The Golden Lineup for the 2026 World Cup
East Rutherford – AFP – From Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon to French star Kylian Mbappe, via pivotal Spanish midfielder Rodri and Argentine genius Lionel Messi: a look at the ideal lineup of players who left their mark on the 23rd edition of the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals in North America.
Coach Luis de la Fuente hesitated to name him first-choice goalkeeper before the World Cup, but the Athletic Bilbao keeper, who was a regular at Euro 2024 and entered the tournament competing with David Raya and Juan Garcia in the United States, quickly established himself as the undisputed choice.
- Pedro Porro (Spain): On the right flank, where Lamine Yamal, a source of terror for opponents, operated, the English Tottenham player was ideal in shielding his team behind the young Barcelona talent. He also showcased his attacking prowess, scoring two goals, including one in the semi-final that effectively ended France’s hopes (2-0).
- Lisandro Martinez (Argentina): The defensive rock’s role extended beyond defensive duties. He played a crucial part in Argentina’s qualification for the round of 16 with a perfectly executed assist to Messi, in addition to scoring against Cape Verde (3-2 after extra time).
However, he was forced to leave the final heartbroken due to an injury sustained in the 44th minute.
- Aymeric Laporte (Spain): Despite being called up numerous times, he never played for the French national team under Didier Deschamps, choosing to represent Spain after acquiring citizenship in 2021 thanks to his Basque heritage.
La Roja could only welcome this decision, as he became one of the world’s best defenders in the center-back position, helping transform Spain’s backline into an impenetrable fortress that conceded just one goal in eight matches during the World Cup.
- Marc Cucurella (Spain): With his strikingly thick hair, the future Real Madrid player never fails to attract attention.
He delivered consistently high performances on the left side of Spain’s defense, standing firm against opposing forwards while demonstrating the ability to advance and deliver precise crosses thanks to his technical skills.
He made a resounding return to prominence after a long absence due to a serious knee injury. Without him, La Roja might not have dominated the World Cup as they did two years ago at Euro 2024.
After being named the tournament’s best player, he has become more than ever a strong contender for the next Ballon d’Or, which he previously won in 2024.
- Jude Bellingham (England): What would England have done without the Real Madrid player? Bellingham shone behind Harry Kane, leading the Three Lions by scoring seven goals, including braces in the round of 16 against Mexico (3-2) and the quarter-finals against Norway (2-1 after extra time).
However, two years after losing the Euro final to Spain, he failed once again to secure a trophy that has eluded England since 1966.
- Dani Olmo (Spain): The playmaker and artist in creating space, the midfielder added his unique touch to the World Cup. Although he did not score any goals, the spark often emanated from his feet, as seen in his quick touch that set up Pedro Porro for Spain’s second goal in the semi-final.
- Michael Olise (France): In his first World Cup appearance at the age of 24, the German Bayern Munich player stole the spotlight after taking on the role of France’s playmaker.
He amazed everyone with the high-level technical skills he had previously displayed in the Champions League, although his influence waned somewhat from the quarter-finals onward.
As he did in the last two seasons of the Bundesliga, he finished the tournament as the top assist provider in a single World Cup edition, with seven assists.
His eight goals and four key passes saved Argentina on more than one occasion during the tense knockout matches. However, he was not influential in the final against Spain, which denied him the chance to add a second World Cup star to his collection.
- Kylian Mbappé (France): The captain of Les Bleus entered the tournament with great determination to shine in his favorite competition, after enduring a frustrating and trophy-less season with Real Madrid.
His faith was well-placed, as he led France to the semi-finals while enhancing his already impressive personal statistics. During the tournament, he became France’s all-time top scorer with 66 goals in 106 international appearances, and also emerged as the all-time top scorer in World Cup history with 22 goals. He won the Golden Boot for the second consecutive time after netting 10 goals, four years after scoring eight in Qatar. Remarkable numbers for the 2018 World Cup champion.
