Spain have been crowned champions of the 2026 World Cup after a thrilling tournament in North America. The expanded format brought more excitement, controversy, and incredible talent, with established stars and emerging players shining on the biggest stage. Metro has compiled its best starting XI from the finals.
Goalkeeper: Vozinha (Cape Verde)
Spain's Unai Simon conceded only one goal en route to the final, but Vozinha earned his spot with seven huge saves to keep a clean sheet on Cape Verde's World Cup debut against the European champions. The 40-year-old then helped his tiny nation reach the knockouts and take eventual finalists Argentina to extra time, a miraculous achievement that may earn him a transfer to Lionel Messi's Inter Miami.
Right-Back: Daniel Munoz (Colombia)
Crystal Palace's Daniel Munoz excelled both defensively and offensively, conceding just one goal in five games and scoring twice. He was powerless to prevent Colombia's penalty shootout defeat to Switzerland.
Centre-Back: Pau Cubarsi (Spain)
The 19-year-old Barcelona graduate put on a defensive masterclass to stop Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise in the semi-finals. He became the fifth teenager to start and win a World Cup final, joining Mbappe and Pele, and won the tournament's best young player award.
Centre-Back: Cristian Romero (Argentina)
Despite a poor season as Tottenham captain, Romero epitomised Argentina's never-say-die attitude. Gary Neville called him part of 'the best, worst centre-half pairing in the world,' but Romero's performances drove Argentina through the knockouts.
Left-Back: Marc Cucurella (Spain)
Cucurella was not distracted by his mid-tournament move from Chelsea to Real Madrid. He bagged two assists in a statement win over Austria and proved a nightmare for attackers and defenders alike.
Defensive Midfielder: Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)
The 18-year-old only declared for Morocco in May but has been touted as a £100 million player after imperious performances against Brazil, Scotland, and the Netherlands. Rodri's commanding displays guided Spain to the final, but Bouaddi's hype could not be ignored.
Central Midfielder: Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
Manzambi recorded three goals and two assists in just 220 minutes as Switzerland reached the quarter-finals, where they narrowly lost to Argentina. Aston Villa signed the 20-year-old in a club-record deal worth nearly £60 million.
Central Midfielder: Jude Bellingham (England)
Bellingham is the sole England representative in the XI after scoring six times from midfield, carrying the Three Lions to the semi-finals with heroic efforts against Mexico and Norway. The 23-year-old looks like the next England captain, despite some questioning his selection by Thomas Tuchel.
Right Winger: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
At 39, Messi is on the verge of leading Argentina to back-to-back World Cups, a feat not achieved since Brazil in 1962. The entire team is built around him, and he rescued them from elimination. He is almost certain to win a third Golden Ball and possibly a ninth Ballon d'Or.
Striker: Erling Haaland (Norway)
Haaland scored seven goals in five games for a nation that had not played at a major tournament in 26 years. A brace in the historic win over Brazil, against his Arsenal nemesis Gabriel Magalhaes, answered questions about his ability on the biggest stage.
Left Winger: Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappe cemented himself as one of the greatest players in World Cup history with eight goals and three assists. He may become the first player to win two World Cup Golden Boots, depending on his performance in the third-placed play-off against England and Messi's showing in the final.
