Unai Simón: One of the more difficult positions to choose a standout. There is a case to be made against Simón. Spain are such a good team and so dominant in games that he has rarely been overextended. But for the Athletic Bilbao star to concede only once leading up to the final is a remarkable feat regardless. David Raya is regarded by some as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, so leaving the Arsenal star out of the starting XI has been a big call, but Simón continues to justify his place in the team, bringing a calmness to proceedings that epitomises the remarkable composure that runs through Luis de la Fuente’s team.
Defence
Pedro Porro: After a mixed season with Tottenham, Porro has shone at this World Cup. Not even in Spain’s squad during their Euros triumph when Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal was their starting right-back, the 26-year-old has become a key player for La Roja. In addition to being an important component in the tournament’s best defence, Porro has chipped in with two goals, including the crucial second in the win over France.
Pau Cubarsí: A strong candidate for the official Best Young Player award at this World Cup, at 19, Cubarsí already has the type of achievements under his belt that would be the envy of most veterans. He was another Spanish player not involved in their Euros triumph in 2024, but the teenager is so assured that he looks like he has been part of their backline for years. Ranked as the ninth best defender in the world by Sports Illustrated earlier this year, the Girona youth academy graduate already has more than 100 Barcelona appearances under his belt. Given that he had never competed at a big international tournament before, there were perhaps some doubts over how Cubarsí would cope, but he has lived up to the hype with his displays over the last few weeks.
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Aymeric Laporte: There are better centre-backs in football than the 32-year-old Athletic Bilbao player. But like so many in the Spanish team, Laporte appears to fit into the system seamlessly and always raises his game when the stakes are high. The France-born defender has started every game for Spain’s mean defence and has played every minute so far bar the dying moments of the 3-0 win in the round of 32 against Austria.
Marc Cucurella: A useful player in defence and attack who has contributed two assists. On the evidence of his World Cup performances so far, it is easy to see why Real Madrid paid an initial €55 million to prise him away from Chelsea last month. It’s amazing to think that as recently as 2021, Brighton signed the Barcelona academy graduate from Getafe for a modest (by football’s standards) €18 million fee. Since then, the 27-year-old has become a crucial player for his country, earning 31 caps. He made his competitive debut in the opening match of Euro 2024 but was an important part of that triumph too, securing a spot in the official team of the tournament.
Midfield
Rodri: Much was made over France’s PSG attackers having the luxury of being rested regularly during the Ligue 1 season. But the same is true to an extent for Rodri, whose minutes were managed carefully by Man City during the 2025-26 campaign amid his gradual recovery from an ACL injury. But at this World Cup, the Madrid-born footballer has looked back to something like his best. The 30-year-old has been key to Spain dominating matches and controlling games. It’s also worth noting La Roja’s starting XI has seen plenty of change over the course of the tournament. There were only seven survivors for France from the team that started their opener against Cape Verde, yet Rodri is one of the few virtual ever-presents for Luis de la Fuente’s side.
Jude Bellingham: Not really a midfielder in the traditional sense, but shoehorned in there for this hypothetical exercise. Few footballers can seize a moment or read and alter a game quite like Bellingham. Still only 23, he has eclipsed even Harry Kane as England’s best player at this tournament, with his capacity for the spectacular out of nothing. For all their success, Thomas Tuchel’s side have delivered a series of flawed and uneven performances at this tournament. But Bellingham stepping up at crucial moments has been a common theme. Nearly everything positive England have done over the past couple of weeks has somehow involved the Birmingham City youth graduate.
Michael Olise: Like France’s entire team, Olise didn’t perform to his usual standards against Spain, but for the most part, the former Crystal Palace player was a revelation at this tournament. No player has registered more assists than the London-born attacking midfielder’s five, though he will be disappointed that he has yet to find the net. Nonetheless, the Bayern star is a big reason why France were so exciting to watch, and despite ultimately falling short, no other team’s attack was comparable at their free-flowing best. His performance in the 3-0 win over Sweden was particularly electric, as he was at the forefront of France’s relentless attacking waves.
Attack
Kylian Mbappé: With eight goals and three assists in seven games, Mbappé was unplayable at times. After a complicated start to his Real Madrid career, perhaps the 27-year-old felt the need to remind people that he is among the best players in the world, and the former Monaco striker certainly succeeded on that front. With three World Cups under his belt and 20 goals from 21 matches, only Lionel Messi is higher on the tournament’s all-time scorers list.
Lionel Messi: At 39, Messi continues to defy logic by both playing and producing at a remarkably high level. Even ignoring his talent and ability to perform moments of magic that most footballers can only dream about, the sheer resilience and mental fortitude it requires to carry a nation’s hopes on his shoulders – as he has done for almost every World Cup he has participated in – is something that few would have the courage to replicate. The eye-watering stats are almost beside the point at this stage – there is a beauty in watching Messi’s majesty that no other footballer can emulate.
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Erling Haaland: By getting to the quarter-finals, Norway may have proved they are far more than a one-man team. But at the same time, there is no chance the country with an estimated population of 5.6 million would have reached those heights without the Man City superstar in their side. Seven goals from five games left him narrowly trailing Messi and Mbappé in the top scorers list, with his magnificent, clinical brace against Brazil among the standout individual displays at the tournament.
