Spain’s Pau Cubarsi wins FIFA Young Player Award, Unai Simon claims Golden Glove

Spain’s World Cup-winning campaign was further celebrated as teenage defender Pau Cubarsi was named the FIFA Young Player of the Tournament, while goalkeeper Unai Simon received the Golden Glove Award after a record-breaking campaign between the posts.

The duo played pivotal roles in Spain’s march to a second FIFA World Cup title, culminating in a 1-0 extra-time victory over Argentina in Sunday’s final at New York-New Jersey Stadium.

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Also Read: Rodri wins FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Ball after leading Spain to title

Cubarsi scripts history with Young Player Award

At just 19, Cubarsi emerged as one of the standout performers of the tournament, starting all eight matches and anchoring Spain’s defence alongside Aymeric Laporte.

Spain conceded only one goal throughout the tournament while keeping seven clean sheets, with Cubarsi’s composure, positioning and maturity drawing widespread praise.

The Barcelona defender also made history by becoming the first defender to win the FIFA Young Player Award. He joins an elite list of previous recipients that includes Pelé, Franz Beckenbauer, Michael Owen, Thomas Müller, Paul Pogba and Kylian Mbappé.

Cubarsi is also only the fifth defender to receive the honour and one of just five teenagers ever to win the FIFA World Cup.

Simon’s record clean-sheet run earns Golden Glove

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon capped a remarkable tournament by winning the Golden Glove, awarded to the competition’s best goalkeeper.

The Athletic Club shot-stopper kept seven clean sheets, the most by any goalkeeper in a single FIFA World Cup and conceded only once, during Spain’s 2-1 quarterfinal victory over Belgium.

His achievement surpassed the previous benchmark of five clean sheets, jointly held by goalkeeping greats including Jan Jongbloed, Walter Zenga, Claudio Taffarel, Fabien Barthez, Oliver Kahn, Gianluigi Buffon and Iker Casillas.

Dating back to the 2022 World Cup, Simon also put together an extraordinary 649-minute shutout streak before Belgium ended Spain’s run without conceding.

The 29-year-old becomes only the second Spanish goalkeeper to win the Golden Glove, following Iker Casillas, who received the award after leading Spain to their maiden World Cup title in 2010.

With Rodri winning the Golden Ball, Cubarsi collecting the Young Player Award, and Simon lifting the Golden Glove, Spain completed a clean sweep of the tournament’s major individual honours to cap a memorable World Cup triumph.