Golden Boy 2026 sees Barcelona man become runaway favourite after World Cup

The latest Golden Boy update has a new man (or boy) at the top of the charts.

The famous award is given to the best player in the world under the age of 21 and hosted by Tuttosport.

Last year it was won by Desire Doue, and before that Lamine Yamal who was again top of the charts before the tournament.

Tuttosport are now using analytics to name their top 100, and Lamine was top, however, he’s ineligible due to the fact he’s won it before.

Nevertheless, the latest update has dropped him off of top spot anyway.

Pau Cubarsi becomes new Golden Boy Award favourite

Spain and Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsi is now the statistical favourite for the award.

Cubarsi only turned 19 in January and went on to play every game for the champions at the World Cup and he won the award as Best Young Player of the Tournament.

Completing the top three is new Real Madrid signing Yan Diomande.

Frenchman Warren Zaïre-Emery (20) and Moroccan Ayoub Bouaddi (18) round out the top five.

Should Cubarsi take home the honour, he’d be the fifth Barca player to do so after Lamine, Lionel Messi, Pedri and Gavi.

Former Barcelona players Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Aguero and Joao Felix have won the award, but not while playing for Barca.

Despite transfermarkt putting Cubarsi top, fans voting on the Tuttosport website have other ideas.

Bosnian Kerim Alajbegović, who just signed for Juventus from Bayer Leverkusen, is top with 48 per cent of the vote to Cubarsi’s 41 per cent.

Golden Boy 2026 favourites

Name↕	Golden Boy Index↕	Age↕	Nationality↕	Club↕
Pau Cubarsí	81.2	19	Spanish	Barcelona
Lamine Yamal (ineligible)	80.6	19	Spanish	Barcelona
Y. Diomande	75.3	19	Ivorian	Real Madrid
W. Zaïre-Emery	74.0	20	French	PSG
A. Bouaddi	66.8	18	Morocco	Lille
V. Froholdt	61.5	20	Danish	FC Porto
Rayan	61.1	20	Brazilian	B.mouth
Endrick	60.9	20	Brazilian	Real Madrid
J. Kroupi	60.5	20	French	B.mouth
Estêvão	60.4	19	Brazilian	Chelsea