Kopa Trophy
The Kopa Trophy is an annual award presented by France Football to the best male association football player under the age of 21 based on performances in the previous calendar year.[1] It is named after Raymond Kopa, the pioneering French midfielder and first French Ballon d'Or winner in 1958, who died in 2017.[2] The trophy recognizes emerging global talent across all FIFA confederations and has been awarded at the Ballon d'Or ceremony since its inception in 2018, except in 2020 when the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic.[3] The winner is selected through a voting process conducted exclusively by living former Ballon d'Or recipients, who rank their top three eligible nominees and assign points: five for first place, three for second, and one for third.[4] Voters evaluate candidates based on three key criteria: individual performances and decisive contributions, team achievements and collective success, and demonstrations of class and fair play.[5] Nominees are announced in August or September alongside Ballon d'Or shortlists, with the ceremony held in Paris in September or October. Since its launch, the Kopa Trophy has highlighted prodigious talents who have gone on to major careers, including Kylian Mbappé of Paris Saint-Germain in 2018, Matthijs de Ligt of Juventus in 2019, Pedri of Barcelona in 2021, Gavi of Barcelona in 2022, Jude Bellingham of Real Madrid in 2023, and Lamine Yamal of Barcelona in both 2024 and 2025—the first player to retain the award.[3] Barcelona holds the record for most wins with four, while Spanish players have claimed four of the seven awards to date.[6] A women's equivalent was introduced in 2025, with Vicky López of Barcelona becoming the inaugural recipient.[7]Overview
Description and Purpose
The Kopa Trophy is an annual award presented by France Football magazine to the world's best male and female footballers under 21 years old at the end of the calendar year.[8] It honors outstanding performances by young players in professional football, serving as a dedicated recognition for emerging talent separate from senior accolades like the Ballon d'Or.[4] The award is presented during the annual Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris.[5] Eligibility for the Kopa Trophy is global, encompassing players from any confederation without restriction to specific leagues or nationalities, and is determined by their contributions in both club and international matches over the calendar year.[9] This broad scope ensures the award captures the most promising young athletes worldwide, emphasizing skill, impact, and potential in competitive settings.[5] The introduction of the women's category in 2025 expanded the Kopa Trophy's reach, aligning with France Football's efforts to advance gender equality across its awards portfolio by similarly spotlighting top female under-21 talents. This development complements the longstanding men's award, fostering greater inclusivity in celebrating youthful excellence in the sport.[8]Naming and Presentation
The Kopa Trophy is named in honor of Raymond Kopa, the celebrated French footballer and the first Frenchman to win the Ballon d'Or in 1958. Born on October 13, 1931, in Nœux-les-Mines, Pas-de-Calais, France, to Polish immigrant parents, Kopa began his professional career at age 17 with Angers SCO in 1949, quickly establishing himself as a dynamic attacking midfielder known for his dribbling, vision, and goal-scoring ability. He rose to prominence at Stade de Reims, where he helped secure two French league titles in 1952 and 1953, before transferring to Real Madrid in 1956; there, he played a pivotal role in the club's dominance, contributing to three consecutive European Cup triumphs in 1957, 1958, and 1959, including scoring a hat-trick in the 1959 final against his former club Reims. With 18 goals in 45 appearances for the France national team between 1952 and 1962, Kopa not only led Les Bleus to third place at the 1958 World Cup but also became a symbol of innovation and excellence in French football, earning the nickname "Napoleon" for his commanding presence on the pitch.[10][11][12][13] France Football selected Kopa's name for the award to pay tribute to his legacy as a young talent who achieved international stardom, thereby connecting the prize to France's storied football heritage and motivating the next generation of under-21 players to emulate his path from promising prospect to global icon.[14][15] The trophy is awarded annually at the Ballon d'Or gala ceremony in Paris, where it shares the stage with the main award in a joint presentation that underscores its role in recognizing emerging excellence within the sport's premier honors event. The design consists of a golden ball atop a sculpted base, mirroring the Ballon d'Or's iconic form but proportioned to symbolize the vitality and potential of youth.[1][4]History
Establishment
