Barcelona star Lamine Yamal wins Kopa Trophy for third year running

FBL-ESP-LIGA-BETIS-BARCELONA — Barcelona’s Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Betis and FC Barcelona at La Cartuja stadium in Seville on October 17, 2026. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty Images)

Barcelona’s Spanish forward #10 Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his team’s first goal during the Spanish league football match between Real Betis and FC Barcelona at La Cartuja stadium in Seville on October 17, 2026. (Photo by JORGE GUERRERO / AFP via Getty Images)

AFP via Getty Images

Gill Clark Gill Clark is the site manager of Barca Blaugranes and joined in 2017. She has worked in sports media as a writer and editor for the best part of two decades and has been in love with the beautiful game for as long as she can remember.

Barcelona teenager Lamine Yamal has won the 2026 Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or awards in London.

The forward scooped the prize after a year where he has starred for club and country, winning La Liga with Barcelona and the World Cup with Spain.

Yamal has now claimed the prestigious award - given to the best performing Under-21 player in the world - for the third year in a row.

This time around he’s beaten off competition from team-mate Pau Cubarsi as well as Yan Diomande, Lennart Karl, El Junior Kroupi, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Johan Manzambi and Warren Zaire-Emery

Barcelona’s No.10 has also been nominated for the main men’s prize and is one of the favourites along with Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe. Ballon d’Or co-host Kate Scott opened up the ceremony by saying it’s the closest race in the Ballon d’Or for years.

Yamal will have to wait to see if he’s scooped the Golden Ball as well but for now can celebrate being the Kopa Trophy winner yet again.

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