Pau Cubarsí

Pau Cubarsí
Cubarsí with Spain in 2025
Personal information
Full name Pau Cubarsí Paredes[1]
Date of birth (2007-01-22) 22 January 2007
Place of birthBescanó, Spain
Height 1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)[2]
PositionCentre-back
Team information
Current team
Barcelona
Number 5
Youth career
2014–2018Girona
2018–2024Barcelona
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2023–2024Barcelona B 9 (0)
2024–Barcelona 72 (0)
International career‡
2021–2022Spain U15 6 (1)
2022Spain U16 4 (1)
2022–2023Spain U17 18 (0)
2024–Spain U21 2 (0)
2024–Spain U23 5 (0)
2024–Spain 10 (0)
Medal record
Men's football
Representing  Spain
UEFA Nations League
Runner-up2025 GermanyTeam
Olympic Games
Gold medal – first place2024 ParisTeam
* Club domestic league appearances and goals as of 22:01, 31 January 2026 (UTC)‡ National team caps and goals as of 23:28, 18 November 2025 (UTC)

Pau Cubarsí Paredes (born 22 January 2007) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a centre-back for La Liga club Barcelona and the Spain national team. In July 2025, Sports Illustrated and ESPN ranked Cubarsí as the sixth-best centre-back in world football.[3][4]

Early and personal life

Pau Cubarsí Paredes was born on 22 January 2007 in Bescanó, Girona, Catalonia,[5] to Gloria Paredes and Robert Cubarsí. He has an older sister, Irene, a physiotherapist.[6] He joined La Masia in 2018, located about an hour and a half away from his home in Bescanó.[7]

Cubarsí speaks Catalan, the language he grew up with, as his parents spoke it as the main language at home. While playing for Spain at the Olympic Games in 2024, he said that he rarely took part in interviews because he was not fluent speaking Spanish, having only ever lived in Catalonia and used his native language.[8]

Club career

Cubarsí began his career with Girona, before the move to Barcelona in 2018.[5] Having progressed through the academy, he became the third-youngest Barcelona player to debut in the UEFA Youth League, behind Lamine Yamal and Ilaix Moriba, when he started in an eventual 1–1 draw with Czech side Viktoria Plzeň.[5]

In April 2023, he trained with the first team for the first time, having been called up by manager Xavi.[9] He signed his first professional contract with the club three months later, on 8 July.[10] He was included in Barcelona's pre-season squad ahead of the 2023–24 season.[11]

On 18 January 2024, Cubarsí made his first team debut against Unionistas de Salamanca in the Copa del Rey, being subbed on in the 46th minute.[12] His first start came in the next match against Real Betis in La Liga, a day before his 17th birthday.[13] Two months later, on 12 March, he was named Player of the Match on his UEFA Champions League debut in a 3–1 victory over Napoli in the round of 16 second leg, in which he became the youngest player to debut at 17 years and 50 days in the competition's knockout phase, breaking former Bayern Munich defender David Alaba's previous record of 17 years and 258 days.[14][15] On 10 April, Cubarsí has become the youngest defender to start in the quarter finals of the Champions League aged only 17 years and 79 days breaking the previous record held by CSKA Moscow's Georgi Shchennikov.[16] On 9 May, Barcelona announced that they had reached an agreement with Cubarsí for an extension until 30 June 2029, which has a 500 million euro buyout clause.[17][18]

On 25 February 2025, Cubarsí headed in his first goal for Barcelona, in a Copa Del Rey semi-final against Atlético Madrid which ended in a 4–4 draw.[19]

Cubarsí started and impressed in Barcelona’s 5–0 win over Athletic Club in the 2026 Spanish Super Cup semi‑final, earning praise for a very composed display in defence on a big stage.[20]

International career

Cubarsí playing for Spain U23 in the 2024 Summer Olympics

Cubarsí has represented Spain from under-15 to senior level.[21] In March 2024, he was called up to the senior Spain team for the first time by coach Luis de la Fuente, debuting in a 1–0 friendly loss to Colombia.[22] He came on as a substitute in the 83rd minute replacing Aymeric Laporte, in which he became the youngest defender to ever play for Spain at the age of 17 years one month and 28 days, breaking the record previously held by Sergio Ramos in 2005.[23]

On 27 May 2024, Cubarsí was named in the 29-man preliminary squad for the UEFA Euro 2024.[24] However, on 7 June, he was excluded from the final squad prior to the tournament.[25]

In July 2024, Cubarsí was selected in the Spain under-23 squad for the 2024 Summer Olympics. He and Spain would go on to win the Olympic gold medal at the men's football event in the Olympics.

