Before handing out today’s main prize — the 2018 Ballon d’Or — France Football presented the first-ever awarding of the Kopa Trophy, the accolade given to the best performing player under the age of 21.
Named after 1958 Ballon d’Or winner Raymond Kopa, the Kopa Trophy has a unique selection process as it’s voted on by former Ballon d’Or winners. There was only going to be one winner in 2018, and that turned out to be the case on Monday: The award was given to 19-year-old PSG and France sensation Kylian Mbappé after he became the second teenager, after Pelé, to score in a World Cup final and finished as the joint second-highest goalscorer in Russia.
La réaction de Kylian Mbappé qui remporte le #KopaTrophy qui récompense le meilleur jeune https://t.co/bjJGR2lh2D pic.twitter.com/UQQw4uTtMv
— la chaine L'Équipe (@lachainelequipe) December 3, 2018
Congratulations Kylian Mbappé (@KMbappe), the first ever winner of the Kopa Trophy! #kopatrophy #ballondor pic.twitter.com/fI1TCkaEBQ
— #ballondor (@francefootball) December 3, 2018
From the vote, Mbappé finished with 110 points. In second place was Borussia Dortmund and United States winger Christian Pulisic, who garnered 31 points. In third was AS Roma and Netherlands attacker Justin Kluivert with 18 points.
2018 Kopa Trophy Voting
#1. Kylian Mbappe (110 points)
#2. Christian Pulisic (31)
#3. Justin Kluivert (18)
Tie #4. Rodrygo and Gianluigi Donnarumma (12)
#6. Trent Alexander-Arnold (6)
#7. Patrick Cutrone (5)
#8. Houssem Aouar (4)
Tie #9. Ritsu Doan and Amadou Haidara (0)
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