Barcelona’s famed La Masia academy is once again at the forefront of world football, with two of its brightest products nominated for the prestigious 2025 Kopa Trophy. Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsi have both been selected for nominations in the prestige award for the best young football last year, with Yamal winning the previous edition of the award.
Lamine Yamal has had another sensational season and is one of the favourites and will become the first player to win the Kopa Trophy twice should he do it. The 18-year-old winger was a key figure in Barcelona's domestic treble win under coach Hansi Flick, showing his individual brilliance throughout the season, as he contributed 18 goals and 25 assists in 55 appearances across all competitions. His consistent performances and record-breaking feats have firmly established him as one of the most exciting attacking talents in the world.
He’s also in contention for the evening’s main prize, the Ballon d’Or. While he’ll face stiff competition from Ousmane Dembélé and Raphinha, even if he misses out on the top award, he’ll be confident in his chances of continuing his dominance in the Kopa Trophy category.
Here are our 2025 Kopa Trophy nominees! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/D6XpLQdj0o
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) August 7, 2025
Joining him on the shortlist is fellow 18-year-old Pau Cubarsí, who impressed consistently in both La Liga and Champions League fixtures last season. His nomination could be seen as a rare choice given that attackers normally get more recognition, however it is well-deserved and recognition of defensive excellence. Known for his composure, tactical intelligence, and ability to play out from the back, Cubarsí has drawn widespread praise, earning comparisons to seasoned professionals, most notably Barcelona legend Gerard Piqué. His standout performances have not only secured him a regular spot in the starting XI but also prompted the club to commit him to a long-term contract with a significant release clause, underscoring his importance to Barça’s future.
The nominations for Yamal and Cubarsí highlight Barcelona's continued success in producing elite young players and reinforce the club's philosophy of building from within. With these two talents leading the charge, the Blaugrana faithful have every reason to be optimistic about the years to come.
The other nominees for the trophy are Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille), Desire Doue (Paris Saint-Germain), Estevao (Palmeiras/Chelsea), Dean Huijsen (Bournemouth/Real Madrid), Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal), Rodrigo Mora (Porto), Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain) and Kenan Yildiz (Juventus).