Pau Cubarsí: Why Spain & Barcelona are so excited about the Girona educated teen

When FC Barcelona experienced an injury crisis in their defensive line to begin 2024, the latest talent from La Masia stepped up to save the team and lead them on a positive run of form. Pau Cubarsí only just turned 17 years of age, as he was born on January 22nd 2007, but he is playing with an incredible maturity at the heart of FC Barcelona's defence.

Cubarsí was born in Estanyol, a small Catalan village on the outskirts of Girona with fewer than 200 inhabitants, which has neither a school nor a football team. As such, he took his first footballing steps at neighbouring Bescano. Aged seven, he joined Girona FC's academy, where he caught the eye of FC Barcelona's scouts, who convinced him to join La Masia in 2018. Raised in a family of carpenters, Cubarsí had a dream: to don the Blaugrana shirt.

His extraordinary talent allowed him to climb up the ranks and become FC Barcelona's third-youngest player to debut in the UEFA Youth League at the age of 15 years, nine months and eight days. “He was always captain because he was very responsible, he gave his all, he earned the respect of his teammates thanks to his exemplary behaviour and hierarchy on the field," his former coach Albert Puig Alcaide told Sport. “He has always been very mature. I remember when he missed a decisive penalty in the LALIGA Promises tournament, he knew how to assume responsibility and manage it as I have rarely seen."

Unsurprisingly, Xavi Hernández took note and named Cubarsí in the squad for FC Barcelona's pre-season preparations, before he was called up by the Spanish U-17 national team to feature in the 2023 FIFA U-17 World Cup in Indonesia. Cubarsí was an undisputed starter for a Spanish side that topped their group and reached the