Cubarsí takes the Golden Boy trophy

The golden boy, the new Golden Boy, Pau Cubarsí, a 19-year-old Barcelona center back who in the previous year won, always as a starter, the League and the Super Cup for Barça, in addition to the World Cup with Spain, where he was already chosen as the best young man. And that is what has been ratified by the award given by the Italian newspaper 'Tuttosport', which names him as the best U-21 player in Europe. His victory does not argue with Lamine Yamal or with the Kopa award from the last Ballon d'Or gala, since the Barça forward crowned Cubarsí in his speech as the winner of the Kopa award, in addition to the fact that the Golden Boy does not know of repetitions among its winners because that is what the rules dictate.

Cubarsí's conquest expresses, in any case, the health of La Masía in the modern era, since there are now five players who have won the scepter since the award was born in 2003, so famous in the football world and in which the votes of 50 European journalists decide. Messi, Pedri, Gavi, Lamine and now Cubarsí complete the cast of those chosen, in addition to Cesc Fàbregas who, although he started at Barça, obtained it in the ranks of Arsenal, where he also trained. Far from the Barça hierarchy in the award, there are Atlético, Manchester United, City, Ajax and PSG, who have accumulated two trophies.

The Barça centre-back obtained 475 points, ahead of Diomande, from Real Madrid, who finished with almost 250 points less. The third in contention was Zaïre-Emery, from PSG. A success that takes on a greater name if you consider that he is the second defender who manages to win - Matthijs de Ligt did it first in 2018 - since the goals always have more pull; Messi, Mbappé, Agüero, Bellingham and Haaland - not Cristiano Ronaldo -, among others, are on the list.

The gala will take place in Turin on December 14. And that will not be missed by the Barça centre-back, who did not attend the Ballon d'Or due to a flu illness.

Golden Boy trophy honors

2003: Rafael van der Vaart (Netherlands, Ajax)

2004: Wayne Rooney (England, Manchester United)

2005: Lionel Messi (Argentina, Barcelona)

2006: Cesc Fàbregas (Spain, Arsenal)

2007: Sergio Agüero (Argentina, Atlético de Madrid)

2008: Anderson (Brazil, Manchester United)

2009: Alexandre Pato (Brazil, Milan)

2010: Mario Balotelli (Italy, Manchester City)

2011: Mario Götze (Germany, Borussia Dortmund)

2012: Isco (Spain, Malaga)

2013: Paul Pogba (France, Juventus)

2014: Raheem Sterling (England, Liverpool)

2015: Anthony Martial (France, Manchester United)

2016: Renato Sanches (Portugal, Bayern Munich)

2017: Kylian Mbappé (France, PSG)

2018: Matthijs de Ligt (Netherlands, Ajax)

2019: João Félix (Portugal, Atlético de Madrid)

2020: Erling Haaland (Norway, Borussia Dortmund)

2021: Pedri (Spain, Barcelona)

2022: Gavi (Spain, Barcelona)

2023: Jude Bellingham (England, Real Madrid)

2024: Lamine Yamal (Spain, Barcelona)

2025: Désiré Doué (France, PSG)