Yamal lifts Kopa trophy
FC Barcelona striker Lamine Yamal was elected winner of the Kopa Trophy, the prize for the best player under the age of 21 of the past year, at the Golden Ball Gala on Monday evening at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris. The Spanish top talent received his trophy from the Dutch football legend Ruud Gullit.
Yamal, barely seventeen, turned out to be one of the sensations at Barcelona and the Spanish national team last season. The Spanish winger scored seven goals and nine assists in fifty games last season and certainly did not miss his start this season. He has already provided seven assists in fourteen matches and scored six times, including once in Barça’s heavy 0-4 win in the Clasico against Real Madrid last weekend.
Last summer, Yamal (17 caps) was crowned European champion in Germany with Spain and was voted best youngster of the tournament. In addition, he also scored the best goal of the tournament with a beauty in the semi-finals against France. In the election for the Kopa trophy he finishes ahead of the Turk Arda Güler (Real Madrid), the Englishman Kobbie Mainoo (Manchester United), the Brazilian Savinho (Manchester City) and his compatriot and teammate Pau Cubarsi.
A jury consisting only of former Golden Ball winners selected the laureate. Yamal succeeds the Englishman Jude Bellingham. The trophy is named after the Frenchman Raymond Kopa. The former Real Madrid and Stade Reims midfielder won the Ballon d’Or in 1958 and died in 2017 at the age of 85.
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