Manchester United striker Rasmus Hojlund has been nominated for the 2023 Kopa Trophy, an award for the best under-21 footballer on the planet.
Andre Onana made the 30-man Ballon d’Or nomination list following his sensational form for Inter Milan.
The duo joined the Red Devils this summer and were nominated for the awards due to their performances in 2022-23.
Hojlund was at Atalanta last term, ending the season with ten goals in 34 games across all competitions.
The 20-year-old is also the current joint highest goalscorer in the ongoing 2024 European Championship qualifiers with six goals and has deservedly earned his place in the Kopa Trophy list alongside nine other youngsters.
The Man United striker has been nominated alongside Barcelona trio Alejandro Balde, Gavi and Pedri, Real Madrid duo Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga, RB Leipzig attacker Xavi Simons, Benfica’s Antonio Silva, RC Lens’ Elye Wahi and Bayern Munich’s Jamal Musiala.
Onana reached the final of the Champions League with Inter last term and was a key player for the Serie A giants.
The Cameroonian has been nominated alongside Arsenal duo Bukayo Saka and Martin Odegaard, Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah, Aston Villa’s Emiliano Martinez and Manchester City’s Josko Gvardiol, Julian Alvarez, Erling Braut Haaland, Ruben Dias, Bernardo Silva, Kevin De Bruyne and Rodri in the Premier League.
Serie A is represented by Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Victor Osimhen and Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella and Lautaro Martinez, while Bayern Munich’s Musiala, Kim Min-jae and Harry Kane have been nominated from the Bundesliga.
The Ligue 1 is represented by Paris Saint-Germain’s Randal Kolo Muani and Kylian Mbappe, while Madrid’s Vinicius Junior, Bellingham and Luka Modric, Barcelona’s Ilkay Gundogan and Robert Lewandowski and Atletico Madrid’s Antoine Griezmann have been nominated from the La Liga.
Current holder and Al-Ittihad’s Karim Benzema, Al Hilal’s Yassine Bounou and seven-time winner and Inter Miami’s Lionel Messi also made the list having just left Europe during the summer transfer window.
The awards will take place on October 30 in Paris, with Messi, De Bruyne and Halaand favourites to make the top three, and it will be interesting to see how high Onana finishes in the top 30.
