Pau Cubarsí has won the 2026 Golden Boy award after a remarkable season with Barcelona and the Spanish national team

Pau Cubarsí, the FC Barcelona defender, has won the 2026 Golden Boy award, presented by the Italian newspaper Tuttosport to the best Under-21 footballer of the year. The accolade comes two months before the Spanish international turns 20, following a season in which he impressed for both his club and the national team.

Cubarsí played an important role in Spain’s triumph at the 2026 World Cup, where he was named the tournament’s best young player. Spain conceded just one goal throughout the competition. At Barcelona, the defender was a mainstay of the defence during the season in which the Catalan side won its second consecutive La Liga title.

The award is decided by votes from journalists and can be won by footballers under the age of 21 who play in one of Europe’s top leagues. “I’m very proud to receive this award and I thank everyone who voted for me,” Cubarsí said in a video broadcast by Tuttosport.

The Spaniard is the first defender to receive the award since Matthijs de Ligt, who won in 2018, and only the second defender to be honoured since the trophy was established in 2003. Cubarsí follows his Barcelona teammates Lamine Yamal, Gavi and Pedri, who have been winners since 2021. The Golden Girl award went to Felicia Schroeder of Real Madrid and the Sweden national team.