Karim Benzema also placed Lamine Yamal at the top of his ranking for the 2026 Kopa Trophy. As revealed France Football in the details of the votes, the Ballon d’Or 2022 designated the FC Barcelona striker as its first choice, ahead of Pau Cubarsí and Ayyoub Bouaddi. A podium which testifies to the confidence placed by the former Madrilenian in the new generation, with two young talents from Barça and the Moroccan midfielder among his three favorites.
Benzema’s choice ultimately proved to be a winner as Lamine Yamal won the trophy for the third year in a row. The Spaniard finished ahead of teammate Pau Cubarsí and Warren Zaire-Emery, while Lennart Karl, Yan Diomandé, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Eli Junior Kroupi, Kerim Alajbegović, Ibrahim Maza and Johan Manzambi completed the rankings. At 19, the Barcelona player continues to write the history of this award reserved for players under 21.
