Current holder Gavi and Real Madrid superstar Jude Bellingham are among the nominees for the 2023 Kopa Trophy, which seeks to recognize the best under-21 young player of the year as part of the annual Ballon d’Or ceremony.
Gavi is one of three Barcelona players nominated for the award, with full-back Alejandro Balde and 2021 winner Pedri also receiving nods for helping Barca to their first La Liga title in four years.
The favorite for the prize will likely come from the other side of the Clasico. England international Bellingham, who signed for a whopping £85m plus add-ons in the summer after a fantastic campaign at Borussia Dortmund, has come into his own at Real Madrid – scoring a ridiculous five goals in his first four La Liga appearances.
The midfielder is now widely regarded as not just one of the best young players in the world, but one of the best footballers in the world.
Bellingham is joined in the nominations for the award by fellow Madrid midfielder Eduardo Camavinga, with the other nominees coming from four different European leagues.
Rasmus Hojlund, a recent £64m first-time signing from Manchester United’s Atalanta, is the only Premier League representative on the shortlist, while Lens’ Elye Wahi represents Ligue 1, talented defender Antonio Silva represents Benfica and the Primeira Liga and Xavi Simons – on loan in Paris Saint-Germain’s RB Leipzig – and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala are the Bundesliga contingent who have been nominated.
Kopa Tophy 2023 nominees
- Jude Bellingham – Borussia Dortmund/Real Madrid
- Alejandro Balde – Barcelona
- Eduardo Camavinga – Real Madrid
- Gavi – Barcelona
- Rasmus Hojlund – Atalanta/Manchester United
- Jamal Musiala – Bayern Munich
- Pedri – Barcelona
- Xavi Simons – PSV Eindhoven/RB Leipzig
- Antonio Silva – Benfica
- Elye Wahi – Montpellier/Lens
When is the Kopa Trophy 2023 winner announced?
The Kopa Trophy will be awarded to the best young player in Europe on 30 October at an award ceremony at Theatre du Chatelet in Paris, France.