Kopa Trophy 2025 list of nominees for world's best young soccer star at Ballon d'Or awards gala

France Football will announce the nominees for the 2025 Ballon d'Or on Thursday, August 7.

Players in contention for the Kopa Trophy have also been named. The shortlist recognises the outstanding young footballers in the world.

At September's Ballon d'Or gala in Paris, the latest Kopa Trophy winners will also lift their prize, following in the footsteps of Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and more. For the first time, a women's Kopa award will also be presented.

Lamine Yamal scooped the prize last year after his outstanding performances for Spain at Euro 2024. Like Mbappe and Bellingham, the Barcelona winger now has designs on the big prize, but he can also defend his Kopa title.

MORE: List of nominees for 2025 Ballon d'Or | Yashin Trophy nominees | Cruyff Trophy contenders

What is the Kopa Trophy?

The Kopa Trophy is an annual prize given to the best male soccer player in the world under the age of 21, as determined by the Ballon d'Or jury voting system. In 2025, an award for the best young female player will be given for the first time.

The trophy can be won by a player outside Europe, which makes it different to the Golden Boy prize, which can only be won by a male footballer in UEFA's league system.

The award is named after Raymond Kopa, the former Real Madrid and France star who won the Ballon d'Or in 1958.

Kopa Trophy nominees 2025

France Football has now confirmed the final shortlists. There are 10 candidates for the men's award and five for the women's.

List of nominees for 2025 Men's Kopa Trophy

List of nominees for 2025 Women's Kopa Trophy

Kopa Trophy past winners

Kylian Mbappe won the inaugural Kopa Trophy in 2018 after winning the World Cup with France. Barcelona star Lamine Yamal won the 2024 award.