The Ballon d‘Or ceremony has been expanded significantly in recent times, with an array of different awards up for grabs.

The Ballon d‘Or is handed out to the best male soccer player at the end of every year, but we are now blessed with the Ballon d‘Or Féminin—the same prize but for women players—and a variety of other high-profile accolades handed out to the best and brightest in the game

One prize that has been dished out at the ceremony in recent years is the Kopa Trophy, with some of the world's modern greats having claimed the individual prize.

But what is the Kopa Trophy? And who has won it previously?

What is the Kopa Trophy?

The Kopa Trophy has been awarded at the Ballon d’Or ceremony since 2018 and is claimed by the best performing male soccer player under the age of 21. It can be won by players outside of UEFA competition and leagues, which sets it apart from the Golden Boy award.

The Kopa Trophy is judged by a selection of former Ballon d’Or winners, who will come to an agreement on the best player under the age of 21 from the previous season. In 2026, for example, the award will be attributed to the highest-level performer during the 2025–26 campaign.

The award is presented by France Football, who also hand out the Ballon d’Or, and is named after the legendary Raymond Kopa.

Who is Raymond Kopa?

Raymond Kopa won the third ever Ballon d’Or in 1958 and is a legendary figure for France, Real Madrid and Reims.

The forward, who passed away in 2017, was one of the most esteemed players of the 1950s and 1960s, winning three European Cups and two La Liga titles with Madrid and four French top-flight titles with Reims.

He won the 1958 Ballon d’Or for his performances for club and country, helping France to a third-placed finish at the World Cup that year having already won La Liga and the European Cup. He made 45 appearances for Les Bleus and was nicknamed “Little Napoleon” by the Spanish press for his ability to command the forward line.

Past Winners of the Kopa Trophy

There have been six different winners of the Kopa Trophy since its introduction in 2018.

Kylian Mbappe was the inaugural winner of the Kopa Trophy having sparkled with Paris Saint-Germain. The Frenchman had already won Ligue 1 twice before claiming the accolade but still awaits his first Ballon d’Or crown.

Arguably the most underwhelming winner of the Kopa Trophy came in 2019, with now Manchester United defender Matthijs de Ligt claiming the prize with Juventus. It was, however, his performances in an Ajax shirt that caught the eye, with the Dutch defender having failed to live up to his immense potential thus far.

After 2020’s cancelled event it was a pair of Barcelona midfielders who scooped the next two titles. Pedri and Gavi were deserved winners in 2021 and 2022 respectively as they had supporters purring over the emergence of two Andrés Iniesta regens.

The 2023 Kopa Trophy was won by England and Madrid star Jude Bellingham, while Lamine Yamal won by a record margin in 2024. The Spanish prodigy then won the award again in 2025, making him the first player ever to win it twice.

Every Kopa Trophy Winner

Nominees for the 2026 Kopa Trophy

As tradition dictates, 10 of the brightest young talents in world soccer have been shortlisted for the 2026 Kopa Trophy.

Back-to-back winner and reigning champion Lamine Yamal returns to the shortlist after helping Barcelona win La Liga in 2025–26 and Spain lift the 2026 World Cup. He is joined by fellow Barcelona and Spain wonderkid Pau Cubarsí, who also enjoyed a memorable season at club and international level.

The other eight nominees represent clubs across Europe’s top leagues. They include Real Madrid star Yan Diomande, Manchester City’s new signing Ayyoub Bouaddi, Bayern Munich prospect Lennart Karl and Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery.

Bournemouth’s Éli Junior Kroupi, Aston Villa’s Johan Manzambi, Bayer Leverkusen’s Ibrahim Maza and Juventus youngster Kerim Alajbegović complete the shortlist.

Kopa Trophy 2026 Nominees in Full

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as What is the Kopa Trophy? Past Winners and Nominees for 2026.