At the Ballon d’Or ceremony, the evening opened with the presentation of the Kopa Trophy, which recognizes the best young player of the season. The award is open to players up to 21 years old, and Lamine Yamal once again claimed it at just 18.

This naturally raised the question of whether he could also win the Ballon d’Or on the same night. The answer is yes. Receiving the Kopa Trophy does not prevent a player from also claiming the Ballon d’Or—he would only miss out if he falls short in the voting.

An additional fact is that Yamal became the first young player in history to achieve a back-to-back win of the Kopa Trophy, surpassing other top talents like Joao Neves, Desire Doue, and his teammate Pau Cubarsi.

His performances for Spain further highlighted his rise. Having already helped

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