Yamal wins Young Player Award for third straight year

Barcelona forward Lamine Yamal missed out on the Ballon d'Or at the 2026 ceremony but made history by winning the Men's Young Player Award for the third year in a row. He received the award from Ukrainian football legend Andriy Shevchenko at the ceremony held at the London Palladium. At 19 years old, Yamal became the first player to win the award three consecutive times.

The award, also known as the Kopa Trophy, goes to the best male player aged 21 and under, and the vote is cast by previous Ballon d'Or winners. Yamal first won it in 2024 at the age of 17 and retained it in 2025. Previous winners include Kylian Mbappe, Matthijs de Ligt, Pedri, Gavi and Jude Bellingham. None of them had been able to defend the title.

In his acceptance speech, Yamal praised his teammate Pau Cubarsi, who finished second in the vote. Yamal said he wanted Cubarsi to win and that he deserved it. The young centre-back has been performing at a high level for Barcelona and Spain for some time.

Yamal also finished third in the senior Ballon d'Or rankings. Harry Kane won, with Mbappe second. During the 2025-26 season, the player played a key role in Barcelona's second consecutive La Liga title and their Spanish Super Cup win. His performances also earned him the La Liga Player of the Season award.