Lamine Yamal and Vicky López win the Kopa Trophy as the best footballers under 21 years old

Paris.(EFE) — Spanish football shone again at the Ballon d’Or 2025 gala, held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, with the consecration of Lamine Yamal and Vicky López as the best footballers under 21 years of age, upon receiving the Kopa Trophy.

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The FC Barcelona striker, Lamine Yamal, barely 18 years old, won the award for the second consecutive year, presented by the former French defender Raphael Varane. The young culé star was a key player in the conquest of LaLiga EA Sports, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup, as well as signing outstanding performances with the Spanish national team of Luis de la Fuente. “Thank you very much for the award, it’s an honor to be here again. I will continue working to achieve more successes,” said Yamal after receiving the distinction.

For her part, Vicky López, 19 years old, made history by becoming the first female winner of the Kopa Trophy, established in 2025 in the women’s category. The Barcelona forward was decisive in the successful season of Barcelona, which won the Liga F, the Copa de la Reina and the Supercopa de España, as well as reaching the final of the Champions League.

Visibly moved, she dedicated the award to her deceased mother: “I dedicate this award to my mother, who is watching over me from heaven. Also to my training club, Madrid CFF, to the Spanish national team and to Barcelona, who allowed me to compete in the elite from the age of 16. I promise to keep working with humility.” With their victories, Yamal and López reinforce the hegemony of Spanish football in the youth field and ratify Barcelona as one of the most prolific youth academies in the world.