The 2026 FIFA World Cup awards were presented after Spain defeated Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final at New York New Jersey Stadium on 19 July 2026.
Ferran Torres scored the winning goal in the 106th minute, securing Spain’s second men’s FIFA World Cup title and their first since 2010. The victory completed an exceptional campaign in which Spain conceded only one goal across eight matches.
Spain’s success was reflected in the tournament’s individual awards. Captain Rodri won the adidas Golden Ball, goalkeeper Unai Simón received the adidas Golden Glove and defender Pau Cubarsí was named the tournament’s best young player.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi received the adidas Silver Ball, while France captain Kylian Mbappé completed the best-player podium by winning the adidas Bronze Ball.
Mbappé also collected the adidas Golden Boot after finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer with 10 goals. Messi received the Silver Boot with eight goals, while England midfielder Jude Bellingham won the Bronze Boot with seven.
The Netherlands received the FIFA Fair Play Trophy, completing the official list of major individual and team honours from the first 48-team men’s World Cup.
🏆 Official 2026 FIFA World Cup Award Winners
| Award | Winner | Country | Key Tournament Record |
|---|---|---|---|
| Best Player Awards | |||
| 🥇 adidas Golden Ball | Rodri | Spain | 753 completed passes; 94% passing accuracy |
| 🥈 adidas Silver Ball | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 goals and 4 assists |
| 🥉 adidas Bronze Ball | Kylian Mbappé | France | 10 goals and 4 assists |
| Top Goalscorer Awards | |||
| 🥇 adidas Golden Boot | Kylian Mbappé | France | 10 goals, 4 assists, 769 minutes |
| 🥈 adidas Silver Boot | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 goals, 4 assists, 853 minutes |
| 🥉 adidas Bronze Boot | Jude Bellingham | England | 7 goals, 1 assist, 698 minutes |
| Goalkeeping and Special Awards | |||
| 🧤 adidas Golden Glove | Unai Simón | Spain | 7 clean sheets; 1 goal conceded |
| 🌟 FIFA Young Player Award | Pau Cubarsí | Spain | 19 years old; member of the title-winning defence |
| 🤝 FIFA Fair Play Trophy | Netherlands | Netherlands | Fair play, conduct and disciplinary assessment |
⭐ Rodri Wins the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball
Spain captain Rodri received the adidas Golden Ball as the best player at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Rodri was the controlling presence at the heart of Spain’s midfield throughout their undefeated title-winning campaign. His positional discipline gave Spain defensive security, while his ability to receive the ball under pressure allowed the champions to dictate the tempo of matches.
The midfielder completed a tournament-leading 753 passes with an accuracy rate of approximately 94 per cent. He was also involved in more passages of play than any other player at the tournament.
Rodri did not record a goal or an assist, but his importance extended far beyond direct attacking contributions. He connected Spain’s defence and attack, protected the space in front of the centre-backs and repeatedly helped his team play through opposition pressure.
His leadership became increasingly important during Spain’s knockout run. The eventual champions defeated Austria, Portugal, Belgium and France before overcoming Argentina in the final.
The award placed Rodri alongside an exclusive collection of World Cup Golden Ball winners that includes Lionel Messi, Luka Modrić, Zinedine Zidane, Ronaldo and Diego Maradona.
🥈 Lionel Messi Receives the Silver Ball
Lionel Messi received the adidas Silver Ball as the second-best player at the 2026 World Cup.
At the age of 39, Messi remained the central figure in Argentina’s attempt to defend the title they won in Qatar four years earlier. He finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists, helping Argentina reach a second consecutive World Cup final.
Messi carried much of Argentina’s creative responsibility and contributed important goals and assists throughout the group stage and knockout rounds. His performances placed him in contention for what would have been a record third Golden Ball.
Argentina were unable to retain their title after losing to Spain in extra time, but Messi’s Silver Ball represented another significant achievement in his extraordinary World Cup career.
🥉 Kylian Mbappé Wins the Bronze Ball
Kylian Mbappé received the adidas Bronze Ball after finishing third in the voting for the tournament’s best player.
The France captain was the competition’s leading scorer, registering 10 goals and four assists during another remarkable World Cup campaign.
Mbappé’s speed, movement and finishing remained the foundation of France’s attack as they progressed to the semifinals. Although France lost to Spain in the last four and were then beaten by England in the third-place playoff, Mbappé continued to deliver decisive attacking contributions.
The Bronze Ball accompanied his second consecutive Golden Boot and confirmed his place among the defining players of the 2026 tournament.
⚽ Kylian Mbappé Wins the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot
Kylian Mbappé won the adidas Golden Boot after finishing the 2026 FIFA World Cup with 10 goals and four assists in 769 minutes.
Mbappé entered France’s third-place playoff against England level with Lionel Messi on eight goals. He scored twice in the match to move clear at the top of the scoring standings.
The award was Mbappé’s second consecutive World Cup Golden Boot. He had previously led the scoring chart at Qatar 2022 with eight goals.
His 10-goal campaign placed him alongside Gerd Müller, who scored the same number for West Germany at the 1970 World Cup. Only Just Fontaine and Sándor Kocsis have scored more goals at a single men’s World Cup.
Mbappé scored in the group stage, Round of 32, Round of 16, quarterfinal and third-place playoff, demonstrating his ability to produce throughout the competition.
🥈 Lionel Messi Wins the 2026 World Cup Silver Boot
Lionel Messi received the adidas Silver Boot after finishing second in the scoring standings with eight goals and four assists in 853 minutes.
