Cubarsí claims 2026 Golden Boy by landslide as Barcelona reach five club winners

Pau Cubarsí has won the 2026 Golden Boy award with 475 of a possible 500 points, claiming the prize for Europe’s best under-21 player by one of the widest margins in its history. The 19-year-old Barcelona centre-back becomes only the second defender ever to win the award, succeeding PSG’s Désiré Doué, the 2025 winner.

The scale of the vote left no room for debate. No other candidate came close to the Barcelona defender, and Corriere dello Sport noted the rarity of a player in his position reaching the top of the poll.

Cubarsí’s win gives Barcelona a record five Golden Boy winners, moving the club two clear of Borussia Dortmund and Manchester United. He joins Lionel Messi, Pedri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal on that list. Four of those five victories have come in the last six years — Pedri in 2021, Gavi in 2022 and Lamine Yamal in 2024 — reflecting a consistent pipeline of young talent into the club’s first team.

The award caps a remarkable individual year for Cubarsí. He was a key figure in Barcelona’s La Liga and Super Cup triumphs, and started all eight of Spain’s matches as they won the World Cup, beating Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the final. FIFA named him its Young Player of the Tournament — the first defender to receive that honour — as Spain kept seven clean sheets and conceded just once across the competition. The Golden Boy arrives weeks after he narrowly missed out on the Kopa Trophy.

Cubarsí was not the only Barcelona figure recognised on the day. Joan Laporta received the Best President award, while Barça Femení B’s Giulia Galli won the Best Italian Golden Girl prize. Outside the club, the Best Agent award went to Jorge Mendes. The three prizes give Barcelona recognition across the boardroom, the men’s first team and the women’s game in a single announcement.

All prizes will be formally presented at a ceremony in Turin on 14 December.