FIFA announced the winners of the individual awards for the 2026 World Cup following the final, in which Spain beat Argentina 1–0 in extra time. The «Golden Ball» for the tournament’s best player went to Spain’s captain, Rodri, whilst the «Golden Boot» for top scorer, with 10 goals, was awarded to France’s Kylian Mbappé.
Briefly about the main points
- Rodri was awarded the «Golden Ball» for the best player of the 2026 World Cup.
- Mbappé finished as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals.
- Unai Simón has kept seven clean sheets in eight matches.
- Pau Kubarsi was named the tournament’s best young player.
- Spain beat Argentina in extra time in the final.
The tournament’s top individual honours
According to FIFA According to FIFPRO, the «Silver Ball» went to Lionel Messi, whilst the «Bronze Ball» went to Kylian Mbappé. In the top scorer category, the Frenchman was followed by Messi with eight goals and Jude Bellingham with seven.
The award for the best goalkeeper — the «Golden Glove» — went to Unai Simón. Pau Cubarsi, a centre-back for the Spanish national team, was named the championship’s best young player.
Mbappé and Simon’s records
Ten goals earned Mbappé his second consecutive «Golden Boot» following the 2022 World Cup. His total tally at World Cups now stands at 22 goals — a tournament record for the highest number of goals scored. However, the record for the most goals scored in a single World Cup tournament is held by Just Fontaine, who scored 13 times in 1958.
Simón finished the tournament with seven clean sheets in eight matches, a record for a single goalkeeper at a single World Cup. Spain conceded just one goal throughout the tournament — in the quarter-final against Belgium.
The final in New Jersey was decided by a goal from Torres
Spain On 19 July, they beat the reigning world champions, Argentina, at the New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford. Ferran Torres, who came on as a substitute, scored his first goal of the tournament in the 106th minute.
According to the Associated Press, by the time Argentina had their first shot on goal, the Spanish had already had 20 shots on their opponents’ goal. The Argentine team did not have their first shot on goal until the second period of extra time.
Spain’s lead in the medal tally
Spain won their second World Cup title following their victory in 2010. Its players won three of the four major individual awards: Rodri was named Player of the Tournament, Simón was named Best Goalkeeper, and Kubarsi was named Best Young Player.
This combination of a team title and individual honours reflects the Spaniards’ balanced performance in the tournament: their solid defensive play and control in the final were recognised separately, whilst the top scorer award went to Mbappé.
