Lamine Yamal clinched the Kopa Trophy, but the ceremony in Paris saw a notable absence from Real Madrid.
Reports emerged that Vinicius Junior, previously considered a top contender for the Ballon d’Or after his pivotal role in Real Madrid’s Champions League and La Liga successes, would miss out on the award to Manchester City’s Rodri.
In response, Real Madrid opted to boycott the event. Early rankings for the 30-man Ballon d’Or shortlist placed Cole Palmer at 25th, Bukayo Saka at 21st, Martin Odegaard highest among Arsenal players at 19th, and Phil Foden just shy of the top ten at 11th.
Lamine Yamal Wins Kopa Trophy Amid Real Madrid's Paris Boycott
