France Football has revealed the shortlist of nominees for the Best Young Player in the World award for 2026, featuring a dual Arab presence with Morocco’s Ayyoub Bouaddi and Algeria’s Ibrahim Maza alongside Europe’s premier rising talents.
The award serves as the updated edition of the “Kopa Trophy,” launched by the French publication in 2018 to honor the world’s best young player and named after the late French legend Raymond Kopa, winner of the 1958 Ballon d’Or. Regulations for the 2026 edition require candidates to have been aged 21 or under on July 31.
The ten-man shortlist comprises Kerim Alajbegović (Bosnia and Herzegovina), Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco), Pau Cubarsí (Spain), Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast), Lennart Karl (Germany), Eli Junior Kroupi (France), Lamine Yamal (Spain), Johan Manzambi (Switzerland), Ibrahim Maza (Algeria), and Warren Zaïre-Emery (France).
Bouaddi enters the race for the second consecutive year, having featured among the 2025 nominees while representing France’s youth teams. The midfielder subsequently chose to represent Morocco, making a strong impact during the 2026 World Cup before completing a transfer from Lille to Manchester City that significantly raised expectations for his future.
Meanwhile, Maza makes the shortlist following a breakthrough season with Bayer Leverkusen, where he was voted the club’s Player of the Season for 2025–26 by fans. The Algerian international provides a strong second Arab contender on the back of his influential performances for his club and his participation with the Fennec Foxes at the World Cup.
Lamine Yamal remains the headline name on the list after winning back-to-back trophies in 2024 and 2025, becoming the first player to win the award twice. The Barcelona star targets an unprecedented third consecutive triumph, while his teammate Pau Cubarsí returns to contention after featuring in last year’s shortlist as well.
The field of contenders features several players who established themselves strongly over the season, led by Diomande, Bayern Munich wonderkid Lennart Karl, Bournemouth forward Eli Junior Kroupi, and Paris Saint-Germain star Warren Zaïre-Emery. Nominations for Alajbegović and Manzambi also highlight the expanding pool of talent emerging from European nations less frequently represented at the Ballon d’Or awards.
Candidates are evaluated on individual performance and decisive impact, collective achievements, and sportsmanship during the evaluation period running from August 3, 2025, to July 19, 2026, encompassing both the World Cup and the Africa Cup of Nations. The winner will be chosen by former Ballon d’Or winners scoring top choices with 5, 3, and 1 point, with the recipient set to be announced during the Ballon d’Or ceremony in London on October 26.
