Jude Bellingham wins Kopa Trophy at Ballon d'Or

Jude Bellingham's meteoric rise continued as he was awarded the Kopa Trophy for the best under-21 player in the world game.

The Real Madrid and England midfielder lifted the trophy at the Ballon d'Or event in France, where the 20-year-old finished 18th for the main prize.

Bellingham has scored 13 goals in 13 games since arriving from Madrid in the summer, including a brace to lead Real to victory in their first El Clasico against Barcelona on Saturday.

The Kopa Trophy was awarded for his form last season, when Bellingham helped Borussia Dortmund finish second in the Bundesliga and played for England at the World Cup in Qatar. "I want to thank everyone who helped me get here - from Birmingham to Dortmund and now Real Madrid and the national team," he said.
"Thank you for your support, it means a lot - and a lot more to come.

Former winners Gavi and Pedri - both from Barcelona - are in the top five, as is Bellingham's Real Madrid team-mate Eduardo Camavinga. Bayern Munich's Jamal Musiala came second, having been at home with Bellingham during their time in the England youth team.

Bellingham finished second in 2021, with Manchester United's Jadon Sancho the only other Englishman to finish in the top three, taking second place in 2019 at Dortmund.