FIFA has officially revealed the “FIFA Team of the Tournament World Cup 2026”, an elite lineup celebrating the most influential players of the competition. The team has been set up in a 4-3-3 formation and features two Argentine stars: Lisandro Martínez in central defence and Lionel Messi leading the forward line.
The attacking trio brings together three of world football’s biggest names — Messi positioned on the right flank, Norwegian striker Erling Haaland as the central forward, and French superstar Kylian Mbappé on the left. The midfield unit boasts exceptional quality, with Spain’s Rodri anchoring the centre, joined by England’s Jude Bellingham on the left and France’s Michael Olise on the right.
In defence, Lisandro Martínez partners French defender Dayot Upamecano in the heart of the back line, while Spaniards Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella occupy the right and left full-back roles respectively. The most surprising inclusion comes in goal, where Cape Verde’s Vozinha earned his place after delivering a series of outstanding performances for his national side throughout the tournament.
Meanwhile, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) named Lionel Messi as the Best Player of the Tournament, awarding him the organisation’s highest individual accolade. The decision was based on the IFFHS overall performance index — a data-driven model assessing player ratings, goals, assists, and decisive contributions during the knockout rounds.
“The numbers supporting this recognition are extraordinary by any measure,” stated the IFFHS in its official release. The Argentine captain featured in all seven of Argentina’s matches, spending 626 minutes on the pitch. He scored eight goals and provided four assists, directly contributing to 12 of Argentina’s goals — a decisive factor in the team’s progress through every critical stage of the competition.
According to the technical analysis, Messi earned an average match rating of 8.33 out of 10. The report highlighted that this rating reflects his consistent brilliance under pressure from the group stage all the way to the final, distinguishing him as the tournament’s most outstanding performer.
