Juventus forward Kenan Yildiz is one of ten youngsters nominated for the 2025 edition of the Kepa Trophy.
This award is organised by France Football and is depicted as the youth equivalent of the famous Ballon d’Or award.
The Kepa Trophy was launched in 2018, with Kylian Mbappe emerging as the winner of the inaugural edition. The Frenchman was succeeded by former Juventus defender Matthijs de Ligt in 2019, while the following editions were won by Pedri, Gavi and Jude Bellingham, respectively.
Lamine Yamal looking to win his second Kepa Trophy in a row
Yildiz after scoring Juve third goal against Wydad
(Photo by Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Last year, Barcelona wonderkid Lamine Yamal tourched the competition to claim the award after guiding Spain towards Euro 2024 glory.
This year, Yamal appears to be in prime position to claim his second trophy in a row, even though the competition looks stronger this time.
On Thursday, the organisers unveiled the 10-man shortlist, which includes Yildiz, even though the Turk’s chances appear slim, especially following Juve’s underwhelming campaign. The 20-year-old still contributed with 12 goals and nine assists across all competitions.
Here are our 2025 Kopa Trophy nominees! #ballondor pic.twitter.com/N9SqGPrhmH
— Ballon d'Or (@ballondor) August 7, 2025
Moreover, the list of nominees includes two Paris Saint-Germain stars in Desiré Doué and Ruben Neves. The young duo played an instrumental role in the club’s historic campaign, so they could be genuine contenders to win the Kopa Trophy.
Dean Huijsen joins his friend Kenan Yildiz on the shortlist
Former Juventus defender Dean Huijsen also made the cut thanks to a sensational campaign at Bournemouth, which earned him a transfer to Real Madrid.
The list also included Brazilian wonderkid Estevao who has recently joined Chelsea, as well as Arsenal full-back Myles Lewis-Skelly who enjoyed a major breakthrough last season.
Finally, the list is completed by Porto’s sensational attacking midfielder Rodrigo Mora and LOSC Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi.
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Michel Sakr
Michel is a football journalist based in Beirut who has been a die-hard Juventus supporter since 1996. He is a Law graduate and a member of the Beirut Bar Association. In addition to writing for Juve FC, he is also the Head Writer for The Laziali and a Featured Writer on other websites including Stretty News, and The Cult of Calcio.