While the final list for the Golden Ball will be announced on the evening of Monday, October 8, 2018, the list for the Kopa trophy, which will be awarded on December 3 to the best young person under 21, was announced on Monday by France Football. While Kylian Mbappe is the big favourite in the race for this new award, one African player is among the ten nominated. He is the academician of the JMG Academy in Bamako, playing midfield at Red Bull Salzburg, Amadou Haidara (20), Austrian champion and unfortunate semi-finalist of the Europa League against OM.
THE LIST OF THE 10 NOMINEES FOR THE 2018 KOPA TROPHY
- Trente Alexander-Arnold (England/Liverpool)
- Houssem Aouar (France/Lyon)
- Patrick Cutrone (Italy/AC Milan)
- Ritsu Doan (Japan/FC Groningue)
- Gianluigi Donnarumma (Italy/AC Milan)
- Amadou Haidara (Mali/Red Bull Salzbourg)
- Justin Kluivert (Netherlands/Ajax Amsterdam puis AS Rome)
- Kylian Mbappé (France/PSG)
- Christian Pulisic (United States/Borussia Dortmund)
- Rodrygo (Brazil/Santos FC)
