Ballon d'Or ceremony: Yamal steals the spotlight with a surprise comment about Cubarsi
Lamine Yamal just keeps collecting silverware. The Barcelona star landed the Kopa Trophy for the best young player under 21 for 2026 at Monday evening's Ballon d'Or ceremony in London, another milestone in a glittering career and fresh proof of his place among the game's brightest emerging talents.
At 19, the Spaniard retained the award for a third year running, seeing off some of the finest young players in European football. It's a prize that tells the story of his relentless rise and his growing influence for both Barcelona and Spain.
Collecting the trophy, Yamal made no secret of his joy. "It is a great honour for me to be here today and to receive this award. This is the third year, and I am extremely happy to continue winning these awards," he said.
He wasn't content to bask in his own moment, though. The teenager turned his attention to Barcelona team-mate Pau Cubarsi, insisting the defender was the one who truly deserved the honour.
"The first thing I want to say is that I wish my team-mate Pau Cubarsi had been here with us tonight, because I think this award should have gone to him, he truly deserves it," Yamal said. "He has been performing at amazing levels for a long time, and I really wish he had been the winner of this award."
Signing off, Yamal thanked Barcelona, Spain and everyone who had helped him reach this point. His hunger, he made clear, is far from satisfied.
"I want to thank my club, my national team, and all the people who helped me get here," he explained. "Now I have to keep working and striving hard, in order to try to achieve more collective titles and individual awards like this one."
The Kopa Trophy capped a standout campaign for both club and country. Yamal's quality and his knack for delivering in the biggest games drove success on every front.
Internationally, he helped fire Spain to the 2026 World Cup crown, with La Roja edging Argentina 1-0 in the final to hand him a world title to go with his mounting list of caps.
Domestically, the Barcelona forward played his part as the Catalans swept up the La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles in 2025-2026, cementing his status as a cornerstone of the club's plans for years to come.
This latest honour simply swells an already bulging trophy cabinet. Yamal now sets his sights on blending that individual brilliance with yet more team glory, driven by sky-high ambitions at Barcelona and with Spain.
