France Football magazine has revealed the names of the 10 talented players nominated for the Kopa Trophy for Best Young Player of the Year at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony. The winner will be officially announced on October 26 during a gala ceremony in London.
The list features rising stars representing top European clubs. Among the nominees is 18-year-old forward Kerim-Sam Alajbegović, who recently transferred to Juventus after recording 14 goals and 6 assists in 54 appearances for Red Bull Salzburg last season. Another candidate is 18-year-old defensive midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who joined Manchester City from Lille and is contending for the award for the second time. Barcelona has two representatives: 19-year-old defender Pau Cubarsí, who has already won the World Cup, La Liga, and the Spanish Super Cup, and 19-year-old forward Lamine Yamal. The latter enjoyed a stellar season, scoring 25 goals and providing 20 assists in 57 matches, having previously claimed this category in 2024 and 2025.
Completing the list are 19-year-old forward Yan Diomande, who moved to Real Madrid; Bayern Munich's 18-year-old goalscorer Lennart Karl; Bournemouth's 20-year-old forward Eli Junior Kroupi; and 20-year-old Johan Manzambi, who transferred to Aston Villa. Also among the nominees are Leverkusen's 20-year-old midfielder Ibrahim Maza and PSG's versatile 20-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery, who won the Champions League title and domestic trophies with the Parisian club.
The 10-player shortlist clearly highlights current transfer trends in modern football, where elite clubs are willing to invest substantial resources to acquire 18- to 20-year-old talent. Notably, several of the young players featured on the list have already completed transfers to European giants such as Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Juventus during the summer of 2026.
While the race includes many talented footballers, main attention remains focused on the performance metrics of the winner from the past two years. Generating 25 goals and 20 assists in 57 matches is an exceptional record for a 19-year-old athlete, making him one of the main favorites in the category.
