The FIFA World Cup 2026 has chosen its winner, as Spain defeated Argentina with a 1-0 score. The match was clearly dominated by the challenger, who went for the goal almost 11 times and succeeded in the 12th attempt when substitute player Rodri sent the ball past the goalkeeper into the net in the 106th minute of extra time—crushing Argentina's dream of becoming the first team since Brazil (1958 and 1962) to win consecutive FIFA World Cup titles.

 

This is Spain's second FIFA World Cup title after the 2010 tournament, which they won with teamwork, tactical control and overwhelming possession, which is reflected in the additional titles that Spain has won along with the FIFA World Cup. From the Golden Ball to the Golden Glove, let's delve into the major highlights of the FIFA World Cup 2026 awards.

 

Golden Ball

 

The FIFA World Cup Golden Ball is presented to the player who showed an impactful contribution and tactical excellence over the tournament, unlike the Golden Boot, which is decided through only statistics. It focuses on the player's overall contribution on the ground, which is decided by the official body of FIFA called the Technical Study Group (TSG), consisting of former players, managers and football analysts. They determine the shortlist by analysing each match to identify the player with consistent and impactful performance and later send it to accredited representatives of the international media covering the tournament to cast their votes to determine the winner.

 

 

This year's Spain captain, Rodri, won the Golden Ball Award, followed by Messi and Mbappé, who won the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball, respectively.

 

Golden Boot

 

 

The Golden Boot award is one of the most prestigious titles awarded to the player with the most goals, and if two players have the same number of goals, the winner is determined by the higher number of assists. It relies totally on sheer stats, and this year, French player Mbappé claimed the title and became the first player to win this award twice, having previously won it in 2022. He scored 10 goals to finish as the tournament's top scorer.

 

Golden Glove

 

 

Unai Simón won the Golden Glove award of the FIFA World Cup 2026 by only conceding one goal in eight matches, in the quarter-final against Belgium. His clean-sheet performance over the tournament enabled Spain to win the competition and create a streak of 650 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal.

 

Best Young Player Award

 

 

The Best Young Player Award is given to the best-performing eligible young footballer in the tournament, based on FIFA's age eligibility criteria for that edition; the criteria involve the analysis of overall performance, technical skills, tactical maturity and fair play that determine their position in the list. This year's award was presented to Spain's centre-back Pau Cubarsí, who is 19 years old. While he was anchoring the defence, Spain only conceded one goal in all eight matches. He played every single minute in the tournament, which amounted to 750 minutes, and made his place among the players who won the World Cup in their teenage years alongside his teammates Lamine Yamal and Dean Huijsen and legends such as Pelé.

 

Final Thought

 

The FIFA World Cup title and other awards are a recognition of the efforts and hard work a team or player has shown in the tournament. While Spain won the World Cup title, its list of awards extends further to the individual level, except for the Golden Boot award; the winning team was able to acquire all the other major individual titles, including the Golden Ball, Golden Glove and Best Young Player Award. This showcases the team performance, which excels both as a team and on an individual stage, resulting in Spain's second FIFA World Cup title.