Juventus defender Matthijs De Ligt wins Kopa Trophy as the best U21 player of 2019.
Awarded to the best player in the world under the age of 21, De Ligt collected the prize at the Theatre du Chatelet, Paris, as part of France Football's annual ceremony
De Ligt has enjoyed a spectacular year, captaining Ajax through a remarkable 2018-19 that saw them win the KNVB Cup and Eredivisie
He also played an integral role in the club's run to the Champions League semi-finals, defeating Real Madrid and Juventus, before coming unstuck against Tottenham Hotspur.
The Dutchman was then in brilliant form for his country at the UEFA Nations League, solidifying himself as one of the world's best defenders despite losing the final to Portugal.
Last year’s inaugural winner Kylian Mbappé hands over the trophy to the Juventus defender.
Jadon Sancho finishes runner-up, and João Félix comes in third.
The Kopa Trophy rewards the best hopeful player under the age of twenty-one on December 31st of the calendar year.
The award is named after former French footballer Raymond Kopa, who was one of the greatest French footballers.
The winner is selected by former Ballon d'Or winners. Unlike the Golden Boy award, the Kopa Trophy is also open to those who play outside of Europe.