Fans think star was robbed of the Kopa Trophy by Barcelona's Gavi

Gavi was named as the best young player in world football, picking up the Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d'Or award ceremony, but fans think one player was hard done by.

The Ballon d'Or trophy was being given out earlier than usual on Monday night, after France Football changed the award from a calendar year to seasonal.

Whilst Karim Benzema was the outright favourite by a long way for the main award, it wasn't until an early leak that any one could guess who would win the young player version.

At the ceremony in France, it was announced that Barca teenager Gavi had beaten the rest of the teenage candidates to the trophy, with Eduardo Camavinga and Jamal Musiala making up the top three.

It was the second year in-a-row that a Barcelona midfielder had won the award, after Pedri collected the 2021 version, but fans were less than impressed at the awarding.

England and Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham was down in fourth place on the list, one of two Three Lions stars, and fans felt he should have won.

After a season in which the former Birmingham City youngster had grabbed the attention of all the biggest clubs, those on social media felt he'd been robbed.

"How is Jude Bellingham not even in the top three for the Kopa Trophy?" CBS journalist Ben Jacobs asked his followers on Twitter.

"How did Gavi win it ahead of Musiala or Bellingham? Thought they both deserved it more," a second journalist, Rayane Moussallem pondered.

A fan backed that same sentiment, adding, "Gavi winning that award ahead of Musiala and Bellingham is the joke of the century."

One Dortmund supporter said, "Bellingham has been robbed two years in a row, in what way shape or form is Gavi better at than Jude Bellingham."

"Gavi can have the boardroom but Jude Bellingham has the streets son, real ones know," another fan said, buying into the sentiment of several that Gavi's win was some sort of Barcelona propaganda.

Another asked, "Agree folks? If Bellingham played for Barcelona and Gavi for Dortmund, would Bellingham have won tonight?" further playing into that narrative.

And a final fan summed up everyone's feelings, posting, "Gavi winning golden boy over Jude Bellingham might be the craziest corruption I’ve ever seen In my life!"

Bellingham has been having a hell of a season so far in this campaign, and became just the second teenager to score in the opening three games of a Champions League group.

He was very amused, and slightly annoyed, to find his former teammate, and good friend, Erling Haaland had typically done it before him.

There is expected to be a huge demand for the England midfielder next summer, with Real Madrid, Liverpool, Chelsea, Manchester City and Manchester United amongst those linked with him.

Featured Image Credit: Ballon d'Or/Alamy

Topics: Ballon d'Or, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, Gavi, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala

Ryan Sidle

Ryan is a journalist for SPORTbible with over eight years of experience. Passionate about all sports, he mainly covers football and F1 - Daniel Ricciardo once spent an entire interview referring to him as 'Ryan Gosling,' still his proudest moment.

@Sidler28