What is the Kopa Trophy? Previous winners and nominees for 2024

The legendary Ballon d’Or ceremony has expanded significantly in recent times, with a wide variety of prizes up for grabs.

The Ballon d’Or is awarded to the best male footballer at the end of each year, but now we’re blessed with the Women’s Ballon d’Or – the same award but for female footballers – and a variety of other high-profile accolades . distributed to the game’s best and brightest.

One of the awards presented at the ceremony in recent years is the Kopa Trophy, with some of the world’s modern greats claiming the individual award.

But what is the Kopa Trophy? And who has won it before?

The Kopa Trophy has been awarded at the Ballon d’Or ceremony since 2018 and is claimed by the under-21 footballer with the best performance. It can be won by players outside UEFA competitions and leagues, which differentiates it from the Golden. prize boy

The Kopa Trophy is judged by a selection of former Ballon d’Or winners, who will agree on the best under-21 player from the previous season. In 2024, the prize will be awarded to the highest level performer during the 2023/24 campaign. It is presented by France Footballwho also distribute the Ballon d’Or.

The award is named after the legendary Raymond Kopa and there have only been five past winners after the 2020 award was canceled due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Raymond Kopa won his third Ballon d’Or in 1958 and is a legendary figure for France, Real Madrid and Reims. The striker, who died in 2017, was one of the most loved footballers of the 1950s and 1960s, winning three European Cups and two league titles with Madrid and four French top-flight titles with Reims.

He won the 1958 Ballon d’Or for his performances for club and country, helping France to a third-place finish at that year’s World Cup after winning the League and European Cup. He made 45 appearances for Les Bleus and was nicknamed ‘Little Napoleon’ by the Spanish press for his ability to command the forward line.

There have been five different winners of the Kopa Trophy with players unlikely to win the award on several occasions given the award’s age restrictions. However, all past winners have ended up going strong.

Kylian Mbappé was the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy in 2018 after shining for Paris Saint-Germain. The Frenchman had already won Ligue 1 twice before claiming the accolade, but is still waiting for his first Ballon d’Or crown. Surely it’s only a matter of time.

Arguably the most underwhelming winner of the Kopa Trophy was 2019, with the Manchester United defender now Matthijs de Ligt claiming the prize with Juventus. However, it was his performances in an Ajax shirt that caught the eye as the Dutch defender had failed to live up to his immense potential thus far.

After the canceled 2020 event, it was a pair of Barcelona midfielders who took the next two titles. Peter i seagull They were deserved winners in 2021 and 2022 respectively, as the Blaugrana purred through the emergence of two reigns from Andrés Iniesta.

The last Kopa Trophy was won by Candidate for the Ballon d’Or 2024with Jude Bellingham he won the title for his displays at Borussia Dortmund despite Real Madrid having become his home when he claimed the award.

All Kopa Trophy winners

Ten amazing youngsters have been nominated for the 2024 Kopa Trophy, which will be awarded on October 28, but it’s Barcelona and Spain star Lamine Yamal who features. destined for victory. After winning the Goal and Young Player of the Tournament awards at Euro 2024 en route to the title, the 17-year-old winger is a success to win.

Yamal’s Barcelona team-mate Pau Cubarsi is also in the mix, while Man Utd duo Alejandro Garnacho and Kobbie Mainoo and Manchester City winger Savinho are the Premier League representatives.

Karim Konate is the only candidate from outside Europe’s top five leagues, although Joao Neves played for Benfica in the 2023/24 season despite having since joined Paris Saint-Germain.

The full list of nominees is as follows:

READ MORE ABOUT THE 2024 BALLON D’OR NOMINEES AND FAVORITES