Lamine Yamal has been named the best young player at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, collecting the Kopa Trophy for the third year in a row, according to Voetbal International. The Barcelona winger's latest talent award came as the evening's main prize was still to be confirmed, with Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappé among the names in contention, NU reported.
The gala, held on Monday, got off to a delayed start. De Telegraaf described the ceremony as beginning far behind schedule, with Yamal's young-player honour among the early awards handed out.
Spanish football was the dominant presence at the event, NU reported, with several awards going to figures from the Spanish game. NOS noted that Yamal was again chosen as the biggest talent at the gala, and that there was no prize on the night for Buurman.
The Kopa Trophy recognises the strongest young player in world football, and Yamal's third consecutive win underlines his standing among the game's emerging names. The headline Ballon d'Or result, however, was still pending as the ceremony ran on, leaving Kane and Mbappé among those waiting, per NU.
Attention now turns to the announcement of the main award, which will settle the night's biggest question after a ceremony that ran well past its scheduled start.
