Brought to elect the winner of the Kopa Trophy rewarding the best 21-year-old player, the former Golden Balls all voted for the winger of Barça and the Spanish European champions Lamine Yamal. All except one…
More than a victory, it is a plebiscite. If there was suspense for the 2024 Ballon d’or, the name of the winner of the Kopa Trophy which rewards the best player under 21 surprised no one. Lamine Yamal did not steal his reward. At only 17 years old, the Spanish winger broke the screen last season. With his club, Barça, then with La Roja, crowned European champion at Euro 2024 this summer in Germany.
No wonder, then, that the jury composed exclusively of former Ballons d’Or almost systematically placed him in first place on their podium. Out of 23 voters, 22 voted for Lamine Yamal.
Zizou and CR7 did not vote
The only Golden Ball not to have given his vote to the Barcelonan is another ex-Blaugrana. Ronaldo, Barça and Brazil legend twice crowned Golden Ball (1997 and 2002) voted for his Brazilian compatriot Savinho. The 20-year-old, defector from Troyes to Manchester City after a loan to Girona, finished in 4th place in the Kopa Trophy. Ronaldo placed Yamal in 2nd position ahead of Madrid’s Arda Güler, runner-up to the Barcelonan in the general ranking.
Winner of the Ballon d’Or in 2022, ex-Real Madrid captain Karim Benzema gave his points to Yamal (1st), Güler (2nd) and Garnacho (3rd) while eight-time winner Lionel Messi praised the Barcelonans Yamal and Cubarsi, with Manchester United’s Argentinian Alejandro Garnacho completing his trio. Finally, don’t look for the votes of Zinédine Zidane or Cristiano Ronaldo. The two stars but also Denis Law (winner in 1964), Kevin Keegan (1978 and 1979), Michel Platini (1983, 1984 and 1985), Roberto Baggio (1993) and George Weah (1995) did not participate in the vote, indicates France Football.
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