FC Barcelona is yet again at the helm of producing exceptional young talents capable of playing at the top level. A set of brilliant youngsters are on show yet again, coming directly from the famous La Masia academy into the first team. One of them is the young, talented 17-year-old center-back Pau Cubarsi, who is now becoming a household name among FC Barcelona fans. At just 16, Cubarsi was spotlighted during the 23/24 La Liga campaign under former manager Xavi Hernandez. Featuring directly into the first team and playing regularly, the young defender is now one of the most talked about talents in European football.
The Rapid Rise of Pau Cubarsi
The immense talent of Pau was recognized when he was just 15 years old when Xavi Hernandez called him up to train with the first team in April 2023. His first impression of training with the first team led him to sign his first professional contract just three months later, in July. After making a substitute appearance in the Copa Del Rey, his first start came in the next match vs. Real Betis in La Liga just a day before his 17th birthday. Observing him during his initial games gave the impression that Barcelona had acquired a top-tier center-back valued at approximately 70 million pounds based on current market conditions.
Cubarsi is unbelievably mature, considering center-backs are usually very raw at this age. It’s like he’s been at the heart of this Barcelona defense for ages. After his amazing emergence, Cubarsi became a first-team regular and continued to showcase his amazing talent. In the 23/24 La Liga season, he participated in 19 games and helped his team maintain ten clean sheets at a time when Barcelona’s defense was extremely vulnerable.
The Spanish youngster made an impact not only in the league but also in Europe. He was named man of the match against Napoli in the Round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League and had ‘pocketed’ the likes of Victor Osimhen, who is certainly not easy to defend against. With this feat, he became the youngest player to debut at 17 in the UEFA Champions League knockout phase.
Also, at 17, he became the youngest defender to start in the quarterfinals of the Champions League as well. With his exceptional displays, Barcelona awarded him a contract extension until June 2027, with a better wage structure. Exceptional performances at the club level caught the eye of Luis De La Fuente as he made Pau Cubarsi his debut on the Spanish national team. He is the youngest defender to ever play for Spain and continues to break all sorts of records. He was named in the 29-man preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.
The Young Man’s Influence in Barcelona
No one can deny that since his Barcelona debut, Pau Cubarsi has been one of the best Barcelona players and one of the brightest young talents in world football. Lamine Yamal‘s extraordinary talent grabs all the attention and spotlights, but Cubarsi may be just as crucial to this Barcelona side as Yamal in terms of importance.
The young defender might be a complete package as a defender at just the tender age of 17. His skill set includes great strength and pace, decent aerial ability, and a good eye for the perfect tackle to make an interception. His maturity level, not even that of defenders at prime ages like 25, has not developed yet. Cubarsi’s underrated qualities are his great vision and ability to play out from behind. Most of Barcelona’s buildup goes through his exceptional ability to break the lines and open spaces for the team. He can also ping a pretty accurate long ball to his forwards.
Even with the new manager Hansi Flick coming in, Pau Cubarsi remains at the heart of defense in the 24/25 season, where Barcelona looks like a pretty formidable side, winning 3 out of 3. While Barcelona was having financial difficulties and could not even register their acquisitions, Real Madrid was looking as powerful as ever with the recent addition of Kylian Mbappe. Nevertheless, La Masia continued to bless Barcelona with world-class players like Pedri, Pau Cubarsi, Yamal, and many others. It demonstrates that, despite all the issues they have been dealing with, these young players rising through the ranks alone might return Barcelona to the top of Europe’s ladder.
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