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Spain won their second men’s World Cup title after a 1-0 victory over then-reigning champions Argentina to cap a memorable run in which La Roja conceded just one goal in eight tournament matches.
The campaign began with a scoreless draw against Cape Verde, but Spain bounced back with a resounding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia. The group stage ended with a 1–0 victory over Uruguay to win Group H.
In the round of 16, Spain first defeated Austria 3-0 in the round of 16. This followed a 1-0 victory over Portugal in the round of 16. In the quarter-finals, a 2-1 against Belgium set up a blockbuster semi-final clash with France. It turned out to be a dominant 2-0 performance for Spain, followed by a victory over Argentina in the final.
So, what’s next for the players who led Spain to World Cup victory?
As the winner of the Ballon d’Or as the tournament’s best player, Rodri delivered one masterclass after another as team captain and all-round midfielder. He didn’t score a goal or provide an assist, but his ability to contribute in both attack and defense made him a vital piece of the Spanish puzzle. He becomes the seventh player to win the World Cup, a European Championship, a Champions League and a Ballon d’Or during his career.
Rodri currently plays for Manchester City, for whom he won every major club title during his seven seasons there. He is now linked with a move to Real Madrid.
At 19 during the tournament, Yamal failed to live up to the summer hype as he recovered from a hamstring injury, but he still showed why he will be a star player for years to come.
His only goal came in the victory against Saudi Arabia, becoming only the second player aged 18 or under to score the first goal in a World Cup match since Pelé in 1958. Yamal becoming the youngest player to win both the World Cup and the UEFA European Championship at 19 years and six days old. He also became the third youngest player to participate in or win a World Cup final after Pelé and Giuseppe Bergomi.
Yamal returns to action with Barcelona, having led the club to back-to-back La Liga titles. He will be instrumental in helping the Catalan club win their first Champions League trophy since 2015.
Another 19-year-old Barcelona phenomenon like Yamal, central defender Pau Cubarsi was a mainstay of Spain’s backline as he partnered veteran Aymeric Laporte in central defense. He became the second player to complete more than 100 passes in a World Cup final.
Cubarsi was a deserved pick as the young player of the tournament. His World Cup winner’s medal follows his Olympic gold which he won with the Spanish Under-23 team at the 2024 Games in Paris.
Mikel Oyarzabal was not named as Spain’s top scorer in the tournament with the likes of Lamine Yamal in the squad, but the Real Sociedad man finished the tournament as a surprise contender in the race for the Ballon d’Or with five goals.
Oyzarabal does not have the profile of a classic striker, but his ability to find space in Spain’s complex passing and build-up system has made him the ideal point man for Luis de la Fuente’s side. Already a key man for Spain during their Euro 2024 title race, Oyzarabal provided the finishing touches throughout the summer. His five goals equal the record for the most goals scored by a Spanish player in a single edition, previously set by Emilio Butragueño and David Villa.
Oyarzabal returns to Real Socieded – the only club he has played professionally for – this season.
Unai Simón won the tournament’s Golden Glove as the best goalkeeper, even though he wasn’t always the busiest man on the field.
He allowed just one goal in eight matches – Charles De Ketelaere’s goal for Belgium in the quarter-finals was the only blemish – and in the final against Argentina he saw just two shots, none on target. In all, Simón only needed to make 14 saves during the tournament. Argentina’s Emiliano Martínez almost did the same in the final, finishing with 11.
Simón plays for Athletic Club de Bilbao, where he is one of the most successful goalkeepers in La Liga.
