Nominees for the 2024 Kopa Trophy, which is given to the best under-21 footballer in the world, have been released, and some of the best young talents in the sport make up the list, including Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Manchester United’s Kobbie Mainoo.
The prestigious award, won in recent years by Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham, is voted on by former Ballon d’Or winners. The winner will be announced at the Ballon d’Or ceremony in Paris on October 28.
Manchester United duo Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho were among the nominees after catching the eye with impressive performances in the 2023/24 season. Mainoo had a meteoric rise as he got an invite for Gareth Southgate’s England setup for Euro 2024, while Garnacho shone in Manchester United’s campaign.
Lamine Yamal from Barcelona is another huge favourite; he won the European Championship with Spain only some days after signing for this club. In fact, he became the youngest player to ever score in the European Championships, just days before his 17th birthday.
Other big nominees include Real Madrid’s Arda Guler, Bayern Munich’s Mathys Tel, and PSG’s Warren Zaire-Emery. It is a list that also comprises talents such as RB Salzburg’s Karim Konate, Man City’s Savinho, Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi, and PSG’s Joao Neves.
The Kopa Trophy retains its status for the next generation of footballing talent, with the winner set to be crowned at one of football’s most prestigious events.
