Pau Cubarsí leads the 25-player shortlist for the prestigious Golden Boy award, heading a podium completed by club teammate Lamine Yamal and third-placed Ayyoub Bouaddi, according to reports from Catalan sports outlets. The final field for Europe’s top under-21 player award was unveiled in Mestre, near Venice, by Italian sports daily Tuttosport.
The Golden Boy Shortlist Structure and Selection Process
The 25-player shortlist comprises the top 20 candidates alongside five wildcard selections. A dedicated panel of 50 sports journalists from across Europe will cast votes to determine the ultimate winner, with the trophy presentation scheduled for a gala in Turin late in the year. Cubarsí surged to the top of the rankings following his performances at the World Cup, while Yamal holds the second spot. Because Yamal secured the accolade in 2024, he cannot win the award again, though the young winger maintained the number-one position in the tracking index for 117 weeks prior to Cubarsí taking over the lead.
Barcelona Leads Player Representation by Club
Barcelona stands out as the most heavily represented club on the list, placing three players (without counting Yamal)—Cubarsí, Marc Bernal, and Xavi Espart, who is also noted among the wildcard picks. Ayyoub Bouaddi claims the third position ahead of Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaïre-Emery and Real Madrid’s Y. Diomande. Real Madrid’s Brazilian Endrick occupies the thirteenth position on the primary list. Across the entire 25-player selection, 14 nationalities are represented. Spain leads all countries with four selected players, followed by Germany, Brazil, and France with three each, and Greece and Argentina with two apiece. From a league perspective, the Premier League paces all competitions with eight representatives, outdistancing LaLiga with six, the Bundesliga with five, and Serie A with three. Bayern Munich’s Lennart Karl, at 18 years old, stands as the youngest finalist named to the selection.
Tuttosport Releases Official 25-Man Classification
The official 25-man classification released by Tuttosport features a diverse group of emerging talent from across European club football:
1. Pau Cubarsí
2. Lamine Yamal
3. A. Bouaddi
4. W. Zaïre-Emery
5. Y. Diomande
6. L. Vušković
7. V. Froholdt
8. M. Lewis-Skelly
9. Rayan
10. Jorrel Hato
11. L. Karl
12. Estêvão
13. Endrick
14. J. Kroupi
15. G. Prestianni
16. K. Karetsas
17. S. El Mala
18. Jon Martín
19. Marc Bernal
20. K. Alajbegovic
The five wildcard invitations rounding out the 25 finalists include Charalampos Kostoulas, Joane Gadou, Real Madrid’s Franco Mastantuono (currently on loan at Fiorentina), Rodrigo Mora, and Xavi Espart.
Historical Context for Barcelona Contenders
Should Cubarsí capture the award, he will become the fourth Barcelona player to win the trophy in recent years, following Pedri in 2021, Gavi in 2022, and Lamine Yamal in 2024. The jury of 50 European journalists will finalize their voting ahead of the year-end gala in Turin.
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