On September 22nd of this year, Barcelona's young talent, Lamin Yamal, achieved a historic result, winning the Copa Trophy for the second time. This award is presented annually by France Football to the best player under 21 at the Ballon d'Or ceremony. This award, first introduced in 2018, will also be awarded to female football players starting in 2024.
This time, Yamal scored 124 points, surpassing his competitors. Dezire Due, who won the Champions League with PSG, finished second with 72 points. Joao Nevesh and Estevao took third and fourth places with 23 points, respectively.
The winner of the award is not determined by simple voting. The players who won the Ballon d'Or have the right to evaluate young talents. They each select three candidates and add five, three, and one point. This system provides an opportunity to recognize the brightest young talents for famous footballers like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.
Lionel Messi once again expressed confidence in Yamal in his voice - giving him the highest five points. PSG player Dué took second place, while La Masia academy graduate Pau Cubarsini came in third. Notably, Messi made the same choice in 2024, only placing Kubarcini second and Manchester United winger Alejandro Garnacho third.
However, Cristiano Ronaldo did not participate in the voting this time. According to sources, along with the Portuguese star, English legend Kevin Keegan and French football icon Michel Platini also declined to vote. This decision aligns with Ronaldo's recent statements. He openly stated that he had lost faith in individual awards and would no longer recognize such awards.
At the same time, Ronaldo, like Messi, will remain on the list of players eligible to vote for the Copa Trophy in the future.
For information, Lamin Yamal also achieved great success in the Ballon d'Or competitions - he finished second behind Ousmane Dembélé with 1059 points.
Read “Zamin” on Telegram!
