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The 2026 World Cup has officially drawn to a close, with Spain capturing its second global title in a 1-0 extra-time thriller over Lionel Messi and Argentina. As players disperse and return to their respective clubs, a select group left an indelible mark on North America, earning a place in our Best XI for the largest, most expansive World Cup in soccer history.
This historic 48-team tournament bridged the past, present, and future of global stardom, featuring legacy icons like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Neymar, and Luka Modric alongside the sport’s modern titan in Kylian Mbappe and Rodri, plus rising superstars like Erling Haaland, Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, and Desire Doue.
While figures from every era produced iconic moments on the pitch, only 11 players made the cut for World Soccer Talk’s dream lineup, structured in a traditional 4-3-3 formation.
Goalkeeper and Defenders
In goal, Unai Simon authored a historical campaign, setting a World Cup record for consecutive shutout minutes while capturing the Golden Glove with seven clean sheets. Conceding just a single goal during Spain’s quarterfinal clash against Belgium, the Athletic Bilbao stopper served as the ultimate security net behind La Roja’s march to glory.
Spain also swept the fullback positions in our XI, anchored by Pedro Porro on the right and Marc Cucurella on the left. Blending relentless overlapping runs with disciplined defensive coverage, the duo completely locked down the flanks and gave Spain the most complete fullback tandem in the tournament.
Pau Cubarsi, who earned the FIFA Young Player Award, secured his spot at center-back after fearlessly organizing Spain’s defense against Ronaldo, Mbappe, and Messi, capping his tournament with a legendary clearance in the final. Partnering him is Argentina’s Cristian Romero, who despite his side conceding eight total goals throughout the tournament, proved to be a dominant, warrior-like presence on the backline with crucial tackles and clutch aerial defense.
Midfielders
Awarded the World Cup Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player, Rodri dictated the tempo of every match for Spain, leading all players with a staggering 94.5 completed passes per game. Operating alongside him, Jude Bellingham served as England’s heartbeat, directly contributing to seven goals and driving the Three Lions to a third-place finish, their finest performance on foreign soil in program history.
Operating in an attacking role, Michael Olise rounds out the midfield following a legendary individual tournament. In his World Cup debut, the Bayern Munich playmaker recorded seven assists, breaking Pele’s 56-year-old single-tournament assist record (6) set during the 1970 World Cup in Mexico.
Forwards
Stationed on the right wing, Lionel Messi delivered another heroic, timeless World Cup performance, almost single-handedly driving Argentina back to the final. The legendary captain scored eight goals and provided four assists, directly factoring into 12 of Argentina’s 19 total goals throughout their run in North America.
At center forward, Erling Haaland gets the nod after a breathtaking debut campaign that yielded seven goals in just five matches, leading Norway to its first World Cup appearance in 28 years. The Manchester City superstar announced himself on the global stage with an iconic two-goal performance against Brazil in the Round of 16, propelling the Scandinavian nation into the quarterfinals for the first time in its history.
Rounding out the front line, Kylian Mbappe claims the final spot after taking home the World Cup Golden Boot with 10 goals and four assists. At just 27 years old, the French icon cemented his status among the game’s all-time greats, bringing his career total to an astonishing 22 World Cup goals in 22 career matches.
2026 World Cup Best XI (4-3-3)
- Goalkeeper: Unai Simon (Spain).
- Defenders: Pedro Porro (Spain), Pau Cubarsi (Spain), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Marc Cucurella (Spain).
- Midfielders: Rodri (Spain), Jude Bellingham (England), Michael Olise (France).
- Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina), Erling Haaland (Norway), Kylian Mbappe (France).
Honorable mentions
Several standout performers delivered exceptional campaigns for their national teams, just missing out on the primary starting XI:
- Vozinha (Cape Verde)
- Daniel Muñoz (Colombia)
- Fabian Ruiz (Spain)
- Malik Tillman (USMNT)
- Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
- Harry Kane (England)
- Julian Quiñones (Mexico)
- Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
- Ayase Ueda (Japan)
- Ousmane Dembele (France)
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