Eighteen points separated Lucas Paulano from victory. The representative of Spain finished second in Eurovision Junior 2026 with 184 points, behind Armenia, which won with Naré's 202 and her song "BOO!". The ten-year-old singer from Jaén brought "Cuore Bello (I love you, I love you)" to second place in the final held this Saturday, October 24, in Ta' Qali, Malta. The European Broadcasting Union confirms both results.
The Spanish candidacy received support in both parts of the voting. The national juries awarded Lucas 108 points and the viewers added another 76. France completed the podium with 165, nineteen less than Spain. The outcome helps to understand why Lucas was among the contenders for victory until the final tally: he finished second among the juries and third in the public vote.
How Spain fared in Eurovision Junior 2026
The second place improves the fifth position achieved by Gonzalo Pinillos in 2025 and matches the place reached by Sandra Valero in 2023. Lucas's candidacy once again places Spain in the race for victory, although the last push from the audience favored Armenia.
Why Armenia won if Spain was second for the juries
The festival combines two votes with the same global weight: that of the juries and that of the viewers. This allows the order to change when the audience points are added.
France topped the professionals' ranking, followed by Spain and Armenia. However, Naré finished first in the online vote, ahead of San Marino and Lucas. The combination of both rankings gave victory to the Armenian representative.
For Spain, the balance reflects a competitive candidacy in both avenues. The 108 points from the jury did not depend on a single backing: Lucas received points from the other fifteen participating countries. Malta awarded him the maximum score, twelve points.
The 76 points from the public completed a performance that kept Spain on the podium. The final difference of eighteen points expresses the distance on the contest scoreboard; it does not equate to eighteen individual votes from viewers.
Who is Lucas Paulano, the singer from Jaén who has brought Spain to second place
Lucas is ten years old and is from Jaén. His participation in Eurovisión Junior comes after winning "La Voz Kids," the program that made him known to a national audience. He combines his musical activity with piano studies at the Ramón Garay Professional Conservatory of Music in his city.
RTVE selected him through an internal process held in July. His official presentation took place in "El perro andaluz by Manu Sánchez," where he performed "Grande Amore," by Il Volo, accompanied by the Flamenco Orchestra of Seville and the Gospel Choir It.
"Cuore Bello" centers on the memories and the people who leave a mark. The proposal turns that emotional bond into the thread that runs through the song and its presentation on stage. RTVE had already explained this approach when announcing the theme in September: to preserve what continues to accompany us even as time passes.
| Position | Country | Points |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Armenia | 202 |
| 2 | Spain — Lucas Paulano | 184 |
| 3 | France | 165 |
Sources: EBU and breakdown of results published by ESCplus. Spain received 108 points from the juries and 76 from the public.
Who is Naré and what will happen with Eurovisión Junior 2027
The winner, Naré, is thirteen years old and comes from Yerevan. Her victory with "BOO!" marks Armenia's third win, after those achieved in 2010 and 2021.
Her arrival at the festival also has a story of perseverance: she applied four times to the national selection before managing to represent her country. The organization highlights her experience in musicals, television, and other artistic projects.
Winning does not automatically make Armenia the host of the next edition. The EBU has explained that it will work with its member broadcasters, including the winner, to select and announce who will organize Eurovisión Junior 2027.
To recover the contents of the Spanish candidacy, RTVE maintains its Eurovisión Junior space on RTVE Play. The final has already ended: the voting instructions published before the gala correspond to a closed deadline.