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Pau Cubarsi Tops 2026 Golden Boy Shortlist as Barcelona Talent Emerges as Favorite

Barcelona defender Pau Cubarsi has taken the spotlight by leading the 25-man shortlist for the 2026 Golden Boy award. The young centre-back has quickly become a key figure for both his club and Spain, especially after playing a vital part in Spain’s World Cup win. Already named the best young player at the 2026 World Cup, Cubarsi is now the favorite to win the award given to the best Under-21 player in Europe.

The Selection Process

The Golden Boy award uses a detailed system called the Golden Boy Index, created by Football Benchmark. This method rates players based on three main factors: their sporting performances, total minutes played, and the strength of their club. On top of that, extra points are added for success in European and international tournaments.

Top Names from Premier League and La Liga

Cubarsi isn’t alone among the finalists. Manchester City’s Ayyoub Bouaddi is included for the first time after his big €100 million transfer from Lille last summer. Bournemouth striker Eli Junior Kroupi also makes the list thanks to his impressive 13 goals in 33 matches during his debut season in England.

Real Madrid have two hopefuls: Endrick and summer signing Yan Diomande. Diomande stands out for his last season at RB Leipzig, where he scored 15 goals and provided 12 assists in 54 appearances, even if he’s yet to fully shine at the Bernabeu.

Wild Cards and Noteworthy Players

Tuttosport used its wild card option to include players who might not have qualified strictly through the index. These wild cards include Brighton’s Charalampos Kostoulas, Borussia Dortmund’s Joane Gadou, and Barcelona’s Xavi Espart. Arsenal’s Myles Lewis-Skelly, Chelsea’s Jorrel Hato and Estevao, plus Juventus talent Kerim Alajbegovic, also make the list.

Paris Saint-Germain have just one finalist this year: Warren Zaire-Emery, continuing his run as one of Europe’s top young players.

Full List of 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 (Dortmund)
  • Said El Mala (Cologne)
  • Finn Jeltsch (Stuttgart)
  • Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich)
  • Jon Martin (Real Sociedad)
  • Rodrigo Mora (Roma)
  • Franco Mastantuono (Fiorentina)

The competition is intense with so many promising players, but Pau Cubarsi stands as the clear favorite to claim the Golden Boy trophy in 2026.

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