The 2023 Kopa Trophy has been awarded to Jude Bellingham, the talented midfielder from England and Real Madrid.
Defeating his competition, Jamal Musialato, a former England youth team-mate who currently plays for Bayern Munich, the 20-year-old right-footer claimed the prestigious honor.
As a recognition for the best young player under 21 years of age, Bellingham becomes the first English player to receive this accolade since its establishment in 2018.
His exceptional performance at Real Madrid, as well as on the international stage, has earned him this young player award.
In 2023, Bellingham sealed a remarkable deal worth £115m, setting a record for the highest transfer fee paid for a British player. So far, he has scored 13 goals in 13 appearances across all competitions for the club.
The extent of his remarkable form was evident when he netted both goals during his team’s victory over arch-rival club Barcelona on Sunday.
Prior recipients of the Kopa Trophy include Kylian Mbappe from Paris Saint-Germain (2018), Matthijs de Ligt from Bayern Munich (2019), and the Barcelona duo of Pedri (2021) and Gavi (2022).