Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsi currently tops the standings for the 2026 European Golden Boy Award, according to the latest rankings published by Italian newspaper Tuttosport.
The latest update places the 19-year-old Spaniard first with a rating of 81.206. His Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal sits second on 80.583 but is ineligible to win the prize again under the award’s regulations, having claimed it in 2024.
A look at Top 10 Golden Boy 2026 Rankings as Barcelona’s Pau Cubarsi leads race; 2nd Lamine Yamal
Real Madrid’s newly signed Ivorian winger Yan Diomande occupies third place with 75.342. Cubarsi’s rise has been fuelled by his strong displays for Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he also earned the tournament’s Young Player award. A defender leading the race is rare; the last centre-back to win the Golden Boy was Matthijs de Ligt in 2018.
Tuttosport will continue updating the top 100 list in the coming months before final votes determine the winner later this year. The award recognises the best under-21 player registered with a club in one of Europe’s top leagues. Ahead of the winner, a look at the top 10 leaders of the award right now.
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