Kopa Trophy 2025: Yamal, Doue, and Agyemang Lead Nominees for Best Young Player
The race for the prestigious Kopa Trophy at the 2025 Ballon d’Or is heating up as standout talents Lamine Yamal, Desire Doue, and Michelle Agyemang headline the nominees for the best young player award. This accolade, which recognizes the most exciting emerging talents in football, will be awarded during the glitzy ceremony on September 22, 2025, at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris.
As the Golden Ball event continues to expand, this year’s nominees include a mix of household names and rising stars from leagues across Europe, featuring players from La Liga, Ligue 1, the Premier League, and the Women’s Super League (WSL).
Men’s Nominees
– Lamine Yamal (Barcelona)
– Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain)
– Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
– Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)
– Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille)
– Estevao (Palmeiras/Chelsea)
– Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth/Real Madrid)
– Rodrigo Mora (Porto)
– Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain)
– Kenan Yildiz (Juventus)
Women’s Nominees
– Michelle Agyemang (Brighton/Arsenal)
– Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid)
– Wieke Kaptein (Chelsea)
– Claudia Martinez Ovando (Club Olimpia)
– Vicky Lopez (Barcelona)
Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal, who recently turned 18 and inherited Lionel Messi’s iconic No. 10 shirt, played a crucial role in helping the Blaugrana secure both La Liga and Copa del Rey titles during the 2024-25 season.
Desire Doue, a standout for Paris Saint-Germain, contributed significantly to the team’s historic Champions League victory. He is joined by club teammate Joao Neves, who is also making waves in the competition.
In the Premier League, Myles Lewis-Skelly had a breakthrough year at Arsenal, earning his first senior England cap, while Brazilian starlet Estevao made headlines with a high-profile transfer to Chelsea.
On the women’s side, Michelle Agyemang has made her mark as a super-sub for England, playing a vital role in their Euro 2025 triumph and being named Young Player of the Tournament after scoring crucial goals.
Yamal aims to make history by becoming the first player to win the Kopa Trophy twice, following in the footsteps of past winners like Jude Bellingham, Pedri, Gavi, and Kylian Mbappe.
