ISTANBUL / Ahmed Hassan / Anadolu

The Spanish national team imposed its dominance on the closing scene of the 23rd edition of the FIFA World Cup 2026, after winning the title for the second time in its history by defeating Argentina 1-0 on Sunday.

La Roja crowned their efforts in the tournament thanks to the outstanding collective performance they displayed in all their matches, proving their right to sit on the throne of world football again after the era of the golden generation that won the 2010 edition in South Africa.

The Spanish Matador's superiority in the edition hosted by North America was not limited to winning the cup alone, but extended to their players dominating most of the FIFA individual awards in the tournament.

The Spanish trio consisting of Rodri, Pau Cubarsi, and Unai Simon won the Best Player, Best Young Player, and Best Goalkeeper awards respectively, while Frenchman Kylian Mbappe won the Golden Boot award, and the Netherlands national team won the Fair Play award.

Rodri was chosen as the best player in the 2026 World Cup after a tournament in which he played a pivotal role in the midfield of the Spanish national team, returning to his previous brilliance when he won the Ballon d'Or for the best player in the world in 2024.

Spain coach Luis de la Fuente used Rodri's calm and calculated passes perfectly, allowing his teammates to shine in attack through ball recycling.

In the match against Argentina, Rodri led the midfield to absolute control over the course of the game, acting as the fulcrum and the link between the different lines of the team. His passing accuracy reached 95 percent, in addition to having the third highest number of touches in the match.

The tournament was also strong for the young defender Pau Cubarsi (19 years old), as despite his young age, he was up to the responsibility against the world's top stars, especially in the matches against France and Argentina, facing Kylian Mbappe and then Lionel Messi.

Cubarsi did not commit any fouls, and helped his team keep clean sheets in most of the team's matches, which qualified them to reach the final match.

In the match against Argentina, his total superiority with his teammates in limiting the danger of Argentina's attackers was evident, making six clearances, the highest number in the match.

Goalkeeper Unai Simon delivered a distinguished performance and kept a clean sheet in seven matches, conceding only one goal, so it was logical to choose him as the best goalkeeper in the World Cup, earning the Golden Glove award.

His save percentage reached 91.7 percent, the highest in the tournament. The Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper maintained a streak of 650 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal until the match against Belgium in the quarterfinals, in which he conceded the only goal of the tournament.

Before the start of the Spanish national team's campaign in the 2026 World Cup, a heated debate erupted over the goalkeeper position, as David Raya had an excellent season with Arsenal, while Juan Garcia was considered the most prominent talent in the Spanish league.

However, coach Luis de la Fuente placed his full trust in Unai Simon, considering him an indispensable cornerstone in the Spanish national team, and the goalkeeper proved that this trust was well placed.