The young players of FC Barcelona continue to make headlines in the international sports scene. The early talent of the 'azulgranas' has been recognized by CIES (International Centre for Sports Studies), an organization that in its ranking 'top 200 of the best players under 20 years old' has included a couple of assets of the 'culé' team.
- 📌 THE DATA: The score is born from the measurement of two values: a performance index calculated from data collected by Impect and an experience index that takes into account the minutes played, weighted by the level of the matches.
Lamine Yamal leads the CIES youth ranking: which other 'culé' is on the list?
In this top 200, the 'azulgrana' right winger Lamine Yamal tops the list with a score of 97.7, leading both the experience index, with 98.1, and the performance index, with 97.3. Also, and as a positive note for the 'azulgrana' club, the second classified is the defender Pau Cubarsí, who obtains a score of 93.4. The trio is completed by Warren Zaïre-Emery, from Paris Saint-Germain, with 87.8.
| PLAYER | TEAM | SCORE | EXPERIENCE | PERFORMANCE |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lamine Yamal | FC Barcelona | 97.7 | 98.1 | 97.3 |
| Pau Cubarsí | FC Barcelona | 93.4 | 95.7 | 91.1 |
| Warren Zaïre-Emery | Paris Saint-Germain | 87.8 | 87.2 | 88.4 |
| Estevão Willian | Chelsea FC | 86.7 | 86.5 | 86.9 |
| Franco Mastantuono | Real Madrid | 85.4 | 79.8 | 90.9 |
| Jorrel Hato | Chelsea FC | 84.0 | 87.5 | 80.6 |
| Roger Fernandes | SC Braga | 83.9 | 81.5 | 86.3 |
| Myles Lewis-Skelly | Arsenal FC | 83.9 | 85.7 | 82.0 |
| Geovany Quenda | Sporting CP | 83.8 | 86.7 | 81.0 |
| Elías Montiel | CF Pachuca | 83.2 | 82.6 | 83.9 |
HERE IS THE COMPLETE LIST OF THE BEST 200 U-20 PLAYERS IN THE WORLD
Beyond Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, the representation of LaLiga in this top 200 is limited. Among the highlights are Franco Mastantuono, from Real Madrid, in fifth position, with 85.4, and Jon Martín, from Real Sociedad, in 45th place with 77.5 points.
Global recognition: Lamine Yamal and Cubarsí shone in the 2024/25 season
This recognition confirms the brilliant 2024/25 season of Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí, who added three collective titles (LaLiga 2024/25, Copa del Rey 2024/25 and Spanish Super Cup 2025) and had great numbers at the individual level. Even, both are among the nominees for the Kopa Trophy: the '10' 'azulgrana' won it in 2024 and this year he has positioned himself again among the nominees, while the '5' is one of the great candidates in 2025.
In turn, Lamine was nominated for the 2025 Ballon d'Or, consolidating himself as one of the most influential young players on the planet. These laurels recognize his level of excellence and promise a bright future on and off the field.