The expanded 48-team 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with world champions Spain dominating both the main trophy and the tournament’s individual honours.
Lionel Messi had entered the final in contention for a record-extending third Golden Ball, but a goalless 120 minutes in Argentina’s 1-0 extra-time defeat saw the 39-year-old icon settle for the runner-up prizes, the Silver Ball and Silver Boot, in what could be his final international appearance.
Instead, Spain’s midfield anchor Rodri was awarded the adidas Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
Complete roll of honour: FIFA World Cup 2026
| Award | Winner | Nation | Key tournament stats |
| adidas Golden Ball (Best Player) | Rodri | Spain | Masterful midfield orchestrator; led the tournament in passes completed and recoveries |
| adidas Silver Ball | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 goals and 4 assists across Argentina’s run to the final |
| adidas Bronze Ball | Kylian Mbappé | France | 10 goals in 8 matches |
| adidas Golden Boot (Top Scorer) | Kylian Mbappé | France | 10 goals, retaining the title he won in 2022 |
| adidas Silver Boot | Lionel Messi | Argentina | 8 goals |
| adidas Bronze Boot | Jude Bellingham | England | 7 goals |
| adidas Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper) | Unai Simón | Spain | 7 clean sheets, only 1 goal conceded in 8 matches |
| FIFA Best Young Player | Pau Cubarsí | Spain | 19-year-old defender who anchored Spain’s near-impenetrable backline |
| FIFA Fair Play Trophy | Netherlands | Netherlands | Best disciplinary record of the tournament, despite a round-of-32 exit to Morocco on penalties |
Key takeaways from the individual race
Rodri’s midfield masterclass
Rodri’s tactical discipline, defensive screening and rhythm-setting distribution proved central to keeping Spain in control throughout an undefeated campaign that conceded just once in eight matches. The win adds to a Ballon d’Or he collected in 2024, when he became the first defensive midfielder to win that award since Lothar Matthäus in 1990, a separate honour from the World Cup Golden Ball, but a marker of the same reputation that carried him to this one.
Mbappé retains the scorer’s crown
France captain Kylian Mbappé achieved a rare back-to-back Golden Boot double, winning the award at both the 2022 and 2026 World Cups. His 10-goal tally included a brace in France’s 6-4 defeat to England in the third-place playoff.
Simón and Cubarsí lock out the defensive awards
Spain’s defensive unit picked up both the Golden Glove and the Best Young Player award. Unai Simón conceded a single goal across eight full matches, while 19-year-old Barcelona centre-back Pau Cubarsí anchored the backline in front of him.
One award Spain didn’t win
For all their dominance, Spain missed out on the Fair Play Trophy. That went to the Netherlands, who topped the disciplinary standings despite exiting in the round of 32 to Morocco on penalties, a reminder that not every individual or team honour at this World Cup went Spain’s way.