Lamine Yamal may have missed out on the Ballon d’Or, but the Barcelona forward made history Monday by winning the Men’s Young Talent of the Year award for a third consecutive year, becoming the first player to achieve the feat.
The 19-year-old received the honor at the 2026 Ballon d’Or ceremony at the London Palladium, collecting the trophy from Ukrainian football great Andriy Shevchenko.
The award, formerly known as the Kopa Trophy, recognizes the world’s best male player aged 21 or younger and is voted on by former Ballon d’Or winners.
Yamal first won the award in 2024, aged 17, before retaining it in 2025. His latest victory puts him in a class of his own, having become the first player to win the honor three times in succession.
Previous recipients include Kylian Mbappe in 2018, Matthijs de Ligt in 2019, Pedri in 2021, Gavi in 2022 and Jude Bellingham in 2023. None had managed to defend the title before Yamal broke new ground with his consecutive victories.
Barcelona’s success in the award also reflects the club’s ability to develop young talent. Pedri and Gavi previously won the prize, bringing Barcelona’s total to five victories.
Despite the personal recognition, Yamal used his acceptance remarks to praise teammate Pau Cubarsi, who finished second in the voting.
“I would have liked Cubarsi to have won; he deserves it. He has been performing at an incredible level for a long time,” Yamal said.
The defender’s strong performances for Barcelona and Spain had made him a leading contender for the honor.
Yamal’s latest award came on a night when he also finished third in the senior Ballon d’Or standings, behind winner Harry Kane and runner-up Mbappe.
Another standout season
Yamal’s record-breaking achievement followed another impressive campaign in 2025-26, during which he played a central role in Barcelona’s domestic success and Spain’s triumph on the international stage.
For Barcelona, he helped secure a second consecutive La Liga title and the Spanish Super Cup. His performances also earned him the La Liga Player of the Season award.
In the league, Yamal scored 16 goals and provided 11 assists, the most in the competition. He also scored six goals in the Champions League as Barcelona reached the quarterfinals.
His overall contribution across competitions included approximately 24 to 25 goals and 18 to 20 assists, depending on the statistical source and competition cutoffs.
Yamal’s season was not without setbacks. A hamstring injury in April raised concerns about his availability for the World Cup, but he recovered in time to join Spain’s 26-man squad.
Spain went on to win the tournament, defeating Argentina 1-0 in the final to claim its second men’s World Cup title. Yamal scored in a 4-0 group-stage victory over Saudi Arabia and won a penalty in Spain’s 2-0 semifinal win over France.
The World Cup victory added another major achievement to a growing collection of honors for the young forward, whose influence has extended well beyond his age group.
A new benchmark for young players
The Young Talent of the Year award, introduced in 2018 as the Kopa Trophy, honors the legacy of French football great Raymond Kopa. Its winners are selected by former Ballon d’Or recipients, distinguishing it from the main award, which is decided by journalists.
Yamal’s three consecutive victories have established a new standard in the award’s relatively short history. His first win recognized his exceptional emergence at Barcelona, while his second confirmed his consistency at the highest level. The third underlines his continued development into one of football’s leading players.
His success also highlights Barcelona’s La Masia academy, which has produced several of the club’s most influential young players. The achievements of Pedri, Gavi and Yamal have reinforced the academy’s reputation as a source of elite talent.