From the Golden Boot to the Best Young player, here are all the award winners from the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the North Americas
Published: July 20, 2026, 7:44 AM IST
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Rodri wins the Golden Ball. (Credits: X)
Lionel Messi’s dream of claiming back-to-back World titles crashed out as the reigning champions succumbed to a 1-0 loss against the current European champions Spain in an hard fought finale at the New York Stadium earlier today. The likes of Lamine Yamal, Ferran Torres and Rodri among others helped La Roja clinch their 2nd World Cup and first since the 2010 edition.
After the finale, FIFA handed out the individual honors to the players who rightfully earned them after a grueling one month or so. From the Golden Boot to the Best Young player, here are all the award winners from the 2026 FIFA World Cup across the North Americas.
Golden Ball: Rodri (Spain)
Spain’s midfield anchor Rodri took home the prestigious Golden Ball award as the tournament’s best player. Acting as the central conductor for La Roja, the 30-year-old Manchester City midfielder controlled the tempo of every single match. He played a flawless defensive shield role, blocking counterattacks and maintaining Spain’s high-possession style. His stellar positioning helped keep opponents completely at bay throughout Spain’s campaign.
The moment Rodri won the Golden Ball. Blessed by the football gods. pic.twitter.com/CjbP5dgUE0
— Geronimo Morgans (@GeronimoMorgans) July 19, 2026
His performance in the finale was particularly outstanding as he began in the best way possible against Argentina. La Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi won the Silver Ball for being the 2nd best player while Kylian Mbappe was handed the Bronze Ball.
Golden Boot: Kylian Mbappe (France)
Despite France falling just short of reaching a 3rd consecutive final, superstar forward Kylian Mbappe walked away with the Golden Boot. The explosive Real Madrid striker put on a historic goal-scoring tournament, netting an astonishing 10 goals and providing 4 assists in his 8 appearances. His double-digit tally marks the highest single-tournament individual goal count at a World Cup since West Germany’s Gerd Muller accomplished the feat back in 1970.
Golden Glove: Unai Simon (Spain)
The Golden Glove award went to Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simon as there was no other contender that was as good as him. His incredibly steady and reliable performance between the posts were a key reason behind Spain’s dominance throughout the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Backed by an organized defensive line, Simon kept a record-equalling 7 clean sheets in 8 matches. Spain’s possession-heavy dominance limited opponents to just 11 shots on target across the entire tournament, resulting in La Roja conceding a mere 1 goal during their entire world championship run.
Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsi (Spain)
At just 19 years old, Barcelona center-back Pau Cubarsi won the FIFA Best Young Player award for his extraordinary composure and solidity at the back. The teenage prodigy started the final against Argentina and showed calmness well beyond his years throughout the tournament. Having played 700+ minutes in this tournament, Cubarsi maintained a 96% pass completion rate and 640 completed passes.
