Ballon d’Or 2025: Yamal and Doue Lead List of Young Talents Nominated For Kopa Trophy

The 2025 Kopa Trophy nominees have been announced, featuring promising young talents in both men's and women's football. Lamine Yamal, Desire Doue, Michelle Agyemang, and Linda Caicedo are among the notable nominees vying for the prestigious award.

The nominees for the 2025 Kopa Trophy were revealed on Thursday, which includes some of the most promising young talents in football today. Among the men’s contenders are exciting names like Lamine Yamal and Desire Doue, who recently celebrated Champions League success.

On the women’s side, the list features rising stars such as Michelle Agyemang, who earned the Best Young Player award at the Women’s EURO 2025, alongside Linda Caicedo, known for her impactful performances.

The Kopa Trophy, named in honor of the legendary French football icon Raymond Kopa, recognizes the best young player of the year aged 21 or under, showcasing future stars poised to make their mark on the game.

Here’s a closer look at the 2025 nominees:

Men’s Nominees for the 2025 Kopa Trophy:

• Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona & Spain)
• Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille)
• Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain & France)
• Estevao Willian (Chelsea & Brazil)
• Dean Huijsen (Real Madrid & Spain)
• Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal & England)
• Rodrigo Mora (Porto & Portugal)
• Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain & Portugal)
• Lamine Yamal (Barcelona & Spain)
• Kenan Yildiz (Juventus & Turkey)

Women’s Nominees for the 2025 Kopa Trophy:

• Michelle Agyemang (Arsenal & England)
• Linda Caicedo (Real Madrid & Colombia)
• Wieke Kaptein (Chelsea & Netherlands)
• Claudia Martinez Ovando (Club Olimpia & Paraguay)
• Vicky Lopez (Barcelona & Spain)