Before the tournament, many would have bet on Lamine Yamal winning the Young Player of the World Cup award. Instead, it was his Barcelona teammate Pau Cubarsi who lifted the award. At only 19 years of age, Cubarsi was more than impressive throughout the tournament. He was a central figure in the Spain defence which conceded only one goal through the competition.
The Composure and Intelligence at Such a Young Age is Incredible
No player under the age of 21 played more passes, had more clearances, or won possession back in all thirds than Cubarsi. He ranked in the top four in final third passes; bear in mind we are talking about a central defender.
When you consider that Cubarsi faced Kylian Mbappé, Lionel Messi, and Cristiano Ronaldo during the tournament and did not concede a goal, we are talking about a special player.
The scary thing is that at only 19 years of age, he will only improve. If you are an attacking player, you would rather not be facing Pau Cubarsi; that is for sure.
