Golden Boy Award 2026 goes to Cubarsi, with Ahanor Best Italian

Golden Boy Award 2026 goes to Cubarsi, with Ahanor Best Italian Barcelona and Spain defender Pau Cubarsí has won the 2026 Golden Boy award, with Erling Haaland named Golden Player, Honest Ahanor Italian Golden Boy and Arsenal’s Italian Andrea Berta Best Executive. The awards were announced today at the Mapei Football Center, marking the latest chapter in the history of the competition set up by Turin-based newspaper Tuttosport. It was created in 2003 and assigned to the best Under-21 player in European football, voted for by a jury of 50 journalists from around the continent. Golden Boy Awards 2026 MILAN, ITALY – MAY 06: Lautaro Martinez of FC Internazionale is challenged by Pau Cubarsi of FC Barcelona which results in referee Szymon Marciniak (not pictured) awarding a penalty to FC Internazionale during the UEFA Champions League 2024/25 Semi Final Second Leg match between FC Internazionale Milano and FC Barcelona at Giuseppe Meazza Stadium on May 06, 2025 in Milan, Italy. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images) Previous winners include Lionel Messi, Cesc Fabregas, Wayne Rooney, Alexandre Pato, Mario Balotelli, Paul Pogba, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland, Jude Bellingham and Lamine Yamal. Cubarsí makes history as the first defender since Matthijs de Ligt in 2018 to win the Golden Boy award, he follows in the footsteps of last year’s winner Désiré Doué of France and Paris Saint-Germain. Since 2018, there are also other categories in the Golden Boy awards to spread beyond the traditional remit. EAST RUTHERFORD, NEW JERSEY – JULY 05: Erling Haaland #9 of Norway gestures towards the fans after scoring his team’s second goal against Brazil during the FIFA World Cup 2026 Round Of 16 match between Brazil and Norway at New York New Jersey Stadium on July 05, 2026 in East Rutherford, New Jersey. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images) Manchester City’s Haaland has been named Golden Player, with former Atalanta defender Ahanor, who is now on loan at Crystal Palace via Chelsea , received the award for Italian Golden Boy. Honest Ahanor joins Chelsea from Atalanta (chelseafc.com) Giulia Galli is Best Italian Golden Girl, Felicia Schroder is European Golden Girl, and Alessia Russo of England and Arsenal is Golden Player Woman. Barcelona’s Joan Laporta was named Best President, Arsenal’s Italian chief Andrea Berta is Best Executive, and Jorge Mendes Best Agent.