da prosport bet： The 17-year-old has emerged as a top-tier talent and one of a few bright spots in a miserable year for the Blaugrana
da bet esporte： Rarely are footballers good enough to be fast-tracked into the Barcelona first team. Most rise through the ranks steadily, awaiting opportunities before emerging into the side in their early-20s. Barca, in fact, haven't had a top-tier centre-back emerge from La Masia in years.
That might just have changed with the arrival of Pau Cubarsi. The lanky centre-back has benefitted from the Blaugrana's injury crisis, and emerged as a potential world-class central defender, keeping himself in the XI with a series of impressive performances.
Indeed, this is a refined central defender with the '' and smarts who seems set to last at the top level for a long time. But who is Cubarsi, where is he from, and why could he be in line for a Spain call-up so soon after his 17th birthday? GOAL takes a look at La Masia's latest jewel…
Getty ImagesWhere it all began
Like many in La Masia, Cubarsi has roots in Catalonia. Born in Girona, in 2007, 100 kilometres from Barcelona, the centre-back joined his local academy as a youngster.
At four years old, he was snapped up by Girona, then a struggling Segunda Division side. It didn't take long for a bigger move to come, when Barcelona scouts brought him to La Masia at seven.
AdvertisementThe big break
His talent was clear from a young age, but with more eye-catching prospects emerging through the Blaugrana academy – and a strong centre-back corps – Cubarsi wasn't considered elite. Still, he captained youth sides at multiple levels, wearing the armband for Under-13, U-15 and U-17 teams.
Cubarsi's first big moment came in the UEFA Youth League in 2022. He became the third-youngest Barca player to make an appearance when he saw the pitch against Viktoria Plzen in 2022.
Six months later, Xavi started to take notice. Cubarsi began training with the Barca first team in 2023, looking to impress on the same pitches as fellow La Masia star Lamine Yamal.
Getty ImagesHow it's going
Cubarsi's Barca debut felt like a matter of time. The Blaugrana back-line has had issues this season, with a series of first-team central options either injured or out of form. Cubarsi's chance eventually came in the Copa del Rey against Unionistas, when he played the entire second half, and helped shore up a rearguard that had conceded a sloppy goal.
Since then, he has stayed in the senior squad, appearing in nine straight games, and starting six in a row. He has impressed throughout, looking a natural in the heart of the defence, and forming a steady partnership with Ronald Araujo.
Xavi summed his performances up after his debut: "He's very well prepared. He doesn't seem 16 when you speak with him. He is a focused and responsible kid. I don't think he lost a single ball, either.
"He's going to leave his mark on an era, the same as Lamine. We are continuing to build a team with young footballers. These are players who we must build the club's future with."
Biggest strengths
There's a lot to like about Cubarsi's game. At 6'1'' – and still growing – he already has the kind of frame required to function as a top level defender. He might not ever be an imposing physical presence. But if he grows and adds muscle, he will certainly be an excellent all-round defender.
His best, attribute, though, is his passing ability. Some of his disposition from deep is simply ridiculous. The teenager s the ideal modern ball-playing centre-back, who always looks for the forward pass. He can play the ball short or long, and is in the 88th percentile among all centre-backs in pass completion percentage, according to. His 4.49 passes into the final third per 90 minutes put him in the 81st percentile.
It's something that Cubarsi's U-13 manager Albert Puig noticed.
“Pau’s build-up is extremely clean. He can drive the ball up, thread passes to midfielders in the inside pockets but also send long balls to the opposite winger to provide the team with width and shake their opponents around," Puig told .