According to Ole, Lionel Messi selected Lamine Yamal as his first choice for the Kopa Trophy, with Barcelona team-mate Pau Cubarsi second and Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Ibrahim Maza third.
The award, presented to the best player under the age of 21, was decided as part of the Ballon d’Or voting. Messi did not attend the ceremony in London and finished fifth in the Ballon d’Or rankings, but he took part in the vote for the Kopa Trophy.
Yamal eventually won the prize, confirming Messi’s preferred choice. Cubarsi was the Argentine’s second selection, meaning Messi again backed the two Barcelona youngsters in the same order. He had also supported both players in last year’s voting.
The unexpected element was Messi’s third vote. He opted for Maza, a decision that attracted attention because the Bayer Leverkusen player was the only candidate to receive a vote from Messi.
Maza is regarded as one of the most promising young players in German football. The 20-year-old was particularly pleased by the recognition, celebrating Messi’s support on social media and highlighting the fact that he had received a vote from the former Argentina captain.
A total of 26 Ballon d’Or winners took part in this year’s Kopa Trophy voting. Despite receiving only one vote overall, Maza viewed Messi’s recognition as being comparable to winning the award itself.
Messi and Maza had already met
Messi had seen Maza in action before the voting process. The pair faced one another at the 2026 World Cup, where Maza was a regular starter for the Algeria national team.
Their meeting came in the opening round of the group stage, when Argentina defeated Algeria 3-0. Messi scored a hat-trick in the match, while he and Maza shared the pitch for 80 minutes before both were substituted.
After the game, Maza posted a photograph on social media showing himself carrying the ball forward as Messi watched from the side. The encounter gave the young midfielder an opportunity to play against one of the most celebrated players in football.
Messi’s decision to include Maza among his three Kopa Trophy selections therefore came after having faced him directly at international level. Although the Algerian received no further votes, his single endorsement from Messi provided a significant personal distinction.
