The Barcelona winger received the award for 2026 after previous victories in 2024 and 2025. The prize, presented by France Football, recognises the world’s best player aged under 21, with voting conducted by former Ballon d’Or winners.
Yamal’s team-mate Pau Cubarsí finished second, giving Barcelona the top two positions. Warren Zaïre-Emery of Paris Saint-Germain completed the top three in the final ranking.
Despite collecting the trophy, Yamal used his acceptance speech to highlight Cubarsí’s own contribution. “I would have liked Cubarsí, my team-mate, to be here. This award should have been his. I wish he had won it,” he said.
Yamal also thanked Barcelona and Spain, while making clear that further success remains his priority. “I want to thank my club and my national team. I have to keep working to win collective and individual titles like this,” he said.
Asked whether the Kopa Trophy was the award he had hoped to receive that evening, Yamal again pointed towards Cubarsí, saying he would have liked the prize to go to his team-mate.
The latest recognition follows a productive 2025-26 campaign for the winger. He scored 24 goals and provided 18 assists in 45 appearances for Barcelona, helping the club win LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup. He also played a prominent role as Spain won the World Cup during the summer.
Yamal has continued that form into the current season, with his goals and assists making him one of Barcelona’s leading attacking figures. He has also established himself as a regular for Spain, recording 37 international appearances and 11 goals according to the figures reported ahead of the ceremony.
The 2026 Kopa Trophy top 10 is:
1. Lamine Yamal — Barcelona
2. Pau Cubarsí — Barcelona
3. Warren Zaïre-Emery — Paris Saint-Germain
4. Lennart Karl — Bayern Munich
5. Yan Diomandé — RB Leipzig
6. Ayyoub Bouaddi — Lille
7. Kerim Alajbegović — Red Bull Salzburg
8. Éli Junior Kroupi — Bournemouth
9. Ibrahim Maza — Bayer Leverkusen
10. Johan Manzambi — Freiburg
The award adds to Yamal’s 2024 Golden Boy honour and further strengthens Barcelona’s presence among the leading young players in world football.