Yamal says Cubarsi should have received Kopa Trophy
The 19-year-old collected his third Kopa Trophy in London and placed third behind Harry Kane and Kylian Mbappe in the Ballon d'Or voting.
Lamine Yamal used his Kopa Trophy acceptance speech to argue that the award belonged to Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsi. Receiving the honor for a third time at London's Palladium, Yamal said the defender's performances merited the prize.
Yamal, 19, expressed gratitude to Barcelona and his national team and pledged to pursue more individual and collective honors. He also contested the main Ballon d'Or award, finishing behind winner Harry Kane and second-placed Kylian Mbappe.
Cubarsi's club season included 48 competitive appearances under Hansi Flick as Barcelona retained the Spanish Super Cup and league title. The 19-year-old was part of a defense that conceded 36 goals across 38 La Liga games in 2025-26, the league's second-best record.
At international level, Cubarsi played the entirety of Spain's successful World Cup campaign under Luis de la Fuente. Spain recorded seven clean sheets over eight games, while Cubarsi was named Young Player of the Tournament.
