The best soccer player under the age of 21 will leave the Ballon d'Or ceremony with the 2024 Kopa Trophy.
Much of the conversation surrounding the Ballon d'Or awards centers around the male and female winners who take home the sport's highest individual honor, but there are several more trophies that celebrate the talented players, clubs and managers dominating soccer across the globe.
The Kopa Trophy, in particular, highlights the ten most talented soccer players of the next generation. Previous winners, including Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappé, have gone on to grow into the best players in world.
Let's take a look at the 10 nominees, including the top three favorites.
Ranking Kopa Trophy 2024 Nominees
10. Mathys Tel (France, Bayern Munich)
Despite coming off the bench for most of Bayern Munich's 2023–24 season, Mathys Tel still made his presence felt. The Frenchman registered 10 goals and six assists across all competitions and likely could have snagged more if Harry Kane did not join the team.
He would go on to captain France at the Euro U-19 Championship Qualifiers.
9. Karim Konaté (Ivory Coast, Salzburg)
Karim Konaté put the world on notice with his performances for RB Salzburg last season. The 20-year-old scored 22 goals across all competitions and tallied eight assists, putting him on the radar of clubs like AS Roma over the summer.
His efforts were not enough to get his club to the top of the Austrian Bundesliga, though; the reigning champions finished the year two points behind SK Sturm Graz.
8. João Neves (Portugal, Benfica / Paris Saint-Germain)
João Neves proved his worth in the midfield with Benfica last year. The Portugal international played every minute of the club's 2023–24 Champions League and Europa League campaigns, and earned a move to Paris Saint-Germain.
The 19-year-old is elevating his game in Paris; he already has four assists in three appearances this season.
7. Alejandro Garnacho (Argentina, Manchester United)
Alejandro Garnacho has a quality in the final third uncommon for someone so young. From his overhead kick against Everton to his opening goal in the FA Cup final, the Argentine can produce highlight reel moments when put in the right positions.
He would be more of a favorite for this year's Kopa Trophy if he found consistent playing time for Argentina at Copa América. He only made one appearance for Lionel Scaloni's side during its successful title defense.
6. Warren Zaïre-Emery (France, Paris Saint-Germain)
Warren Zaïre-Emery is already a household name in Paris. The 18-year-old's consistency and skill was on full display for PSG when he recorded three goals and seven assists across all competitions last year. He ended the 2023–24 season celebrating a domestic treble with the French giants.
He was a member of France's Euro 2024 squad, but he remained on the bench the entire tournament.
5. Pau Cubarsí (Spain, Barcelona)
Pau Cubarsí is one of the best young defenders in the world. At 17 years old, the Spaniard helped his country take home the gold medal at the Paris Olympics.
Cubarsí is so good that he already is starting for Hansi Flick at Barcelona and could have a breakout year similar to Lamine Yamal's 2023–24 season for the Catalans.
4. Savinho (Brazil, Girona / Manchester City)
Savinho helped lead Girona to its best finish in La Liga history last season. The Brazilian finished the year with nine goals and 10 assists, earning himself a spot on Manchester City.
The 20-year-old also found the back of the net for his country at this summer's Copa América and often looked like the Selecao's best player despite his limited minutes.
3. Arda Güler (Turkey, Real Madrid)
Arda Güler's talent landed him at Real Madrid where he scored six goals in just 10 appearances last season. The 19-year-old also became the first Turkish player to win the Champions League.
Güler also shined at Euro 2024, registering two assists and one brilliant goal that was the perfect example of what the teenager is capable of with time and space.
2. Kobbie Mainoo (England, Manchester United)
Kobbie Mainoo might not have as much silverware as his competition, but he is coming off a whirlwind year that saw him break into Manchester United and England's starting XI.
The 19-year-old's ability to cleanly win possession and a majority of his duels is the tell-tale sign of any strong defensive midfielder, and he will only get better with age. Plus, Mainoo's winner in the FA Cup final proved he is more than capable of finding gaps and pushing forward to get on the scoresheet.
1. Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)
Lamine Yamal is the favorite to take home the 2024 Kopa Trophy. Just two months ago, the 17-year-old won the Young Player of the Tournament award for his contributions to Spain's winning campaign at Euro 2024; Yamal recorded four assists in seven matches and scored La Roja's opener in the semifinals.
Yamal is the only Kopa Trophy nominee also nominated for the Ballon d'Or, which speaks for itself.
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Ranking the Kopa Trophy 2024 Nominees.
