Kopa Trophy 2025 nominees list: Candidates for world’s best youngster at Ballon d’Or awards as Lamine Yamal wins again

The Ballon d’Or ceremony for 2025 took place in Paris on Monday, September 22.

Alongside the prizes for the world’s best players of the past season, the Kopa Trophy was presented to the best young footballer on the planet, following in the footsteps of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and more.

For the first time, a women’s Kopa award was also be handed out.

Lamine Yamal won again, defending the prize he claimed last year after his outstanding performances for Spain at Euro 2024. He is the first player ever to win the award two years running.

The inaugural women’s prize was won by Barcelona’s Vicky Lopez.

MORE: List of nominees for 2025 Ballon d’Or | Yashin Trophy nominees | Cruyff Trophy contenders

What is the Kopa Trophy?

The Kopa Trophy is an annual prize given to the best male soccer player in the world under the age of 21, as determined by the Ballon d’Or jury voting system. In 2025, an award for the best young female player will be given for the first time.

The trophy can be won by a player outside Europe, which makes it different to the Golden Boy prize, which can only be won by a male footballer in UEFA’s league system.

The award is named after Raymond Kopa, the former Real Madrid and France star who won the Ballon d’Or in 1958.

Kopa Trophy nominees 2025

There were 10 candidates for the men’s award and five for the women’s. The winners are in bold.

List of nominees for 2025 Men’s Kopa Trophy

List of nominees for 2025 Women’s Kopa Trophy

Kopa Trophy past winners

Kylian Mbappe won the inaugural Kopa Trophy in 2018 after winning the World Cup with France. Barcelona star Lamine Yamal won the 2024 and 2025 awards.