: not awarded.
• 2021: Pedri. 2022: Gavi. 2023: Jude Bellingham.
• 2024, 2025 and 2026: Lamine Yamal.

Sources: Morocco World News, SI and beIN Sports.