Spain secures World Cup and individual honours
Spain claimed the World Cup title and swept the individual player awards following their victory over Argentina in the final. Midfielder and captain Rodri was awarded the Golden Ball, recognizing him as the tournament’s best player. Goalkeeper Unai Simón received the Golden Glove for his performance, while defender Pau Cubarsí earned the Best Young Player Award.
These accolades prevented Lionel Messi from adding further personal hardware, despite his team reaching a second consecutive final. Messi had been aiming for a record third Golden Ball award.
Rodri’s pivotal role and return from injury
Rodri’s Golden Ball win came after he captained Spain to their second World Cup title. The Manchester City midfielder had faced a challenging period, returning in May 2025 from knee surgery that had sidelined him for eight months. He reflected on his journey, stating he hoped his example would show the new generation that it is possible to rise again after setbacks.
Despite not registering any goals or assists during the tournament, Rodri was central to Spain’s possession-based play. He completed more passes than any other player, with 753 passes and a 94% accuracy rate. According to FIFA statistics, he was involved in 1,803 plays, nearly 200 more than any other player in this World Cup. Rodri is now one of a select group of players to have won the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d’Or.
This success follows a period of injury-disrupted seasons with his club. Rodri was a key figure in his club’s treble-winning team in 2022-23 and also played a significant role in their Premier League title win the following season. However, he ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in September 2024 and subsequently dealt with hamstring and groin injuries, limiting his appearances for his club and for Spain between their Euro 2024 triumph and this summer’s World Cup. He started all eight of Spain’s matches this summer, with the team winning all but one match, a 0-0 draw against Cape Verde.
Goalkeeping and defensive excellence
Unai Simón’s Golden Glove award recognized his record-setting performance. He achieved seven shutouts in the tournament, conceding only one goal across eight games. Simón’s nine total clean sheets in World Cup appearances place him close to the record shared by Peter Shilton and Fabian Barthez. He is the second Spanish goalkeeper to win this award, following Iker Casillas in 2010, the only other time Spain won the World Cup.
Pau Cubarsí, a 19-year-old defender from Barcelona, played every minute of the tournament. He formed a central-defensive partnership with Aymeric Laporte, contributing to Spain’s defence that conceded only once throughout the competition. Cubarsí and teammate Lamine Yamal became the first teenagers to start for a winning team in a World Cup final since Kylian Mbappé in 2018.
Golden Boot and other awards
Kylian Mbappé of France secured the Golden Boot award as the tournament’s top scorer. He recorded 10 goals and four assists for a France team that finished fourth. Mbappé scored two goals and provided an assist in France’s 6-4 loss to England in the third-place game. He has now scored more goals than any other player in World Cup history.
Messi finished with eight goals and four assists, but did not score or assist in the final, marking the first time in his last 12 World Cup matches that he did not contribute to a goal. Messi received the Silver Ball, while Mbappé was awarded the Bronze Ball, recognizing them as the second and third best players of the tournament, respectively.
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Source: sportsnet.ca
