Lamine Yamal backs Pau Cubarsi to win 2026 Ballon d’Or Young Trophy
Lamine Yamal has named his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsi as the only player deserving of the 2026 Ballon d’Or Men’s Young Talent award (Kopa Trophy), backing him in an Instagram post as both appear on the 10‑man shortlist. The ceremony is set for October 26, 2026, with nominees announced starting September 8 by France Football. Cubarsi, 19, played a key role in Barcelona’s La Liga title win last season (one goal in 31 games) and was named Young Player of the Tournament at the 2026 FIFA World Cup with Spain, where he recorded one goal, two assists, five yellow cards and one red in 62 matches across all competitions. Yamal himself holds the Kopa Trophy after winning it in 2024 and defending it in 2025, making him the first back‑to‑back winner. The spotlight on Cubarsi highlights the emergence of a new defensive talent who could shape Barcelona’s back line and Spain’s future internationals. Will you watch the October 26 ceremony to see if Cubarsi ends Yamal’s reign, or will you follow his development as a potential future Ballon d’Or contender?