FC Barcelona’s younger star Vicky López has written her title into soccer historical past by profitable the first-ever Ladies’s Kopa Trophy on the 2025 Ballon d’Or awards in Paris, dedicating the award to her Late mom who’s of Nigerian origin.
The 18-year-old midfielder was honoured as the most effective U21 participant on the earth, turning into the primary feminine footballer to obtain the prize because it was launched by France Soccer.
On stage on the Théâtre du Châtelet, López gave an emotional speech, saying: “I dedicate this award to my mom, who’s defending me from heaven.” She additionally thanked Barcelona, including: “They’ve supported me and allowed me to compete for the most effective crew on the earth at simply 16 years previous.”
{The teenager} additionally praised the pioneers of ladies’s soccer: “Because of them I’m able to be receiving this award.”
Vicky López Serrano Felix was born on 26 July 2006 in Vallecas, Madrid, to a Spanish father, Jesús López Serrano Pérez, and a Nigerian mom, Pleasure Felix. Her mom, who as soon as ran a enterprise earlier than the 2008 monetary disaster, died from a mind tumour in 2018 when López was solely 11 years previous. Throughout her mom’s lengthy stays in hospital, Madrid CFF’s president and gamers usually helped take the younger footballer to and from coaching, as her father struggled to handle alone.
Since then, López has honoured her mom’s reminiscence by pointing to the sky at any time when she scores. She usually remembers her childhood taking part in soccer together with her older brother, beginning on the age of 4, and becoming a member of organised ladies’ groups the place she competed in opposition to gamers a lot older than her.
López joined Barcelona in 2022 from Madrid CFF and made historical past in the identical season because the youngest participant to look for the membership within the skilled period, at 16 years and 19 days. In 2024, she turned a everlasting member of the primary crew and final season made 37 appearances, scoring 9 objectives as Barça secured a home treble.
She additionally impressed in Europe, turning into the membership’s third-youngest goalscorer within the Champions League. In February 2024, she made her debut for Spain within the UEFA Nations League last victory over France and later performed within the European Championship last.
Already named Golden Lady in 2024 as the most effective younger participant in Europe, López has now added the Kopa Trophy to her rising record of achievements — dedicating it to the Nigerian mom who impressed her journey.
