2026 World Cup Awards: The Stand Out Players & Teams from This Year’s Tournament

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Kylian Mbappé
Credit Victor Velter via Shutterstock

The dust has settled on the 2026 World Cup and most England fans have moved on from the tame defeat against Argentina, during which the Three Lions once again retreated into their shells when the game was there to be won. With time easing the pain, now is a good time to look back at the North American extravaganza in more general terms.

Obviously Spain won the biggest prize of all, the World Cup itself – pleasing just about every neutral around the globe. They overcame Argentina 1-0 in extra time in a clash in which Argentina’s first shot did not come until the 117th minute. They managed another after 122 minutes, but neither was on target, and they seemed far more interested in fouling and harassing Spain rather than actually playing football.

Argentina did defend bravely, if often cynically, but there’s little doubt that the best team won in the end. Spain added the World Cup to their 2024 European Championship victory, but what of the other awards and prizes at the 2026 World Cup?

Kylian Mbappé Makes History with Second Golden Boot Win


Aside from the World Cup itself, the prize for the top goalscorer, the Golden Boot, is probably the most prestigious handed out at the tournament. In 2026, such was the quality of the battle to be the top marksman, it sometimes even managed to attract more attention than the World Cup itself.

Harry Kane, Kylian Mbappe, Lionel Messi and Erling Haaland, among others, all got off to blistering starts. Messi netted a treble in Argentina’s first clash, while the other three big guns all bagged braces. At one stage it seemed as though Just Fontaine’s record of 13 goals at a World Cup (in 1958, from just six matches) might be under threat.

In the end, though, Mbappe outscored his rivals to land the Golden Boot with 10 goals in eight games. The France and Real Madrid megastar also added four assists, meaning he won by two goals. Messi was second, with eight (and also four assists), with Jude Bellingham a surprise third, netting seven times from far fewer minutes than either of the players ahead of him.

Mbappe made history by becoming the first player to successfully defend the World Cup Golden Boot, after his success in 2022. In fact, he is the first to win it more than once, further cementing his place as one of the all-time greats. Messi finished second for the second World Cup in a row, though his eight goals (and four assists) would have been enough to win in every previous World Cup going back to 1970!

However, while neither of these legends ended up walking away with the World Cup itself, Mbappe will be the happier of the two from an individual perspective. Although the former PSG man missed out on a third consecutive World Cup, he did more than just win the Golden Boot.

His 10 goals in North America took his tally in World Cups to 22 in 22 games. Both he and Messi moved ahead of former record holder Miroslav Klose (16 goals in 24 games) at this tournament. At one stage Messi held the record for most goals at the finals, but in the end it was Mbappe who finished top of the pile, with one more than the Argentine GOAT. And Mbappe has a far greater chance of appearing at the next World Cup than his rival, so may well extend that lead.

Rodri a Worthy Winner of the Golden Ball


Goals win games, and because the race for the Golden Boot can be quantified, it is the individual award that fans, pundits and the media tend to focus on. However, in some regards, the Golden Ball is the more prestigious honour. Awarded to the best player at the tournament, as decided by a combination of FIFA’s technical committee and the media, Messi is the only player to have won it twice.

In 2022, Mbappe outscored Messi, but the latter pipped the former to the Golden Ball. This time around, the Frenchman was third, with Argentina’s finest ever player in second place, and World Cup winner Rodri taking the honours. Spain’s World Cup triumph was a true team effort, underpinned by an incredibly strong football culture and identity. The chief cog in this imperious machine was Rodri, who, just as Pep Guardiola had predicted, was back to his very best for the World Cup.

Golden Glove, Young Player and Fair Play Trophy


Unai Simón was an obvious choice for the Golden Glove given the Spanish stopper conceded just a single goal at the whole tournament. The Bilbao goalie was a controversial pick ahead of Arsenal’s brilliant David Raya, but seven clean sheets – two more than the previous best – and his calm presence and excellent distribution proved it was the right decision.

Spain made it a clean sweep of the individual honours, with Barcelona’s precocious and brilliant centre back Pau Cubarsi winning the FIFA Young Player Award. He was a shoo-in really, given his imperious play throughout the tournament and his side’s defensive record.

Last, and in this case least, the Netherlands won the Fair Play Trophy. This is given to the side with the best disciplinary record that made it as far as the knockout phase. And literally nobody cares about it.