In 2016, France Football announced the end of its six-year partnership with FIFA, which had merged the Ballon d'Or with the FIFA World Player of the Year award from 2010 to 2015, thereby reviving the Ballon d'Or as an independent honor presented solely by the magazine. This decision marked a return to France Football's original vision of standalone accolades and paved the way for expanding the ceremony with new categories to celebrate diverse aspects of the sport.[16][17] Building on this revival, the Kopa Trophy was established in 2018 as the inaugural youth-specific award within the Ballon d'Or framework, recognizing the best performing male footballer under the age of 21 worldwide. Named after Raymond Kopa, the French legend and 1958 Ballon d'Or winner who revolutionized the forward role with his vision and skill, the trophy aimed to spotlight emerging global talents amid rising emphasis on youth academies and early-career breakthroughs.[18][4] The initial setup focused exclusively on men's football, with winners determined by votes from previous Ballon d'Or recipients, ensuring a panel of elite expertise. The first edition culminated in the announcement of Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé as the inaugural recipient on 3 December 2018, highlighting his explosive performances in Ligue 1 and the FIFA World Cup. This launch positioned the Kopa Trophy as a global counterpart to European-centric youth honors, emphasizing worldwide eligibility and integration into the prestigious Ballon d'Or event.[18][2]Developments and Interruptions
The Kopa Trophy was not awarded in 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, which severely disrupted global football schedules and compromised the ability to fairly evaluate young players' performances across an incomplete season.[19][20] This interruption marked the first time the award, which had debuted just two years prior, was paused, aligning with the broader cancellation of the Ballon d'Or ceremony by organizers France Football.[19] The award resumed in 2021, with Pedri of FC Barcelona named the inaugural post-interruption winner based on performances over the previous calendar year, maintaining the original evaluation framework without significant alterations.[9] This return emphasized continuity in assessing under-21 players' achievements on a calendar-year basis, a criterion that persisted through subsequent editions until the Ballon d'Or ecosystem's shift to seasonal evaluations in 2022, though the Kopa Trophy itself saw no major format overhauls until 2025.[21] The period from 2021 to 2024 thus represented stability, allowing the award to solidify its role in recognizing emerging talents amid recovering international competitions. In 2025, France Football and UEFA introduced a women's Kopa Trophy category as part of a broader initiative to achieve gender parity across the Ballon d'Or awards, mirroring the success of the Ballon d'Or Féminin established in 2018 and expanding recognition for young female players under 21.[22][23] This addition brought the total number of categories to an equal split between men's and women's honors, reflecting ongoing efforts to promote equity in football accolades.[22] Beyond structural changes, the Kopa Trophy experienced evolutions in visibility and process integrity starting around 2022, with heightened media coverage highlighting winners' contributions and the integration of digital transparency in voting, including the public disclosure of ballots from former Ballon d'Or recipients to enhance accountability.[24] This shift contributed to greater global engagement, as seen in the award's alignment with the Ballon d'Or's digital platforms for real-time updates and analysis.[24]Format and Selection
Eligibility Criteria
The Kopa Trophy is awarded to players who are under the age of 21 as of 31 July of the award year, meaning eligible candidates must have been born on or after 1 August 2004 for the 2025 edition.[25] This age threshold ensures the award recognizes emerging talents still in the early stages of their professional careers, with no exceptions made for players who turn 22 during the subsequent year. Players exceeding this age limit as of the cutoff are ineligible, regardless of their performance level.[9] Eligibility is determined based on performances in professional club and international matches during the relevant season period, from 1 August of the previous year to 31 July of the award year, without restrictions on the player's nationality, league, or competition level.[9] There are no barriers related to prior senior-level awards, allowing repeat winners if they remain within the age criteria, as demonstrated by multiple recipients in recent years.[26] Since 2025, the Kopa Trophy has been divided into separate men's and women's categories, each applying the identical age and performance standards to promote gender equity in recognizing young excellence.[7] This separation ensures that achievements in women's football are evaluated independently from men's, maintaining the award's focus on global talent across both spheres.Voting and Judging Process
