Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal became the youngest ever winner of the Kopa Trophy at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris, an award which recognises the best under-21 player in men’s football.
Yamal also finished No. 8 in the voting for the men’s Ballon d’Or.
The 17-year-old has enjoyed a breakout year for club and country, helping Spain win the European Championship last summer and playing a prominent role in a new-look Barça side under Hansi Flick.
It is the third time in four years the trophy has been won by a Barcelona player. Pedri won it 2021 and Gavi in 2022, but it is Real Madrid midfielder Jude Bellingham — last year’s winner — who Yamal succeeds as the most talented youngster in the game.
Kylian Mbappé and Matthijs de Ligt are the other previous winners of the Kopa Trophy, which was launched in 2018.
Yamal made his senior debut for Barça as a 15-year-old in 2023 and went on to make 50 appearances for the first team last season, scoring seven goals and providing seven assists.
Those performances earned him a place in the Spain squad for Euro 2024 in Germany, where he played a leading role as La Roja won the competition for the first time since 2012.
He set up four goals in seven appearances at the finals, but it was his semifinal goal against France, curled into the top corner from outside the box, which was the standout moment.
That goal was later named Goal of the Tournament, while he was also named the Young Player of the Tournament and included in the Team of the Tournament.
Yamal has taken the form he displayed in the summer into the new campaign under German coach Flick as part of a front three with Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha, which has helped Barça win 10 of their opening 11 games in LaLiga.
The latest victory came against Real Madrid at the weekend, when Yamal scored the third goal in a 4-0 win at the BernabĂ©u to become the youngest ever scorer in the ClĂ¡sico.
In 14 appearances in all competitions this season, he has already accounted for six goals and seven assists.
