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Pau Cubarsi Tops 2026 Golden Boy Shortlist as Barcelona's Rising Star
Amir Azimi
Daily News

Pau Cubarsi Tops 2026 Golden Boy Shortlist as Barcelona's Rising Star

Pau Cubarsi Emerges as Front-runner for 2026 Golden Boy Award

Barcelona's young defender Pau Cubarsi has taken the lead in the race for the 2026 Golden Boy award, joining a select group of 25 promising talents from Europe's biggest clubs. The 19-year-old center-back has impressed fans and critics alike after a remarkable year with both his club and Spain's national team.

Cubarsi Headlines an Elite Group of Finalists

Cubarsi has become the talk of the football world as he stands out as the favorite to win the prestigious Golden Boy trophy, following his crucial role in Barcelona's defense and Spain's recent World Cup triumph. Already named the best young player at the 2026 World Cup, many expect him to secure the award given by Tuttosport, which honors the best Under-21 players competing in Europe.

The award's selection uses the Golden Boy Index, created by Football Benchmark, which rates players on three main aspects: sporting performance, total minutes played, and the overall strength of their club. This is further adjusted by a bonus for achievements in European and international competitions.

Premier League and La Liga Stars Fill the List

Although Cubarsi leads, other notable names from Premier League and La Liga also appear in the shortlist. Manchester City's Ayyoub Bouaddi, recently acquired for €100 million from Lille, makes his debut on the list. Bournemouth's striker Eli Junior Kroupi earned his spot after scoring 13 goals in 33 matches during his first season in England.

Real Madrid has two representatives: Endrick and newcomer Yan Diomande. While Diomande is still settling in at the Bernabeu, his remarkable last season at RB Leipzig, where he tallied 15 goals and 12 assists in 54 appearances, secured his nomination.

Wild Cards and Additional Standouts

Tuttosport has applied its wild card system to add players who might have missed out based on the index alone. This year's additions include Brighton's Charalampos Kostoulas, Borussia Dortmund's Joane Gadou, and Barcelona's Xavi Espart. Other noteworthy names are Arsenal's Myles Lewis-Skelly, Chelsea's Jorrel Hato and Estevao, alongside Juventus' Kerim Alajbegovic.

Paris Saint-Germain's presence has shrunk from last year, now represented only by Warren Zaire-Emery, maintaining his recognition among Europe's top young talents.

Complete List of 25 Finalists

  • Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona)
  • Ayyoub Bouaddi (Manchester City)
  • Eli Junior Kroupi (Bournemouth)
  • Endrick (Real Madrid)
  • Yan Diomande (Real Madrid)
  • Charalampos Kostoulas (Brighton)
  • Joane Gadou (Borussia Dortmund)
  • Xavi Espart (Barcelona)
  • Myles Lewis-Skelly (Arsenal)
  • Jorrel Hato (Chelsea)
  • Estevao (Chelsea)
  • Kerim Alajbegovic (Juventus)
  • Warren Zaire-Emery (Paris Saint-Germain)
  • Marc Bernal (Barcelona)
  • Luka Vuskovic (Brighton)
  • Victor Froholdt (Porto)
  • Rayan (Bournemouth)
  • Gianluca Prestianni (Benfica)
  • Konstantinos Karetsas (Borussia Dortmund)
  • Said El Mala (Cologne)
  • Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart)
  • Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)
  • Jon Martin (Real Sociedad)
  • Rodrigo Mora (Roma)
  • Franco Mastantuono (Fiorentina)

This impressive lineup highlights some of the most consistent and promising young players in Europe, making the contest for the Golden Boy award highly competitive despite Cubarsi’s current favoritism.

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