Pau Cubarsí - 19 years old
Pau Cubarsí won the Young Player of the Tournament award at just 19 years old, earning praise for his football IQ and composure under pressure.
Snapshot · The Rest Is Football
Spain win the World Cup as Rodri reigns supreme
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Jul 20, 2026
Where this was said
Pau Cubarsí — Young Player of the Tournament at 19
At 13:50 · chapter starts 13:25
Gary Lineker gets his moment of vindication: he flagged Pau Cubarsí as a future star a couple of years ago and Young Player of the Tournament feels like a meritorious — as he helpfully defines — honour for the 19-year-old [1] — Micah Richards "Cubarsí won Young Player of the Tournament at 19, marshalling Spain's defence with a football IQ that belies his age. Playing in a team bui…" 13:25 . Micah Richards notes that playing in a team built to dominate possession naturally makes any defender look better, but Cubarsí goes beyond that: his football IQ is exceptional, his reading of the game is elite, and he never got caught out in the way that can happen at Barcelona with their extreme high line. Alan Shearer praises the experienced Laporte for marshalling the young defender throughout the tournament. The panel agree: at 19, Cubarsí is already a superstar, and the trajectory points only upwards.
Pau Cubarsí: The 19-Year-Old Superstar Who Shut Down the World Cup Final
Cubarsí won Young Player of the Tournament at 19, marshalling Spain's defence with a football IQ that belies his age. Playing in a team built to keep the ball, he never got caught out — and he's only getting better.
Rodri returns from ACL injury
Rodri won the Golden Ball (Player of the Tournament) after returning from a serious ACL injury, with Pep Guardiola predicting before the tournament he would show his best ever form.
Rodri Returns from ACL to Win the Golden Ball
Rodri came back from a serious ACL injury to win Player of the Tournament. Pep Guardiola had already told the world to expect the best Rodri they'd ever seen at this World Cup. He was right. The Golden Ball confirms it.
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