Messi had led the Golden Boot race following Argentina’s semifinal victory over England. At that stage he and Mbappé were level on eight goals, but Messi was ranked first because he had provided more assists.
Mbappé moved ahead by scoring twice in the third-place match, while Spain prevented Messi from adding to his total in the final.
Messi nevertheless completed one of the most productive tournaments of his international career, finishing with 12 direct goal contributions and leading Argentina to the final.
🥉 Jude Bellingham Wins the 2026 World Cup Bronze Boot
Jude Bellingham won the adidas Bronze Boot after scoring seven goals and providing one assist in 698 minutes for England.
Bellingham finished level on seven goals with Norway striker Erling Haaland. The England midfielder ranked above Haaland because assists are used as the first tie-breaker when players finish with the same number of goals.
The midfielder scored throughout England’s run to the semifinals and added his seventh goal during their dramatic third-place victory over France.
His performances helped England secure third place, the country’s best finish at a men’s World Cup since winning the tournament in 1966.
🧤 Unai Simón Wins the 2026 World Cup Golden Glove
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón received the adidas Golden Glove as the outstanding goalkeeper of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Simón kept a tournament-record seven clean sheets and conceded only one goal in eight matches.
Spain shut out Austria, Portugal, France and Argentina during the knockout rounds. Simón’s positioning, concentration and decision-making provided the foundation for the strongest defensive record in the competition.
His distribution was equally important. Spain regularly built attacks from their goalkeeper, and Simón remained composed when opponents attempted to press high up the pitch.
His seventh clean sheet came in the final as Spain defeated Argentina 1–0 after extra time to lift the World Cup Trophy.
🌟 Pau Cubarsí Wins the FIFA Young Player Award
Spain centre-back Pau Cubarsí won the FIFA Young Player Award following an outstanding tournament at the age of 19.
Cubarsí established himself as an essential part of Spain’s title-winning defence. His anticipation, positioning and confidence in possession allowed Spain to defend high up the pitch while continuing to control matches with the ball.
The Barcelona defender also played an important role in Spain’s build-up. His ability to pass through pressure helped the champions progress from defence into midfield without sacrificing control.
Cubarsí contributed to a defensive campaign in which Spain kept seven clean sheets and conceded only once across eight matches.
The FIFA Young Player Award, presented by Aramco, was open to eligible players born on or after 1 January 2005.
🤝 Netherlands Win the FIFA Fair Play Trophy
The Netherlands received the FIFA Fair Play Trophy at the conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The award recognises conduct that reflects the principles of fair play, including respect for opponents and officials, positive behaviour and the team’s overall disciplinary record.
Although the Netherlands were eliminated by Morocco following a penalty shootout in the Round of 32, their conduct during the competition earned them FIFA’s principal team award for fair play and sportsmanship.
❓ Frequently Asked Questions – 2026 FIFA World Cup Awards
Who won the Golden Ball at the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Spain captain Rodri won the adidas Golden Ball as the best player of the tournament.
Who won the Silver Ball at the 2026 World Cup?
Argentina captain Lionel Messi received the adidas Silver Ball after recording eight goals and four assists.
Who won the Bronze Ball at the 2026 World Cup?
France captain Kylian Mbappé received the adidas Bronze Ball.
Who won the Golden Boot at the 2026 World Cup?
Kylian Mbappé won the adidas Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals for France.
Who won the Silver Boot at the 2026 World Cup?
Lionel Messi won the adidas Silver Boot after scoring eight goals and providing four assists for Argentina.
Who won the Bronze Boot at the 2026 World Cup?
England midfielder Jude Bellingham received the adidas Bronze Boot after scoring seven goals and providing one assist.
Why did Jude Bellingham finish above Erling Haaland?
Bellingham and Haaland both scored seven goals. Bellingham ranked higher because he recorded one assist, while Haaland recorded none.
How is the World Cup Golden Boot decided?
The Golden Boot is awarded to the player who scores the most goals. If players finish level, assists are used as the first tie-breaker. If they are still level, the player who played fewer minutes ranks higher.
Who won the Golden Glove at the 2026 World Cup?
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón won the adidas Golden Glove after keeping seven clean sheets and conceding only one goal.
Who won the FIFA Young Player Award in 2026?
Spain defender Pau Cubarsí won the FIFA Young Player Award at the age of 19.
Who won the FIFA Fair Play Trophy at the 2026 World Cup?
The Netherlands received the FIFA Fair Play Trophy.
Who won the 2026 FIFA World Cup?
Spain won the tournament by defeating Argentina 1–0 after extra time in the final.
Who scored the winning goal in the 2026 World Cup final?
Ferran Torres scored the winning goal for Spain in the 106th minute.
How many World Cups has Spain won?
Spain has won the men’s FIFA World Cup twice, in 2010 and 2026.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup awards reflected Spain’s control of the tournament. Rodri dictated matches from midfield, Unai Simón protected a record-setting defence and Pau Cubarsí emerged as one of international football’s outstanding young defenders.
Mbappé’s 10-goal Golden Boot campaign provided the tournament’s other defining individual achievement, while Messi and Bellingham completed the scoring podium. The Netherlands’ Fair Play Trophy recognised conduct and sportsmanship during the first 48-team edition of the competition.
Together, the award winners represented the defining qualities of the 2026 World Cup: technical control, defensive excellence, individual goalscoring, emerging talent and respect for the game.