Career statistics

Club

As of match played 3 February 2026
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
Club Season League Copa del ReyEuropeOther Total
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barcelona Atlètic2023–24Primera Federación90———90
Barcelona2023–24La Liga190203[a]000240
2024–25La Liga 3506113[a]02[b]0561
2025–26La Liga 180307[a]02[b]0300
Total 720111230401101
Career total 810111230401191
  1. ^ abcAppearances in UEFA Champions League
  2. ^ abAppearances in Supercopa de España

International

As of match played 18 November 2025[26]
Appearances and goals by national team and year
National teamYearAppsGoals
Spain202450
202550
Total100

Honours

Barcelona

Spain U23

Spain

Individual

References

  1. ^UEFA (28 May 2023). "European Under-17 Championship 2023 Booking List before Semi-finals"(PDF). p. 2.
  2. ^"Pau Cubarsí". FC Barcelona. Retrieved 12 October 2024.
  3. ^"The 25 Best Centre Backs in World Soccer—Ranked". Sports Illustrated. 9 July 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  4. ^"2025 FC 100: Van Dijk among best center backs in men's soccer". ESPN. 4 June 2025. Retrieved 10 August 2025.
  5. ^ abcGascón, Javier (1 November 2022). "Pau Cubarsí, 15 años, tercer debutante más joven del Barça en la UEFA Youth League" [Pau Cubarsí, 15 years old, Barça's third youngest debutant in the UEFA Youth League]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  6. ^Chauhan, Saransh (26 October 2024). "Introducing Pau Cubarsi's Family- All About Barcelona Star's Parents, Girlfriend, Sister & More". EssentiallySports. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  7. ^Herrero, Laia Cervelló (5 September 2024). "Pau Cubarsi's Barcelona story and the tiny Catalan village that shaped him". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 7 April 2025.
  8. ^"Pau Cubarsí reconoce tener problemas para hablar en castellano: "He hablado toda la vida en catalán"". La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 26 July 2024. Retrieved 27 July 2024.
  9. ^"¿Quién es Pau Cubarsí?" [Who is Pau Cubarsí?]. sport.es (in Spanish). 20 April 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  10. ^"Pau Cubarsí firma su continuidad en el Juvenil del FC Barcelona" [Pau Cubarsí signs his continuity in the Juvenil of FC Barcelona]. sport.es (in Spanish). 8 July 2023. Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  11. ^Martí, Anaïs (10 July 2023). "Así transcurrió el primer entrenamiento del Barça de Xavi 23-24" [This is how Xavi's first Barça training session went 23-24]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). Retrieved 25 August 2023.
  12. ^"Unionistas de Salamanca 1–3 FC Barcelona: One step closer". FC Barcelona. 18 January 2024.
  13. ^"Record breaking XI against Betis". FC Barcelona. 21 January 2024.
  14. ^"Barcelona teenage sensation Pau Cubarsi breaks club Champions League record in place for 20 years with man-of-the-match display in European debut against Napoli". Goal. 13 March 2024.
  15. ^"FC Barcelona made a New Monster out of Pau Cubarsi". Soccersat. Retrieved 26 March 2024.
  16. ^"Pau Cubarsí, a record breaking centre half". FC Barcelona. 10 April 2024.
  17. ^"Agreement to extend Pau Cubarsí contract to 2027". FC Barcelona. 9 May 2024.
  18. ^Millar, Colin; Ballús, Pol. "Barcelona's Cubarsi signs contract extension through to 2027". The Athletic. Retrieved 9 May 2024.
  19. ^"Pau Cubarsí scores first blaugrana goal". FC Barcelona. 25 February 2025.
  20. ^read, Gill Clark·1 min (8 January 2026). "'Everyone wants a Clasico' – Pau Cubarsi hoping to face Real Madrid in Spanish Super Cup final". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved 11 January 2026.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link)
  21. ^Pau Cubarsí at WorldFootball.net
  22. ^"Pau Cubarsí vive en una nube: 17 años, puede hacer historia en la selección, titular con el Barça, MVP en Champions..."Marca (in Spanish). 15 March 2024.
  23. ^"Barcelona starlet Pau Cubarsi reacts to becoming Spain's youngest-ever defender in defeat to Colombia". Goal. 23 March 2024.
  24. ^"Euro 2024 provisional squad". Royal Spanish Football Federation. 27 May 2024. Retrieved 30 May 2024.
  25. ^"Official | Final Spain squad for the Euro 2024 finals". Royal Spanish Football Federation. 7 June 2024. Retrieved 7 June 2024.
  26. ^Pau Cubarsí at National-Football-Teams.com
  27. ^"Hansi Flick's Barça: League champions". www.fcbarcelona.com. Retrieved 15 May 2025.
  28. ^"FC Barcelona crowned Cup Kings in classic encounter". Real Federación Española de Fútbol. 26 April 2025. Retrieved 26 April 2025.
  29. ^"FC Barcelona win the Super Cup in a final for the history books (2-5)". Real Federación Española de Fútbol. 13 January 2025. Retrieved 13 January 2025.
  30. ^"Barcelona vs Real Madrid Highlights, El Clasico Supercopa Final: Barcelona Beat Real Madrid 3-2 In Thriller, Clinch 1st Trophy Of Season". NDTV. Retrieved 12 January 2026.
  31. ^Ronay, Barney (9 August 2024). "Camello's extra-time double clinches football gold for Spain against France". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 9 August 2024.
  32. ^"Portugal vs Spain - UEFA Nations League Final 2025". UEFA.com. Retrieved 8 June 2025.
  33. ^"Pau Cubarsi named LALIGA EA SPORTS Under-23 Player of the Month for March". La Liga. 27 March 2024. Retrieved 3 April 2024.
  34. ^"IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH (U20) WORLD TEAM 2024". 28 December 2024.
  35. ^"IFFHS MEN'S YOUTH (U20) CONTINENTAL TEAMS 2024 - UEFA". IFFHS. 1 February 2025.
  36. ^"EA Sports FC 25 La Liga Team of the season 2024-25". LaLiga. 24 May 2025. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
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