Yamal wins third straight Kopa Trophy, says Cubarsí deserved it, finishes third behind Kane
Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for a third year running in London, with teammate Pau Cubarsí second and Yamal saying the award should have gone to him. The gala came a day after the Clásico defeat, and Kylian Mbappé, who scored twice in that game, finished one place above Yamal in the Ballon d’Or won by Harry Kane.
Lamine Yamal now owns a piece of Ballon d’Or history. At the gala in London on 26 October, he collected the Kopa Trophy for the best young player again. Andriy Shevchenko handed it to him in person.
His run began with the 2024 award. In 2025 he became the first player ever to win it twice in a row. This year’s win extends that streak to three.
The more telling moment came on stage. Yamal said he would have preferred Pau Cubarsí to win it and that his teammate deserved it. Cubarsí was the runner-up in the voting, so the gesture was aimed at the next name on the list.
Barça take two of the top three young talent places
Further down the under-21 ranking, Lennart Karl came fourth and Yan Diomande fifth. Barça therefore had two of the top three names in the young talent vote.
The award adds to a strong year for Yamal. The club noted that he had been named Best Player of LaLiga for the 2025/26 season.
Barça arrived in London with four players in the running. France Football and UEFA announced the nominations on September 8, 2026, naming Joan Garcia, Rodri, Cubarsí and Yamal. Cubarsí also placed 12th in the main men’s ranking.
Mbappé edges Yamal a day after the Clásico
In the main vote, Yamal finished third. Kane took the trophy after scoring 73 goals over the season for Bayern Munich and England. He also led England to the World Cup semifinals. Kane is the first English winner in 25 years, ESPN reported.
The timing stung for Barça supporters. The night before, Mbappé had scored twice as Real Madrid won the Clásico 2-1 at Spotify Camp Nou.
He struck in the 41st and 87th minutes, with Raphinha equalizing in the 61st. The late winner ended Barça’s run of nine league wins from nine. Barça also lost Xavi Espart to an early substitution after about 30 minutes, with Eric Garcia and Jules Koundé already unavailable.
Rodri arrived at the gala as the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, listed as a Barcelona player. He was named best player of the 2026 World Cup. Spain won that tournament with eight Barça players in the squad.
The ceremony did not pass without an awkward moment. Hours before it began, the official Ballon d’Or website mistakenly named Kane, Mbappé and Yamal as winners. The award is run by France Football, and 100 journalists from around the world vote on it.
Back on the pitch, the Clásico result leaves Barça three points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
Sources
Ballon d'Or 2026 results: Full rankings, all award winners (ESPN)
Lamine Yamal, Young Talent of the Year and third in Ballon d'Or rankings (FC Barcelona)
Lamine Yamal Wins 2026 Kopa Trophy: Historic Ballon d'Or Record (Football360)
Spotify Camp Nou: Boaventuravinicius, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
