Spain’s historic triumph at the 2026 FIFA World Cup was capped by a clean sweep of the tournament’s top individual honours after La Roja defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in Sunday’s final at the MetLife Stadium.
Luis de la Fuente’s side claimed their second World Cup title, 16 years after lifting their maiden trophy in South Africa, while also making history by becoming the first team to win the tournament after conceding just one goal throughout the competition.
The victory crowned a remarkable campaign for Spain, with several of the team’s standout performers recognised for their contributions during the month-long tournament.
Midfield maestro Rodri was named the winner of the Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player after orchestrating Spain’s title-winning run. The Manchester City midfielder dictated the tempo of matches with his composure, passing range and leadership, playing a pivotal role in La Roja’s dominance from midfield.
France captain Kylian Mbappe claimed the Golden Boot after finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 10 goals in eight appearances. The achievement made him the first player to win the World Cup’s top scorer award at two consecutive editions, while also extending his record as the highest-scoring player in men’s World Cup history with 22 career goals.
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón received the Golden Glove award after producing a series of outstanding performances between the posts. Simón helped Spain concede only once during the tournament and also established a new World Cup record by going 650 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal.
Spain’s teenage defender Pau Cubarsí was named the Best Young Player of the tournament following a series of composed displays at the heart of the Spanish defence. The youngster emerged as one of the revelations of the competition, playing a key role in Spain’s record-breaking defensive campaign.
The FIFA Fair Play Award was presented to the Netherlands in recognition of the team’s exemplary disciplinary record and sporting conduct throughout the tournament.
Argentina, led by Lionel Messi in what is widely expected to be his final World Cup appearance, finished as runners-up after losing the final, while England secured third place with an entertaining 6-4 victory over France in the third-place play-off.
Full list of 2026 FIFA World Cup award winners
Champions: Spain
Runners-up: Argentina
Third place: England
Fourth place: France
Golden Ball (Best Player): Rodri (Spain)
Golden Boot (Top Scorer): Kylian Mbappe (France)
Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper): Unai Simón (Spain)
Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsí (Spain)
FIFA Fair Play Award: Netherlands
The awards reflected Spain’s dominance throughout the tournament, with four of the five major individual honours going to members of the newly crowned world champions following one of the most impressive World Cup campaigns in the competition’s history.
(The Sun)
