Lamine Yamal makes Ballon d’Or history: With his third consecutive Kopa Trophy, he has achieved a feat that no player has achieved before
Soccer Football – Ballon d’Or – London Palladium, London, Britain – October 26, 2026 FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal gives a speech after winning the Young Talent of the Year trophy Action Images via Reuters/Matthew Childs Lamine Yamal has already spent much of his teenage career racking up milestones that once seemed quite difficult to achieve, but the Barcelona forward has now achieved something that no one has managed to do before. At 19, he won the Kopa Trophy for the third year in a row, completing a historic hat-trick at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony in London and remaining a contender for football’s biggest individual award.
Yamal makes Kopa Trophy history in London
Yamal was named the winner of the 2026 Kopa Trophy, awarded to the world’s best under-21 player, at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony on 26 October in London. The Spain international, who won the award in 2024 and 2025, became the first player to win it three years in a row.Since France Football introduced the Kopa Trophy in 2018 to honor the best under-21 player in the world, no other individual has ever won it more than once.The Barcelona forward, who first broke into the senior team in 2023, has already established himself as one of the world’s most closely watched young footballers. Winning the award for the first time at 17, retaining it at 18 and now completing the hat-trick at 19 has given his rapid rise another major success.Yamal finished ahead of a field that included Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Yan Diomandé, among others. His performances the previous season helped convince the voting panel to recognize him again, with his attacking influence remaining central to his reputation.
Lamine Yamal of Spain is hugged by FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta as they attend the Ballon d’Or ceremony at the London Palladium theater in London, England, Monday, Oct. 26, 2026. (AP Photo/Kin Cheung)
The award also continued Spain’s remarkable recent record in the category. The Spaniards have won five of the last six editions, with Yamal making it three in a row following earlier wins by Pedri in 2021 and Gavi in 2022.
A season behind Yamal’s third award
Yamal’s most recent Kopa Trophy followed a productive 2025–26 campaign with Barcelona and Spain, during which he contributed 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 appearances in all competitions.The winger helped Barcelona win LaLiga and the Spanish Super Cup, while his international campaign brought further recognition following Spain’s triumph at the 2026 World Cup. His season statistics included six yellow cards and no red cards, alongside three collective titles.
Soccer Soccer – UEFA Champions League – Galatasaray vs. FC Barcelona – Rams Park, Istanbul, Turkey – October 13, 2026 FC Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal celebrates his third goal, scored by Anthony Gordon REUTERS/Dilara Senkaya
His style remained a major part of his appeal, combining close control and electric dribbling with an ability to create chances and contribute goals. These qualities have made him an important attacking player for Barcelona despite his age, while his performances continue to attract attention outside of Spain.The Kopa Trophy honors the best young player in world football, but Yamal’s presence among the nominees for the senior men’s Ballon d’Or also puts him in contention for the ceremony’s biggest individual honour. He was one of several players nominated in more than one category, alongside compatriots Cato Coll and Cubarsí.
How does Yamal compare to previous winners
The Kopa Trophy was awarded for the first time in 2018, when Kylian Mbappé won the first year, followed by Matthijs de Ligt in 2019. No award was given in 2020, before Pedri won the award in 2021 and Gavi won in 2022.Jude Bellingham took the award in 2023, before Yamal began his streak of three consecutive wins in 2024. His wins in 2025 and 2026 have now extended that sequence beyond anything previously achieved in the award’s history.
Spain’s Lamine Yamal answers a question during a news conference Monday, July 13, 2026, in Arlington, Texas before the World Cup semifinal match against France. (AP Photo/Tony Gutierrez)
Yamal’s latest victory also comes after he became a World Cup winner with Spain, adding another major team success to a career that has progressed unusually quickly. At the age of 19, he already secured three Kopa Trophies, domestic honors with Barcelona and a place among the candidates for the Ballon d’Or.His third win in a row confirms that the young Barcelona forward has moved on from being a promising rookie, with his performances now rated against the highest expectations in the game. The challenge ahead is to maintain this level as his career develops, rather than simply adding another record to a collection that is already growing at an extraordinary rate.