Messi casts sole vote for Algerian Maza in Kopa Trophy race

Lionel Messi ranked Algerian Ibrahim Maza third in his Kopa Trophy ballot, becoming the only voter to include the Bayer Leverkusen player.

• Barcelona's Lamine Yamal won the Kopa Trophy for best player under 21 at the Ballon d'Or ceremony in London on Tuesday.
• L'Équipe reported Messi placed Yamal first, Pau Cubarsi second, and Maza third in his three-player ballot.
• Maza finished ninth in the final ranking with one point, the only vote cast for him.
• Maza became the first Algerian to reach the Kopa Trophy top 10 after scoring five goals and assisting seven in 44 Leverkusen matches.