Lamine Yamal has won the Trophee Kopa 2026, becoming the first player to claim the award for the best young footballer three times in a row.

The FC Barcelona forward, who also triumphed in 2024 and 2025, retained the prize ahead of a final ranking that featured five players of African origin or with African backgrounds.

Three of those players finished in the top six, underlining the growing presence of African talent among the leading young prospects in world football.

Yan Diomande was the highest-placed African representative, taking fifth position. The RB Leipzig player finished ahead of several highly regarded prospects from across European football and secured a place among the most promising players of his generation.

Ayyoub Bouaddi followed in sixth. His position further demonstrated the increasing prominence of players from Africa and its diasporas in discussions about the next generation of football’s leading figures.

The representation continued further down the standings. Eli Junior Kroupi and Ibrahim Maza shared eighth place, while Johan Manzambi completed the top 10 in 10th position.

Together, the five players formed a significant part of the final Trophee Kopa 2026 ranking. Their presence reflected the range of backgrounds emerging in elite football and the increasing attention being given to young African talents.

At the top, Yamal strengthened his standing as one of the defining players of his generation. His third successive victory confirmed his continued dominance of the award, with the Spanish international again finishing first.

The FC Barcelonaforward was the leading figure in the ceremony, but the performances of Diomande, Bouaddi, Kroupi, Maza and Manzambi provided a wider picture of the young players competing for recognition at the highest level.

The final Trophee Kopa 2026 standings were:

1. Lamine Yamal FC Barcelona 2. Pau Cubarsi FC Barcelona 3. Warren Zaire-Emery Paris Saint-Germain 4. Lennart Karl Bayern Munich 5. Yan Diomande RB Leipzig 6. Ayyoub Bouaddi LOSC 7. Kerim Alajbegovic RB Salzbourg 8. Eli Junior Kroupi AFC Bournemouth 9. Ibrahim Maza Bayer Leverkusen 10. Johan Manzambi Aston Villa