Mbappe takes home second Golden Boot, Spain sweeps World Cup awards

Spain dethroned Argentina to lift the 2026 World Cup trophy, ushering in a new era of global football after substitute Ferran Torres scored a clinical goal in the 106th minute to give La Roja a 1-0 victory at New York New Jersey Stadium. The win, witnessed by 80,000 fans on Sunday, ended Argentina's title defense and crowned Spain as world champions for the first time since 2010.

Torres' Decisive Strike and Spain's Dominance

After a tense 90 minutes of regulation time, the match seemed destined for penalties. Spain had controlled possession but lacked a finishing touch until Torres broke the deadlock in extra time. 'It was a goal scored by 47 million people – it wasn’t even mine or from the 26 players. It was destined to happen; it was meant to be a winner,' Torres said after the match. The goal capped a dominant performance in which Spain limited Argentina's Lionel Messi to few touches, a strategy orchestrated by midfielder Rodri.

Individual Awards: Rodri's Golden Ball and Mbappe's Historic Golden Boot

Spain's Rodri collected the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, despite recording no goals or assists in eight matches. He completed more passes, ran more distance, and had more player involvements than anyone else, while also playing a key role in stifling Messi. Rodri edged Messi into the Silver Ball, while Kylian Mbappe earned the Bronze Ball. Mbappe, however, took home his second Golden Boot as top scorer with 10 goals and four assists, surpassing Messi's eight goals and four assists. At 27, Mbappe now holds the record for most World Cup goals in history (22) and most in a single tournament (10), cementing his status as the world's best striker.

Unai Simon's Golden Glove and Pau Cubarsi's Rising Star

Spain goalkeeper Unai Simon was awarded the Golden Glove after keeping seven clean sheets, two more than the previous record for a single World Cup. His nine career World Cup clean sheets are just one off the all-time record. Meanwhile, 17-year-old defender Pau Cubarsi was named Best Young Player of the tournament. His composure and effectiveness in Spain's defense drew praise from football icon Tobin Heath, who called him 'the most incredible name' among young talents. 'To be so young, to play so many minutes and be so effective with this Spanish defence highlights an incredible way that Spain generationally connects their footballing ideas,' Heath told Al Jazeera ahead of the final.

Netherlands Claim Fair Play Award

In a less celebrated but notable achievement, the Netherlands became the eighth team to win the FIFA Fair Play Award after accumulating only three yellow cards in the tournament. The Dutch were eliminated in the round of 32 by Morocco on penalties, but their disciplined play earned them the honor.

Spain's victory and the individual accolades reflect a well-rounded team that combined defensive solidity, midfield control, and timely finishing. With a young core including Cubarsi and Lamine Yamal, Spain's future looks bright as they build on this triumph.