Spain have done it again. For the second time in just two years, they stand as world champions — and once more, Rodri is the man credited with making it happen. The Manchester City midfielder was named the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Ball winner, recognised as the tournament's best player after guiding Spain to glory.

The award reignites a debate that first flared when Rodri claimed the Ballon d'Or in 2024: was he truly the standout performer, or did the prize follow the trophy?

What the numbers say about Rodri

Sky Sports' Power Rankings tell a complicated story. Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Jude Bellingham occupy the top three spots in those rankings, in that order. Rodri? He sits 18th overall — and was rated only the seventh-best Spanish player at the tournament.

Yet the data does reveal genuine strengths. Rodri led all players in touches and topped the charts for tackles made throughout the competition. He ranked second for final third passes and finished in the top four for possessions won in both the attacking and middle thirds. Across 43 key statistics, he placed in the top 10 in 13 of them.

By comparison, Messi and Mbappe each cracked the top 10 in 18 categories, while Bellingham managed 12. Messi also produced the single finest individual performance of the tournament, according to the rankings — his hat-trick in Argentina's opening win over Algeria.

What raw statistics struggle to capture is Rodri's leadership. His experience anchoring a young Spain squad carries a weight that no spreadsheet fully reflects. Still, the argument that the best team's best-known midfielder received the best player award — rather than the tournament's most electrifying performer — is difficult to dismiss entirely.

Cubarsi outshines Yamal for the young player award

Pau Cubarsi was another Spaniard to walk away with silverware, claiming the Young Player of the Tournament award. Before a ball was kicked, Lamine Yamal had been the overwhelming favourite — yet his Barcelona team-mate eclipsed him.

The 19-year-old Cubarsi was central to a Spain defence that conceded just one goal across eight matches. Among players aged 21 and under, no one passed more, cleared more, or won back possession more consistently across all three thirds of the pitch. He even ranked in the top four for final third passes — a remarkable output for a centre-back.

Yamal had his moments but never fully scaled the heights many anticipated, and his numbers were less impressive when compared against players of all age groups rather than solely his peers.

Simon's golden glove — deserved, but not unchallenged

Unai Simon completed Spain's individual haul by claiming the Golden Glove. The Athletic Bilbao goalkeeper was preferred over Arsenal's David Raya by manager Luis de la Fuente throughout the tournament, and the decision proved justified. Simon kept seven clean sheets in eight matches.

His save tally was modest — just 10 stops across the whole competition, compared to Emi Martinez's 20 — but his value extended beyond shot-stopping. Only Vozinha outperformed his expected goals conceded margin by more than Simon's 1.7. He completed 11 sweeper regains, more than any other goalkeeper, and his passing accuracy of 77.87 percent was bettered by only six rivals.

A defining moment came in the final, when Simon charged off his line to deny Messi a clear run at goal in the opening stages — the kind of intervention that underlines why Luis de la Fuente trusted him from the first whistle to the last.