Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi has been named the winner of the 2026 Golden Boy award, capping a remarkable year in which he won La Liga with his club and the World Cup with Spain.
The 19-year-old centre-back was the overwhelming favourite for the prize, which is awarded by Italian newspaper Tuttosport to the best under-21 player in Europe . He finished ahead of a 25-man shortlist that included his Barcelona teammates Xavi Espart and Marc Bernal, as well as Ayyoub Bouaddi, Lennart Karl, Junior Kroupi and Yan Diomande .
Cubarsi succeeds Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue, who won in 2025, and joins an exclusive group of Barcelona winners that includes Lionel Messi (2005), Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022) and Lamine Yamal (2024) .
Cubarsi’s 2026 was defined by success at both club and international level. He anchored Barcelona’s defence as they retained the La Liga title, and he did not miss a single minute on Spain’s path to World Cup glory in the USA, Mexico and Canada .
At the World Cup, he was named the tournament’s best young player, forming a solid partnership with Aymeric Laporte at the heart of Spain’s defence . His performances included a standout display in the final against Argentina, where he completed more than 100 passes and produced a crucial late clearance to deny Marcos Senesi an equaliser .
“I’m very proud to receive the award and I thank all the people that voted for me,” Cubarsi said in a video broadcast by Tuttosport. “It’s been a spectacular year and we’re going for more” .
Cubarsi is only the second defender to win the Golden Boy award since its inception in 2003, following Matthijs de Ligt in 2018 . Every other winner has been a midfielder or forward, with Cristiano Ronaldo notably never having won it .
“It’s harder for defenders to get recognition,” Cubarsi acknowledged .
His market value reflects his rise: following the World Cup, his valuation rose from €80 million to €100 million, making him the world’s most valuable defender alongside Arsenal’s William Saliba.
Cubarsi’s composure on the ball and reading of the game have drawn comparisons to Gerard Pique, but his background is far removed from the glamour of Camp Nou .
He grew up in Estanyol, a tiny rural Catalan village with a population of 195, in a family of carpenters. For an end-of-school project at 17, he made his own wooden stool, continuing a family tradition .
He joined Barcelona’s La Masia academy at 11 and made his senior debut on January 18, 2024, in a Copa del Rey match against Unionistas de Salamanca, just days before turning 17 . Since then, he has made 141 appearances for Barcelona and 23 for Spain .
Cubarsi will receive the Golden Boy trophy at the official gala on December 14 in Turin . He is expected to continue as a key figure for both Barcelona and Spain as they prepare for the 2027 season and beyond.
His Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal, who won the award in 2024 and was ineligible to repeat, had publicly backed Cubarsi for the prize. “This award had to be for him,” Yamal said after receiving his third Kopa Trophy at the Ballon d’Or ceremony .
Cubarsi’s victory also means Spain now has six Golden Boy winners, more than any other country, following Cesc Fabregas, Isco, Pedri, Gavi and Yamal .
