Pau Cubarsí Torn Between Pride and Pain After World Cup Victory

Spain’s breakthrough defender Pau Cubarsí experienced a profound clash of emotions on the night he lifted the 2026 World Cup trophy. Whilst the 19-year-old center-back celebrated La Roja’s historic triumph and scooped the award for the tournament’s best young player, he admitted to feeling genuine sadness after watching his childhood idol, Lionel Messi, leave the pitch in tears.

Spain secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Argentina in a dramatic final, frustrating the South American champions and preventing Messi from capturing back-to-back world titles. For Cubarsí, who has enjoyed a meteoric rise at Barcelona, sharing the turf with the Argentine legend proved surreal. The teenager revealed that meeting the footballing icon face-to-face before kick-off almost overwhelmed him, though he quickly locked his focus onto the task at hand once the match commenced.

“I had never seen Messi in person before,” Cubarsí disclosed during his post-match interview. “When I greeted him in the tunnel, I caught myself thinking: is this actually happening? But once you step onto the pitch, everything else fades away, and you concentrate solely on winning.”

Despite the tactical discipline required to nullify Argentina’s attack throughout the ninety minutes, the young defender confessed that witnessing Messi’s despair tempered his immediate jubilation. Cubarsí has never hidden his admiration for the former Barcelona talisman, whose legacy heavily influenced his own upbringing in the club’s famous La Masia academy.

“Sharing a pitch with him remains an incredible privilege,” Cubarsí acknowledged. “Part of me feels terrible because he is my idol, and seeing him suffer is never easy. Nevertheless, we achieved our goal and brought the trophy home to Spain, which fills me with immense pride.”

Throughout the tournament, Cubarsí established himself as an indispensable pillar in Spain’s defense alongside the experienced Aymeric Laporte. The pair formed a formidable central partnership, shutting down elite attacks and providing the composure on the ball that defines modern Spanish football. Cubarsí’s composure under pressure eventually earned him the FIFA Young Player Award, an accolade he secured ahead of his high-profile international and club teammate, Lamine Yamal.

Cubarsí’s candid reflections highlighted the enduring respect that legendary figures command across generations. Even amidst the intensity of a World Cup final, the bond between a rising star and his childhood hero proved that mutual reverence remains firmly intact at the highest level of international sport.