Pau Cubarsí inherits Barça's number 5: the number of Puyol, Koeman, and Busquets

LaLiga and FC Barcelona have confirmed that Pau Cubarsí will wear the number 5, following Iñigo Martínez's move to Al-Nassr. The youth player succeeds legends such as Puyol, Koeman, and Busquets, solidifying his role in the Barça defense.

Cubarsí inherits the number 5, a symbol of leadership at Barça

Iñigo Martínez's departure to Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr has caused a small earthquake in FC Barcelona's roster of numbers. As registered by LaLiga and confirmed by the club itself, Pau Cubarsí, until now wearing number 2, will don the emblematic number 5. A number that, more than ink on the shirt, is a piece of Barça's history.

 

 

 

Meanwhile, Andreas Christensen, who seemed destined to leave this summer, retains his number 15 after Iñigo's departure and remains in Hansi Flick's plans. The German coach now has Eric García, Ronald Araujo, Cubarsí himself, Christensen, and Gerard Martín as center-backs.

But the big news is symbolic: Cubarsí will wear a number that once belonged to figures like Carles Puyol —his confessed idol—, Ronald Koeman, and Sergio Busquets. An inheritance that is not measured in centimeters, but in character, leadership, and commitment. From La Pobla de Segur to the Camp Nou, the number 5 has been a symbol of resilience, and now it will fall on the shoulders of the young player from the youth academy.

Barça's number 5: a number with history, character, and legendary heirs

In football, there are numbers that weigh more than the fabric that holds them. At FC Barcelona, the number 5 is one of them. It is not just a number; it is a declaration of principles: leadership, commitment, and presence in the team's core. From August 2025, Pau Cubarsí, an 18-year-old center-back trained at La Masia, will be in charge of carrying this legacy, following Iñigo Martínez's departure to Saudi Arabia's Al-Nassr.

Puyol, Koeman, and Busquets: the backbone of a myth

The number 5 has adorned the backs of some of the most decisive footballers in Barça's history. Carles Puyol, an indomitable captain, turned this number into a shield against adversity, always willing to throw himself on the ground for the cause. Ronald Koeman, with his elegant stride and a cannon in his right leg, wrote one of the golden pages of the club by scoring the goal that gave the first European Cup in 1992. Sergio Busquets, master of order and pause, was Barça's compass in the Guardiola era and in the most successful decade of the club.

The intermediate guardians

Iñigo Martínez was its last wearer before Cubarsí, completing a brief but solid stage in the defense. Others, such as Fernando Couto or even Pep Guardiola —more remembered with the 4—, also wore the 5 at specific times, contributing their grain of sand to the tradition.

Cubarsí: an heir with Barça DNA

Now, the challenge passes to the boots of Pau Cubarsí. Trained in the youth academy, his style is reminiscent of the great references: anticipation, serenity with the ball, and character to assume responsibilities. He will wear the number that his idols used, aware that at Barça this number is not only worn: it is defended.