The 2026 World Cup has finally drawn to a close with Spain crowned as fitting winners.
The expanded format of the tournament has showcased even more excitement, controversy and, of course, incredible football talent than ever before.
Many of the sport’s biggest names delivered but it was also a World Cup for the next generation of top players and for cult heroes whose heroics will never be forgotten by fans.
With that in mind, Metro have compiled our best starting XI from the 2026 World Cup finals in North America.
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GK: Vozinha (Cape Verde)
Spain’s Unai Simon may have only conceded one goal en route to the final, but we couldn’t not pick Vozinho, who made seven huge saves to keep a clean sheet on Cape Verde’s World Cup debut against the European champions.
An overnight sensation, the 40-year-old then helped his tiny nation reach the knockouts and take eventual finalists Argentina to extra-time, a miraculous achievement that may well earn the goalkeeper a transfer to Lionel Messi’s Inter Miami.
RB: Daniel Munoz (Colombia)
The entire Spain back-line could be here but we’ve decided to share the love, so instead of Pedro Porro, we’ve picked Crystal Palace’s Daniel Munoz.
The flying full-back excelled both defensively and offensively, conceding just one goal in five games and scoring twice, but was powerless to prevent Colombia’s defeat to Switzerland on penalties.
CB: Pau Cubarsi (Spain)
It’s splitting hairs picking between teammates Pau Curbarsi and Aymeric Laporte but we’ll go with the 19-year-old who put on a defensive masterclass to stop Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise in the semi-finals.
Only four teenagers have started and won a World Cup final, including Mbappe and Pele. The Barcelona graduate became the fifth last night and picked up the award for the tournament’s best young player to boot.
CB: Cristian Romero (Argentina)
Gary Neville said Cristian Romero was part of the ‘best, worst centre-half pairing in the world,’ and while Romero strongly disagrees, the Manchester United legend makes a good point.
The defender who had a horrifically terrible season as Tottenham captain looks nothing like the player who has epitomised Argentina’s never say die attitude and got them through the knockouts.
LB: Marc Cucurella (Spain)
Marc Cucurella could well have been distracted by his big money switch from Chelsea to Real Madrid mid-tournament, but if anything, he’s only got better throughout this World Cup.
As well as bagging two assists in a statement win over Austria, the 27-year-old is an absolute nightmare for attackers (and opposition defenders). Will Messi be his next victim?
CDM: Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)
Just like at Euro 2024, Rodri’s commanding performances have guided Spain to the final but the hype surrounding Ayyoub Bouaddi cannot be ignored.
The 18-year-old only declared for Morocco in May but has already been touted as a £100million player following imperious performances against Brazil, Scotland and the Netherlands.
CM: Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
Switzerland’s run to the quarterfinals where they narrowly lost to Argentina was far better than anyone could have predicted and Johan Manzambi was at the heart of it, recording three goals and two assists in just 220 minutes of action.
Premier League fans will be able to enjoy the 20-year-old’s development first-hand, with Aston Villa signing him in a club-record deal worth nearly £60m.
CM: Jude Bellingham (England)
Just like four years ago, Jude Bellingham is the sole England representative in our team of the tournament and for good reason: Scoring six times from midfield, he carried the Three Lions to the semi-finals with heroic efforts against Mexico and Norway.
He couldn’t quite bring football home, but the 23-year-old looks like the next England captain. And to think, there were some who said Thomas Tuchel shouldn’t have picked him.
RW: Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Qatar 2022 was meant to be the peak of Lionel Messi’s career. And yet, somehow, at the age of 39, he is on the verge of leading his country to back-to-back World Cups, something that has not been done since the legendary Brazil team of 1962.
The entire Argentina team is built around getting the best out of their talisman and when they are on the verge of crashing out, the G.O.A.T. is on hand to rescue them.
While the Golden Boot isn’t his just yet, Messi is almost certainly going to bring home a third Golden Ball award and maybe even a ninth Ballon d’Or.
ST: Haaland (Norway)
Seven goals in five games for a nation that haven’t played at a major international tournament in 26 years? There was no way we could leave out Erling Haaland despite stiff competition from Harry Kane and Mikel Oyarzabal.
Everyone knows the Manchester City striker is a goal-machine, but could he do it on the biggest stage? A brace in the historic win over Brazil, against his Arsenal nemesis Gabriel Magalhaes no-less, answered that question.
LW: Mbappe (France)
So close and yet so far from a third-straight World Cup final but Kylian Mbappe has cemented himself as one of the greatest players in the near 100-year history of the competition.
With eight goals and three assists, he may yet make more history and become the first player to win two World Cup Golden Boots, but only if he can perform in the third-placed play-off against England – and if Messi goes missing in the final.
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