Barcelona star emerges as favourite for 2025 Golden Boy award

Barcelona have had a lot of success in the Golden Boy award in recent years, with their players winning it three of the last four years. And more success could be on the cards for later in 2025.

Barcelona players have won the Golden Boy award on four occasions. Lionel Messi was the first in 2025, before Pedri, Gavi and Lamine Yamal won it in 2021, 2022 and 2024 respectively. The Catalans are the team to have the most winners of the award, and this year, their advantage could be extended.

Pau Cubarsi leads 2025 Golden Boy race

And at this stage, this is expected to be the case as MD have reported that Pau Cubarsi is the favourite to take home the 2025 Golden Boy award.

Tuttosport released their rankings Golden Boy rankings at this stage of 2025, and at the top is Lamine Yamal. But because he took home the award last year, he is ineligible to win it again. And because Cubarsi is second, he is now the favourite.

Lamine Yamal and Cubarsi are the only current La Liga players to feature in the top 10, although Dean Huijsen (6th) will soon be joining Real Madrid. Paris Saint-Germain’s Desire Doue currently ranks 3rd, ahead of Myles Lewis-Skelly, Warren Zaire-Emery, Huijsen, Kenan Yildiz, Ethan Nwaneri, Geovanni Quenda and Jorrel Hato.

Despite this, there is a chance that Cubarsi is overtaken before the award is handed out later this year. Doue has options to move ahead due to being involved in this weekend’s Champions League final, while he will also be in action at the Club World Cup during the summer.

On the other hand, the Barcelona defender will see his only possible appearances come during the UEFA Nations League finals – and even then, he is not guaranteed to be a starter for Spain head coach Luis de la Fuente.