Lamine Yamal Wins Kopa Trophy For 3rd Straight Year, Dedicates It To Pau Cubarsí

Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or gala on Monday, marking the third consecutive time he's won the award given to the best player in the world under the age of 21. The 19-year-old had 16 goals and a league-leading 11 assists as Barcelona won La Liga for a second straight season, and he was named the league’s player of the season. He added six goals in the Champions League, where Barcelona reached the quarterfinals. A hamstring injury in April put his World Cup hopes in doubt, but he was able to make the 26-man squad that would go on to lift the title. He only scored once at the tournament (in a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia) but he won a penalty in a 2-0 semifinal victory over France. Spain then beat Lionel Messi’s Argentina 1-0 in the final for its second men's world title. Yamal dedicated the award to his Spain and Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí, who finished as the runner-up for the Kopa Trophy. "I think this award should have gone to Pau Cubarsí," Yamal said. "I think he deserved it the most." Cubarsí won Young Player of the Tournament at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.