World Cup 2026 All-Star Team: Mbappe and Messi shine, Ronaldo absent.

The biggest World Cup in history, with 48 participating teams, has officially concluded with a convincing victory for Spain. After 104 thrilling matches and a record 308 goals scored, GOAL has selected the ideal team to honor the best individuals. Notably, while contemporary stars like Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi continue to assert their dominance, superstar Cristiano Ronaldo is conspicuously absent from this list.

Atomic attack: Mbappe explodes, Messi is resilient.

In attack, Kylian Mbappe is an undisputed name. The 27-year-old striker won the Golden Boot thanks to his impressive goal-scoring performance, including crucial braces against Senegal, Iraq, and Sweden. With the title "King of the World Cup," Mbappe has now become the greatest goalscorer in the tournament's history and still has at least two more World Cups to extend his record.

Alongside Mbappe is Lionel Messi, who still maintains his supreme class at the age of 39. With 6 goals in the group stage and 6 direct assists in the knockout rounds, Messi showed his absolute influence on Argentina's playing style, even though he couldn't shine in the final. Erling Haaland was the final piece of the puzzle in attack, completing the most fearsome attacking trio in the tournament.

Spanish dominance and the Pau Cubarsi shield.

Defending champions Spain dominated the Team of the Season with four players across all positions. The biggest highlight in defense was Pau Cubarsi. At 19, the Barcelona center-back displayed mature play, making a significant contribution to La Roja conceding only one goal throughout the entire campaign. Cubarsi deserved the Young Player of the Year award for his ability to neutralize world-class strikers like Ronaldo, Mbappe, and Messi.

In midfield, Rodri continued to assert his role as the "master" of the midfield, winning the Golden Ball award of the tournament. Statistics from GOAL show that the midfielder had the highest win rate in duels, made the most passes into the final area, and set a record for the total number of passes in a World Cup since 1966. The support from full-backs Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella – who hadn't been dribbled past by any opponent in the five matches before the final – created a nearly perfect defensive system for Spain.

Bellingham, Olise, and their distinctive features.

Jude Bellingham became the heart and soul of England's play, scoring 7 goals, accounting for 35% of the Three Lions' total. His brilliant moments in big matches against Mexico and Croatia helped England secure third place overall. Meanwhile, Michael Olise surprised everyone by setting a new record with 7 assists after being moved to the number 10 role in Didier Deschamps' system.

One of the biggest surprises was Vozinha's inclusion in goal. At 40 years old, the Cape Verde custodian delivered outstanding performances with 15 crucial saves in matches against Spain and Argentina, becoming a symbol of the indomitable spirit of African teams. Lisandro Martinez's inclusion in the defense was also a well-deserved reward for the center-back's persistent efforts throughout the tournament.