Jude Bellingham, Rasmus Hojlund, Gavi, Pedri top nominees list for Kopa Trophy ahead of Ballon d'Or 2023

Jude Bellingham and Rasmus Hojlund top the list of nominees for the 2023 Kopa Trophy, while three Barcelona players are also in contention.

The annual prize – organised by France Football and handed out during the Ballon d’Or ceremony on October 30 – is awarded to the best-performing player in the world under the age of 21.

Bellingham, 20, is the favourite to scoop the prize, which is named after former Real Madrid player and Ballon d’Or winner Raymond Kopa.

Bellingham came to prominence at Borussia Dortmund - and with England - over the last few years, earning himself an £88.5m move to Real Madrid this summer.

The former Birmingham City midfielder has made a phenomenal start to life in the Spanish capital, scoring five goals in his first four appearances and netting a last-gasp winner on his home debut at the Bernabeu.

Manchester United’s summer signing Hojlund will also be hoping to take the prize, even if he is yet to feature prominently for his new club.

United parted with an initial sum of £64m to prise the 20-year-old Danish striker away from Atalanta, where he earned a reputation as a quick and powerful goalscorer.

Joining the duo on the shortlist are Barcelona trio Gavi, Pedri and Alejandro Balde.

Pedri, 20, has been the prince of European football for a couple of years now after breaking into the Barca first team at the age of 17.

The La Masia graduate won the award in 2021, and was followed by team-mate Gavi, 19, winning it last year. The diminutive Spanish midfielder narrowly beat Real Madrid’s Eduardo Camavinga and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala in the 2022 vote, and both will be looking to take top spot this year after enjoying successful seasons.

Another Barcelona academy talent has made the final shortlist, although Xavi Simons has not played his football in Catalonia for a while now.

The Dutch midfielder swapped Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain in 2019, and after impressing last season at PSV Eindhoven, has now made a great start to his loan spell at RB Leipzig.

Benfica defender Antonio Silva and RC Lens attacker Elye Wahi round out the nominees.

Voting will be undertaken by former Ballon d’Or winners and the winner announced during the Ballon d’Or 2023 ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 30.

World Cup winner and Aston Villa number one Emiliano Martinez leads the nominees for the 2023 Yashin Trophy, awarded to the world's best goalkeeper.

Martinez became a hero in his home country, saving Kingsley Coman's penalty in the shootout as Argentina went on to beat France to win the World Cup.

He is joined by three other Premier League stars, including Manchester City's treble winner Ederson, Manchester United's Champions League runner-up Andre Onana, and Arsenal's Aaron Ramsdale.

Ederson has twice come third for the prize, and will once again have to get the better of Real Madrid's Thibaut Courtois, who won the prize last year.

There was no space on the shortlist for Liverpool shotstopper Alisson, who won the first ever Yashin Trophy in 2019.

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