The magazine 'France Football' chose Lamine Yamal again as the winner of the Kopa Trophy. The winger of FC Barcelona had won the 2024 edition and becomes the first footballer to revalidate the award for the best young player (Under-23) in the world.
Former French defender Raphael Varane was in charge of announcing the winner of the award that is presented annually since 2018. In the voting, Lamine surpassed Desiré Doué (PSG), Estevao Willian (Chelsea), Joao Neves (PSG) Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid), Pau Cubarsí (FC Barcelona), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Rodrigo Mora (Oporto) y Kenan Yildiz (Juventus).
In 2024, the player from Mataró had also made history as the youngest player to win the award, with only 17 years and 107 days completed. Previously, Pedri González (2021) and Pablo Gavi (2022) had also lifted the Kopa.
Lamine Yamal jokes with the Ballon d'Or when receiving the Kopa
In a brief speech, a rather nervous Lamine Yamal thanked 'France Football' for the Kopa Trophy, although he made clear his hope, why not, to return to the stage minutes later to receive the Ballon d'Or.
"It is a pride to be here again. Thank you to Barcelona and the national team. Also to my family. I don't want to forget my teammates, like Cubarsí and Raphinha, who we can also see here"
In that sense, he joked about the possibility of also keeping the grand prize of the night. "I don't know if I'm ready for the big trophy," he said with a laugh. "Maybe we'll see each other later," he added with the complicity of the gala presenters at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, Kate Scott and Ruud Gullit.
Yamal, along with Ousmane Dembélé, is the big favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or. Several leaks prior to the gala gave him as the winner, as well as other factors linked to the organization of the event.
All the winners of the Kopa Trophy
- Kylian Mbappé (PSG): 2018
- Matthijs de Ligt (Juventus): 2019
- Pedri González (FC Barcelona: 2021
- Pablo Páez Gavira, Gavi (FC Barcelona): 2022
- Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid): 2023
- Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona): 2024
- Lamine Yamal (FC Barcelona): 2025
In 2020, due to the covid-19 pandemic, there was no Ballon d'Or gala and, therefore, the Kopa Trophy was not awarded either. Lamine re-edits the award with 18 years and 71 days completed, adding another record to his extensive record.
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