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FIFA World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament: Following the successful conclusion of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, FIFA has announced the tournament's official 'Team of the Tournament' (Best XI). The dominance of world champions Spain and runners-up France is clearly evident in this dream team, which is based on a 4-3-3 formation. However, a few major decisions and surprising selections have left football fans around the world astonished.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Official Best XI Lineup
| Position | Player | Country |
|---|---|---|
| Goalkeeper | Vozinha | Cape Verde 🇨🇻 |
| Defender (LB) | Marc Cucurella | Spain 🇪🇸 |
| Defender (CB) | Lisandro Martínez | Argentina 🇦🇷 |
| Defender (CB) | Dayot Upamecano | France 🇫🇷 |
| Defender (RB) | Pedro Porro | Spain 🇪🇸 |
| Midfielder | Rodri | Spain 🇪🇸 |
| Midfielder | Jude Bellingham | England |
| Midfielder | Michael Olise | France 🇫🇷 |
| Forward | Kylian Mbappé | France |
| Forward | Erling Haaland | Norway |
| Forward | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
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Cape Verde Goalkeeper Vozinha Emerges as Biggest Surprise Selection
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The biggest and most pleasant surprise of this team was Cape Verde's 40-year-old veteran goalkeeper, Vozinha.
- Golden Glove Winner Snubbed: Surpassing Unai Simón—who helped Spain become world champions and won the tournament's Golden Glove—with 39.6% of the fans' votes... Vozinha secured the spot as the number-1 goalkeeper.
- Historic Campaign: The Cape Verde team displayed a magnificent performance, remaining unbeaten in their debut World Cup campaign; they were eventually eliminated in the Round of 32 after a hard-fought match against Argentina that went into extra time.
- Praise from Lionel Messi: Vozinha’s seven brilliant saves played a crucial role in holding Spain to a 0-0 draw during the group stage. His exceptional performance earned praise from Lionel Messi himself.
Harry Kane Left Out as Spain and France Dominate Squad
- Harry Kane Omitted: England's star striker and captain, Harry Kane, failed to make the 'Best XI' squad. The forward line features Kylian Mbappé (a frontrunner in the Golden Boot race), the legendary Lionel Messi, and Erling Haaland, who led Norway to the quarter-finals.
- Dominance of Spain and France: Players from the winning Spanish team—Rodri (Golden Ball winner), Pedro Porro, and Marc Cucurella—have been included. However, the exclusion of young Spanish defender Pau Cubarsí and goalkeeper Simón remains a topic of discussion. From France, Mbappé, Michael Olise, and Dayot Upamecano have secured spots in the squad.
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