EAST RUTHERFORD, New Jersey — Spain swept the top individual honors at the 2026 FIFA World Cup after defeating Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s final, with midfielder Rodri winning the Golden Ball, goalkeeper Unai Simón claiming the Golden Glove, and defender Pau Cubarsí receiving the Best Young Player Award. France captain Kylian Mbappé secured the Golden Boot with 10 goals.
Rodri earned the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player after leading Spain to its second World Cup title. FIFA’s Technical Study Group selected him based on his overall performances throughout the tournament.
“I just want the new generation to see my example as an opportunity that if you go down, you can rise again,” Rodri said after the match.
Rodri completed a tournament-high 753 passes with a 94% completion rate and recorded 1,803 involvements, according to FIFA statistics. He finished the tournament without a goal or an assist.
Simón won the Golden Glove after posting seven clean sheets and conceding one goal in eight matches. Cubarsí received the Best Young Player Award after helping anchor Spain’s defense, edging teammate Lamine Yamal for the honor.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi finished with the Silver Ball after scoring eight goals and providing four assists. He entered the final tied with Mbappé for the Golden Boot race but did not record a goal or an assist against Spain.
Mbappé won the Golden Boot after finishing with 10 goals and four assists. He scored twice and added an assist in France’s 6-4 loss to England in the third-place match, becoming the first player since Gerd Müller in 1970 to score 10 goals in a single World Cup.
The 27-year-old Real Madrid forward also set a World Cup career scoring record with 22 goals, surpassing Messi’s 21. He previously won the Golden Boot at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar with eight goals, becoming the first player to claim the award twice.