The Kopa Trophy winner is selected through a voting process conducted exclusively by all living former Ballon d'Or winners, a group comprising elite footballers who provide expert judgment on young talents.[27] As of the 2025 edition, this jury consisted of 27 voters, including prominent figures such as Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.[28] Voters evaluate candidates based on three key criteria: individual performances and decisive contributions, team achievements and collective success, and demonstrations of class and fair play.[5] Each voter ranks their top three eligible players from a shortlist of 10 nominees, with points awarded as follows: 5 points for the first-place choice, 3 points for the second-place choice, and 1 point for the third-place choice.[29] The player accumulating the highest total points is declared the winner, emphasizing a weighted preference system that rewards consensus among the panel. This point allocation has remained unchanged since the trophy's inception in 2018.[9] The winner is announced during the annual Ballon d'Or ceremony in Paris, organized by France Football, where the top scorer is revealed alongside other awards.[30] For transparency, full voting rankings and individual ballots are occasionally published by the organizers or media outlets following the event, as occurred after the 2025 ceremony.[31]Men's Kopa Trophy
List of Winners
The Kopa Trophy, awarded annually since 2018 to the best male footballer under the age of 21, has recognized several standout young talents. The following table lists all recipients through 2025, including their club affiliation at the time of the award, nationality, and key highlights from the award year.| Year | Winner | Club | Nationality | Key Achievements |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | Kylian Mbappé | Paris Saint-Germain | France | Emerged as a key figure for Paris Saint-Germain in Ligue 1 and scored four goals for France in their FIFA World Cup victory, including in the final.[32][33] |
| 2019 | Matthijs de Ligt | Juventus | Netherlands | Captained Ajax to the Eredivisie title and UEFA Champions League semi-finals before transferring to Juventus, where he contributed to early Serie A success.[34][35] |
| 2020 | Not awarded | N/A | N/A | The award was suspended due to the COVID-19 pandemic disrupting the football calendar.[36] |
| 2021 | Pedri | Barcelona | Spain | Played pivotal roles for Barcelona in La Liga and helped Spain reach the Euro 2020 semi-finals, earning UEFA Euro Young Player of the Tournament honors despite injury challenges.[37] |
| 2022 | Gavi | Barcelona | Spain | Broke into Barcelona's first team, contributing to their La Liga title win with 34 appearances, and impressed for Spain in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.[38] |
| 2023 | Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | England | Excelled in his debut season at Real Madrid, scoring 23 goals across all competitions and helping secure La Liga and UEFA Champions League titles.[39][40] |
| 2024 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Spain | Starred for Barcelona in La Liga with 10 goal involvements (5 goals and 5 assists) and became the youngest player at Euro 2024, scoring once and providing four assists as Spain won the tournament.[41][42] |
| 2025 | Lamine Yamal | Barcelona | Spain | Contributed 9 goals and 13 assists in La Liga as Barcelona won the title, and helped Spain reach the UEFA Nations League final, becoming the first player to win consecutive Kopa Trophies.[43][44] |
Statistical Breakdown
The Kopa Trophy, awarded annually to the best male footballer under 21, has seen only one player achieve multiple victories since its inception in 2018. Lamine Yamal of Spain holds the record with two wins in consecutive years, 2024 and 2025, while all other recipients—Kylian Mbappé (2018), Matthijs de Ligt (2019), Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022), and Jude Bellingham (2023)—have secured a single award each.[9][26] National representation among winners underscores a strong European bias, with all seven awards going to players from UEFA nations and no representation from other confederations. Spain dominates with four wins, driven by Pedri, Gavi, and Yamal's pair, followed by single victories for France, the Netherlands, and England.| Country | Wins | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| Spain | 4 | Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022), Lamine Yamal (2024, 2025) |
| France | 1 | Kylian Mbappé (2018) |
| Netherlands | 1 | Matthijs de Ligt (2019) |
| England | 1 | Jude Bellingham (2023) |
| Club | Wins | Winners |
|---|---|---|
| FC Barcelona | 4 | Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022), Lamine Yamal (2024, 2025) |
| Paris Saint-Germain | 1 | Kylian Mbappé (2018) |
| Juventus | 1 | Matthijs de Ligt (2019) |
| Real Madrid | 1 | Jude Bellingham (2023) |