Pau Cubarsí Leads the Golden Boy 2026 Race
Pau Cubarsí is the clear favourite to be named Golden Boy 2026, the award Italian newspaper Tuttosport hands to the best under-21 footballer in European football. According to Mundo Deportivo, the latest update to the shortlist has the 19-year-old Barcelona centre-back out in front, capping a breakthrough year in which he also collected the FIFA Young Player Award at the World Cup.
Why Pau Cubarsí tops the shortlist
Cubarsí leads the provisional standings ahead of club-mate Lamine Yamal, the 2024 winner, with Real Madrid’s new signing Yan Diomande, 19, completing the podium. France’s Warren Zaire-Emery, 20, and Morocco’s Ayoub Bouaddi, 18, round out the top five.
Win it and Cubarsí would become the fifth Barça player to lift the Golden Boy, following Lionel Messi in 2005, Pedri in 2021, Gavi in 2022 and Yamal in 2024 — a run that says as much about La Masia’s production line as it does about any one player.
The one wrinkle is the public vote. While the experts point towards Cubarsí, supporters casting ballots on Tuttosport’s website currently prefer Juventus’ new Bosnian arrival Kerim Alajbegovic, 18, who holds 48.3 per cent to the defender’s 41.2 per cent.
It is a good problem for the Blaugrana to have. Cubarsí has gone from La Masia prospect to first-choice centre-back and Spain international in the space of two seasons, and he starts the first full campaign back at the Spotify Camp Nou as one of the most coveted young defenders in the game.
