Spain's Pau Kupars wins 2026 World Cup Young Player award

Spanish defender Pau Kupars has been named the Best Young Player of the 2026 World Cup following Spain's title-winning campaign. The Barcelona centre-back was a fixture in coach Luis de la Fuente's squad throughout the tournament and helped Spain lift its second World Cup after a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in the final. Kupars stood out for his consistency across all matches, anchoring Spain's defence as the team progressed to the title. In the final, he limited Argentina's attacking threat as Spain kept a clean sheet to seal the championship. The award was confirmed after Spain clinched the trophy in the final on Sunday. No further details on the voting or other individual award winners were immediately available.