Pau Cubarsi wins the 2026 Golden Boy
FC Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi has been named the 2026 Golden Boy, an award for the best player under 21 in Europe, according to several media outlets.
Pau Cubarsi, FC Barcelona defender, has won the 2026 Golden Boy, the award for the best player under 21 in European football. The news is reported by several media outlets, including kicker, Gazeta Esportiva, A Spor, and Foot Mercato.
A remarkable season
The player was rewarded after a high-quality season in the colours of the Catalan club and with the Spanish national team, according to Gazeta Esportiva. The Brazilian outlet states that he has established himself as one of the leading young talents in European football. Foot Mercato highlights that this victory follows a "formidable season," capped by winning the World Cup. The player was indeed the big favourite for this vote, the French outlet notes.
An expected successor
Foot Mercato recalls that Pau Cubarsi succeeds Désiré Doué, who had won the Golden Boy the previous year. The French outlet gives no further details on the other contenders or the number of votes.
A crowning achievement for Barça
This distinction confirms Pau Cubarsi's growing standing among young European players, even though the sources do not specify his exact age or nationality. The player plays for FC Barcelona, as mentioned by A Spor and Gazeta Esportiva. No official reaction from the club or the player has been reported by the available sources.
