Mainoo Yamal Garnacho GFXGetty/GOAL

Kopa Trophy 2024: Lamine Yamal, Kobbie Mainoo and Alejandro Garnacho lead nominees for Ballon d'Or's best young player award

It's not just the men's and women's Golden Balls that will be handed out the Ballon d'Or ceremony, as a swathe of new prizes have been added to the roster by co-organisers France Football and UEFA in recent times. One of those is the Kopa Trophy, which is awarded to the best player under the age of 21 from the previous season.

The 2023-24 campaign saw a number of youngsters thrive at the highest level, with some of the defining moments of the year provided by players who are only just making their way in the game.

Previous winners of the Kopa Trophy include Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham, Pedri and Gavi, and with the award voted for by previous Ballon d'Or winners, it is regarded as one the biggest any young player can win.

Article continues below

We will have to wait until the ceremony in Paris on Monday, October 28 to find out who will walk away with the 2024 prize. But for now, here is the shortlist of nominees: