Barcelona Star Lamine Yamal Achieves Unprecedented Feat as 2026 Kopa Trophy Makes Him First Three-Time Winner

A record third award

Yamal’s third Kopa Trophy makes him the award’s only three-time winner. Before him, just one player had won it more than once, in the award’s limited history. At 19, the Barcelona forward is still eligible to compete next year. His latest win extends a run of honors that includes three league titles, a European Championship and a World Cup.

Impact at Barcelona

Yamal had the best season of his career so far, leading Barcelona in both goals and assists as the club won the league title. He averaged one goal or assist for every 90 minutes he played.

His dribbling and individual flair have helped make him stand out. Yamal told The Guardian that he sees defenders as robots trying to stop him, while people have something machines lack.

Barcelona’s award run

Barcelona players have dominated the Kopa Trophy since the award returned after its prizes were canceled in 2020 because of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pedri and Gavi won in successive years, before Real Madrid’s Jude Bellingham took the award.

Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala reached the podium in three different seasons, finishing third behind Pedri and Gavi, then second behind Bellingham. At 23, he is no longer eligible for the Kopa Trophy.

A bigger individual ambition

Yamal’s record has renewed attention on the award’s connection to Raymond Kopa, the Real Madrid great whose name it carries. The article argues that Yamal’s dominance could prompt the Ballon d’Or organizers to consider renaming the prize.

Yamal has also turned his attention toward the sport’s top individual recognition. Musiala, by comparison, has been nominated for the senior men’s Ballon d’Or once and received no voting points in 2023.