By Emeka Dennar
Spain captain Rodrigo Hernández Cascante, popularly known as Rodri, has been awarded the Golden Ball as the best player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
The midfield maestro was the driving force behind Spain’s triumphant campaign, orchestrating a team that recorded six clean-sheet victories, including in the final. His influence was particularly evident in the semifinal against France, where he won 11 duels—more than the entire French midfield combined—to help propel La Roja into the final.
Rodri’s commanding performances throughout the tournament earned him a place in football history as the first holding midfielder to win the World Cup Golden Ball and the first non-attacking player to claim the award since Luka Modrić in 2018.
His standout display came in Spain’s 2-0 semifinal victory over France, a performance that firmly established him as the frontrunner for the honour. In the final, he anchored Spain’s midfield in a dominant display before Ferran Torres scored the decisive goal in the 106th minute against an Argentina side reduced to 10 men following Enzo Fernández’s red card.
The award adds another remarkable achievement to Rodri’s career, making him the 11th player to have won the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d’Or.
Silver Ball
Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who won the Golden Ball at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, finished as the runner-up this time and took home the Silver Ball.
Bronze Ball
France star Kylian Mbappé completed the podium places, earning the Bronze Ball as the tournament’s third-best player.
Golden Boot
Mbappé, however, collected an even bigger prize. The French forward won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer after netting 10 goals.
The achievement made him the first player in World Cup history to win the Golden Boot twice, having also claimed the award four years earlier in Qatar.
Golden Glove
Spain goalkeeper Unai Simón was named the winner of the Golden Glove after playing a key role in the tournament’s most formidable defence.
Spain conceded just one goal in seven matches on their way to lifting the trophy, while Simón set a new World Cup record by going 650 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal.
Best Young Player
Spain defender Pau Cubarsí was named the tournament’s Best Young Player following a series of composed and commanding performances at the heart of La Roja’s defence.
The teenage centre-back played a crucial role in Spain’s historic defensive campaign, helping his side concede only one goal throughout the tournament as they marched to World Cup glory.
Fair Play Award
The Netherlands were awarded the 2026 World Cup Fair Play Award, recognizing them as the team with exemplary fair play behavior throughout the tournament.
