Check out the 10 nominees for the ‘France Football’ Kopa Trophy for the best young player in the world in the 2022/23 season.
Since 2018, the Kopa Trophy has been an annual award presented by ‘France Football’ magazine, like the Ballon d’Or, to the best player under the age of 21.
As for the rules, the winner is decided by a grand jury made up exclusively of Ballon d’Or winners. The list of ten nominees was drawn up by the editorial team at France Football, members of the editorial team at ‘L’Equipe’, the best jury member from the previous edition and Ballon d’Or ambassador Didier Drogba.
To be nominated, a player must have played more than half of his club’s matches during the season and be under 21 on 31st July.
In the 2021/22 season, it was Barca’s Gavi who won this title, succeeding his team-mate Pedri, the winner in 2021. This year, the two ‘Cules’ players are still in the race to win the title of best young player in the world for the 2022/23 season.
Among the favourites are French runner-up Eduardo Camavinga, his Real Madrid team-mate Jude Bellingham and rising Bayern Munich star Jamal Musiala.
The 10 nominees for the ‘France Football’ Kopa Trophy for the best young player of the 22/23 season:
Jude Bellingham (ENG/Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid)
Alejandro Balde (SPA/FC Barcelona)
Eduardo Camavinga (FRA/Real Madrid)
Gavi (SPA/FC Barcelone)
Rasmus Hojlund (DEN/Atalanta – Manchester United)
Jamal Musiala (GER/Bayern Munich)
Pedri (SPA/FC Barcelona)
Antonio Silva (POR/Benfica)
Xavi Simons (NETH/ PSV – RB Leipzig)
Elye Wahi (FRA/Montpellier – RC Lens)