Lamine Yamal Wins Best Young Player Award for Third Consecutive Season

Spanish player Lamine Yamal from Barcelona was awarded the Copa Best Young Player under 21 for the season at the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony, securing the honor for the third consecutive time. The competition included Yamal, his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsí, as well as players Jan Dyomande, Lennart Carl, and Zaïre Emry. Yamal expressed his happiness with the win but noted that Cubarsí also deserved the award, praising his teammate's consistent performance over the years. He stated, "It is an honor to be here. I wished Cubarsí was here too; he deserves the award as well and has been performing well for years. I am very happy, but I hoped the award would go to Cubarsí." This achievement further establishes Yamal as one of the most prominent young talents in football.