Prior to the start of the 2026 World Cup, the expectation was that a Barcelona teenager would dominate the tournament for Spain. As the dust settles, that prediction turned out to be true. Spain won the 2026 World Cup, thanks in large part to a 19-year-old Barcelona player, but it wasn’t Lamine Yamal. Rather, it was Pau Cubarsí.
Spain defeated Argentina 1–0 in extra time to win the 2026 World Cup. Ferran Torres scored the winner, Rodri was his Ballon d'Or self and still, Cubarsí was the best player on the pitch during Sunday’s final.
Many pointed at Spain’s backline as the team’s biggest weakness entering the tournament, the area that could deter La Roja from lifting the World Cup trophy. In the end, it became its biggest strength, and Cubarsí, playing in his first career major international tournament, is arguably the biggest reason why.
Cubarsí has been a mainstay for Barcelona since he made his professional debut just four days from his 18th birthday on Jan. 18, 2024. Like Yamal, he’s part of the revered 2007-generation of talents that blossomed from the academy to help Barça re-establish themselves as one of the best clubs in Europe. The Catalonia native instantly flashed his generational potential and has amassed 126 appearances for Barcelona since.
His eruption at the international level was slower—especially compared to Yamal. When Luis de la Fuente announced Spain’s 2026 World Cup roster, Cubarsí had just 11 senior caps for La Roja. Yamal had 25.
Although he had solid moments and finished the season strong, Cubarsí was coming off of a campaign in which Barcelona’s defense constantly got exposed and proved to be the fatal flaw in their attempt to win the Champions League. The teenager came under fire, and many believed he’d only made Spain's roster to supply depth. That couldn’t have been further from the truth.
Cubarsí played every single minute of Spain’s 2026 World Cup journey, and he was nothing short of dominant, forming a brilliant center back partnership with Aymeric Laporte. His masterpiece, though, came in the final, against reigning champion Argentina, where Spain lifted its second-ever World Cup title.
Pau Cubarsí Had a Career-Defining Performance in World Cup Final
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