Lamine Yamal became the first player to win the Trophee Kopa three times after claiming the award for a third consecutive year at the 70th Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on Monday.

The Barcelona and Spain forward was announced as the winner during an evening that also revealed the final positions of three African players shortlisted for the prize.

Ivorian winger Yan Diomande was the highest-ranked of the trio, finishing fifth. The 19-year-old holds the record for the most expensive transfer involving an African player after moving from Leipzig to Real Madrid last summer for 125 million euros, excluding bonuses.

Ayyoub Bouaddi followed in sixth place. The 19-year-old midfielder left Lille for Manchester City in a deal worth 95m euros. Since making his Morocco debut at the end of May, Bouaddi has also impressed at the 2026 World Cup.

Ibrahim Maza completed the African representation in ninth position. The 20-year-old attacking player is a key figure in Bayer Leverkusen’s play and for the Algeria national team.

Maza’s placing was met with surprise and incomprehension among Algerian observers, who believed the player’s ability deserved a higher position.

The Trophee Kopa is awarded to the best player under the age of 21 during the season. This year’s ceremony marked the first time three Africans had been nominated for the award.

Before 2026, only one African player had featured in the top 10 in any year. Mali midfielder Amadou Haidara finished among the leading players in 2018, before Nigeria forward Samuel Chukwueze did so in 2019.

Yamal’s third success sets him apart in the history of the award. His latest victory means he has won the Trophee Kopa in each of the past three years, an achievement no previous player had accomplished.