Kopa Trophy 2026: Yan Diomande leads African contenders as Yamal makes history

Home Home Latest News Latest News World Footaball World Footaball Ghana Players Abroad Ghana Players Abroad Ghana Premier League Ghana Premier League National Teams National Teams Videos Videos Black Stars Black Stars Transfer News & Rumours Transfer News & Rumours Kotoko Kotoko Hearts Of Oak Hearts Of Oak Kopa Trophy 2026: Yan Diomande leads African contenders as Yamal makes history 27 October 2026 Share this with Email Share this with Facebook Share this with Twitter Share this with Whatsapp Lamine Yamal became the first player to win the Kopa Trophy three times in a row as the final rankings for Ayyoub Bouaddi, Ibrahim Maza and Yan Diomande were announced at Monday’s Ballon d’Or ceremony in London.

The Spain and Barcelona forward claimed the award during the 70th ceremony, extending his run of success in the prize for the best player under 21 during the season.

Ivorian winger Yan Diomande was the highest-ranked of the three African nominees, finishing fifth. The 19-year-old holds the record for the most expensive African transfer after moving from Leipzig to Real Madrid last summer for 125 million euros, excluding bonuses.

Ayyoub Bouaddi was placed sixth. The midfielder, also 19, left Lille for Manchester City in a deal worth 95m euros. He has represented Morocco internationally since the end of May and impressed during the 2026 World Cup.

Ibrahim Maza completed the trio in ninth place. The 20-year-old attacking player is a key figure in the play of Bayer Leverkusen and the Algeria national team.

Maza’s position prompted surprise and confusion among Algerian observers, who felt the midfielder’s talent deserved a higher place in the standings.

The 2026 edition marked the first time three African players had been nominated for the Kopa Trophy.

Before this year, the continent had managed to place only one representative in the top 10. Amadou Haidara of Mali achieved that feat in 2018, followed by Nigeria’s Samuel Chukwueze in 2019.

Diomande’s fifth-place finish therefore made him the leading African player in a year when the continent had its strongest representation in the award’s history.

The Kopa Trophy recognises the best player aged under 21 during the season. Yamal’s victory also gave him an unprecedented third successive success in the competition.