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Goalkeeper
Unai Simón: One of the more difficult positions to choose a standout. There is a case to be made against Simón. Spain are such a good team and so dominant in games that he has rarely been overextended. But for the Athletic Bilbao star to concede only once leading up to the final is a remarkable feat regardless. David Raya is regarded by some as the best goalkeeper in the Premier League, so leaving the Arsenal star out of the starting XI has been a big call, but Simón continues to justify his place in the team, bringing a calmness to proceedings that epitomises the remarkable composure that runs through Luis de la Fuente’s team.
Defence
Pedro Porro: After a mixed season with Tottenham, Porro has shone at this World Cup. Not even in Spain’s squad during their Euros triumph when Real Madrid’s Dani Carvajal was their starting right-back, the 26-year-old has become a key player for La Roja. In addition to being an important component in the tournament’s best defence, Porro has chipped in with two goals, including the crucial second in the win over France.
Pau Cubarsí: A strong candidate for the official Best Young Player award at this World Cup, at 19, Cubarsí already has the type of achievements under his belt that would be the envy of most veterans. He was another Spanish player not involved in their Euros triumph in 2024, but the teenager is so assured that he looks like he has been part of their backline for years. Ranked as the ninth best defender in the world by Sports Illustrated earlier this year, the Girona youth academy graduate already has more than 100 Barcelona appearances under his belt. Given that he had never competed at a big international tournament before, there were perhaps some doubts over how Cubarsí would cope, but he has lived up to the hype with his displays over the last few weeks.
Aymeric Laporte: There are better centre-backs in football than the 32-year-old Athletic Bilbao player. But like so many in the Spanish team, Laporte appears to fit into the system seamlessly and always raises his game when the stakes are high. The France-born defender has started every game for Spain’s mean defence and has played every minute so far bar the dying moments of the 3-0 win in the round of 32 against Austria.
Marc Cucurella: A useful player in defence and attack who has contributed two assists. On the evidence of his World Cup performances so far, it is easy to see why Real Madrid paid an initial €55 million to prise him away from Chelsea last month. It’s amazing to think that as recently as 2021, Brighton signed the Barcelona academy graduate from Getafe for a modest (by football’s standards) €18 million fee. Since then, the 27-year-old has become a crucial player for his country, earning 31 caps. He made his competitive debut in the opening match of Euro 2024 but was an important part of that triumph too, securing a spot in the official team of the tournament.
Midfield
Rodri: Much was made over France’s PSG attackers having the luxury of being rested regularly during the Ligue 1 season. But the same is true to an extent for Rodri, whose minutes were managed carefully by Man City during the 2025-26 campaign amid his gradual recovery from an ACL injury. But at this World Cup, the Madrid-born footballer has looked back to something like his best. The 30-year-old has been key to Spain dominating matches and controlling games. It’s also worth noting La Roja’s starting XI has seen plenty of change over the course of the tournament. There were only seven survivors for France from the team that started their opener against Cape Verde, yet Rodri is one of the few virtual ever-presents for Luis de la Fuente’s side.
Jude Bellingham: Not really a midfielder in the traditional sense, but shoehorned in there for this hypothetical exercise. Few footballers can seize a moment or read and alter a game quite like Bellingham. Still only 23, he has eclipsed even Harry Kane as England’s best player at this tournament, with his capacity for the spectacular out of nothing. For all their success, Thomas Tuchel’s side have delivered a series of flawed and uneven performances at this tournament. But Bellingham stepping up at crucial moments has been a common theme. Nearly everything positive England have done over the past couple of weeks has somehow involved the Birmingham City youth graduate.
Michael Olise: Like France’s entire team, Olise didn’t perform to his usual standards against Spain, but for the most part, the former Crystal Palace player was a revelation at this tournament. No player has registered more assists than the London-born attacking midfielder’s five, though he will be disappointed that he has yet to find the net. Nonetheless, the Bayern star is a big reason why France were so exciting to watch, and despite ultimately falling short, no other team’s attack was comparable at their free-flowing best. His performance in the 3-0 win over Sweden was particularly electric, as he was at the forefront of France’s relentless attacking waves.
Attack
Kylian Mbappé: With eight goals and three assists in seven games, Mbappé was unplayable at times. After a complicated start to his Real Madrid career, perhaps the 27-year-old felt the need to remind people that he is among the best players in the world, and the former Monaco striker certainly succeeded on that front. With three World Cups under his belt and 20 goals from 21 matches, only Lionel Messi is higher on the tournament’s all-time scorers list.
Lionel Messi: At 39, Messi continues to defy logic by both playing and producing at a remarkably high level. Even ignoring his talent and ability to perform moments of magic that most footballers can only dream about, the sheer resilience and mental fortitude it requires to carry a nation’s hopes on his shoulders – as he has done for almost every World Cup he has participated in – is something that few would have the courage to replicate. The eye-watering stats are almost beside the point at this stage – there is a beauty in watching Messi’s majesty that no other footballer can emulate.
Erling Haaland: By getting to the quarter-finals, Norway may have proved they are far more than a one-man team. But at the same time, there is no chance the country with an estimated population of 5.6 million would have reached those heights without the Man City superstar in their side. Seven goals from five games left him narrowly trailing Messi and Mbappé in the top scorers list, with his magnificent, clinical brace against Brazil among the standout individual displays at the tournament.
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2026 world cup ERLING Haaland kylian mbappe Lionel Messi Soccer standouts