Key keywords: Pau Cubarsí, 2026 FIFA World Cup, Spain Men's National Football Team, La Masia, FC Barcelona, Luis de la Fuente, teenage defender, young World Cup player Rising La Masia talent Pau Cubarsí has become one of the most talked-about young players in global football after earning a surprise call-up to Spain’s senior national team for the 2026 World Cup qualification rounds, with the 17-year-old admitting in a recent press conference that he never dared to dream of earning a spot at a World Cup tournament at such a young age. Cubarsí, who only made his FC Barcelona first-team debut in January 2024 at the age of 17 years and 50 days, broke the club’s 82-year-old record for the youngest defender to start a senior match. Over the past 10 months, he has established himself as a regular starter in Xavi Hernandez’s backline, delivering consistent, mature performances across La Liga, UEFA Champions League and Copa del Rey fixtures. He even held his own against star wingers like Vinícius Júnior in high-stakes El Clásico matches, showing a level of composure, positional awareness and ball-playing skill rarely seen in teenage defenders. Spain national team head coach Luis de la Fuente handed Cubarsí his first senior international call-up in October 2024, and confirmed that the teenager is in his core plans for the 2026 FIFA World Cup set to be hosted across the United States, Canada and Mexico. If selected for the final tournament squad, Cubarsí will become the youngest player to represent Spain at a World Cup, and one of the youngest outfield players to ever feature in the competition’s history. “Growing up in La Masia, my biggest dream was just to play one match for the Barcelona first team. I thought representing my country at a senior level was something that would happen 5 or 10 years down the line, if I worked hard enough. To be in the conversation for the World Cup squad at 17 is something I never could have imagined even 12 months ago,” Cubarsí told reporters during a national team training session. He added that he is focused on learning from more experienced defenders in the Spain squad, including Aymeric Laporte and Rodri, and that he will keep working to earn his spot on the final World Cup roster. Football analysts have widely praised de la Fuente’s decision to give the young defender a chance at the senior international level, noting that his style fits perfectly with Spain’s possession-based tactical system, and that he could become a cornerstone of the national team’s defense for the next 15 years.