Barcelona centre-half Pau Cubarsi has won the 2026 Golden Boy award.
The 19-year-old has enjoyed an outstanding year for club and country after helping Barca win La Liga and then playing a key role as Spain clinched the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
The trophy is handed out to the best Under-21 player at a European club. Cubarsi is the fifth man from Barca to win it, following in the footsteps of Lionel Messi (2005), Pedri (2021), Gavi (2022) and Lamine Yamal (2024).
Yamal was not considered this year as previous winners are exempt.
Cubarsi will be awarded the trophy at a ceremony in Turin on December 14.
The 19-year-old started each of Spain's eight games at the World Cup and thrived alongside Aymeric Laporte at the centre of La Roja's defence. Luis de la Fuente's side conceded just one goal throughout the tournament – in the quarter-final win over Belgium.
He was subsequently given the FIFA Young Player Award for the outstanding talent at the tournament. He was the first defender to win the gong.
Who votes for the Golden Boy award?
It is selected by an international jury comprised of 50 journalists from the main European publications. They get to select from the 25 finalists that this year included the likes of Ayyoub Bouaddi, Warren Zaire-Emery, Yan Diomande and Luka Vuskovic.
