Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí won the 2026 Golden Boy award — recognizing him as the top men’s under-21 player in the world.
Cubarsí, 19, is the first defender to win the award since Matthijs de Ligt claimed it in 2018. He is the fourth Barcelona player to receive the honor in the past six years, after Pedri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal.
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The Golden Boy award is run by Italian sports newspaper Tuttosport. A panel of journalists from 22 European countries selects the winner from an original list of 100 nominees.
Cubarsí earned the award for standout performances with club and country. He played a central role as Spain won the World Cup last summer in North America, where he was named Young Player of the Tournament after helping the national team allow just one goal in eight matches.
He also made 31 La Liga appearances for Barcelona this season, anchoring the defense as the club captured its second straight league title under manager Hansi Flick.
Cubarsí finished 12th in the 2026 Ballon d’Or voting — the highest placement among all defenders.
