Spain claims 3 of 4 World Cup awards after title win

Spain's dominance at the 2026 FIFA World Cup extended beyond the trophy itself, as the newly crowned champions claimed three of the four major individual awards handed out after their victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium on Sunday.

A Captain's Tournament

Rodri, who captained Spain throughout the tournament, was named the Golden Ball winner as the competition's best player. The Manchester City midfielder orchestrated Spain's midfield control across eight matches without registering a goal or an assist, earning the honor through his commanding presence and ability to dictate tempo. Argentina's Lionel Messi received the Silver Ball, while France's Kylian Mbappé took the Bronze Ball.instagram+2

Mbappé claimed the Golden Boot as the tournament's top scorer with 10 goals in eight matches, setting a new all-time World Cup scoring record. Messi finished second with eight goals, followed by England's Jude Bellingham and Norway's Erling Haaland with seven apiece.nbcsports+1

A Historic Defense

Goalkeeper Unai Simón won the Golden Glove after setting a World Cup record for the most clean sheets in a single tournament with seven shutouts. Spain conceded just one goal across the entire competition — the fewest ever by a World Cup-winning team — with that lone breach coming in the quarterfinal against Belgium. Simón also set the record for the longest shutout streak in World Cup history, extending to 649 minutes without conceding.vanguardngr+3

Defender Pau Cubarsí, 19, rounded out Spain's awards haul by winning the Best Young Player prize, beating out teammate Lamine Yamal for the honor.africa.espn+1

La Roja's Place in History

Spain's clean sweep of three major individual awards underscored what was a comprehensive tournament performance under manager Luis de la Fuente. The victory made Spain the first team to hold the European Championship and World Cup simultaneously since the country's own golden generation achieved the same feat between 2010 and 2012. According to the AP, Spain broke a World Cup record with six consecutive clean sheets during the group and knockout stages before their shutout in the final extended that total to seven.apnews

"It's a special day for all of us," Rodri said after the final, speaking to Fox Sports' Jules Breach. Spain's triumph earned the team $51 million in prize money, while Argentina received $32 million as runners-up.youtube+1