Winners and losers from the 2026 FIFA World Cup

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20 July 2026

Winners and losers of the 2026

World Cup

: Kylian Mbappe’s record-breaking tournament and Thomas Tuchel’s tactics feature.

If someone had told Vozinha before the

that he would leave the tournament as the most-followed goalkeeper in football, he’d have sent you to a shrink.

Making the

was a monumental achievement for Cape Verde and its veteran goalkeeper, but their progress to the knockout rounds and Vozinha’s outward passion captivated the entire audience. More than 29million people now follow the 40-year-old, who is currently a free agent, on Instagram.

–

Sunday, 19 July 2026

Will Roberto Martinez be remembered as the man who squandered two Golden Generations in international football?

The ex-Everton boss failed to turn Belgium’s cast of elite talent into a trophy-winning team, and has similarly struggled with Portugal. He arrived at the tournament with a midfield comprising back-to-back Champions League winners Joao Neves and Vitinha, and the Premier League Player of the Season Bruno Fernandes. Portugal, however, bowed out early after an unconvincing campaign.

The question marks about whether

Rodri

could ever recover his best after ACL surgery are over.

had a mixed campaign at club level with

Manchester City

, but was back to his best this summer as Spain sealed

success.

The 30-year-old led the tournament for passes and was the authoritative leader of the eventual winners. He’s become only the seventh footballer to win a

, continental title, Champions League, and Ballon d’Or, while he’s claimed the Player of the Tournament prize in those first three successes.

Monday, 20 July 2026

Talked up as potential dark horses before a ball had been kicked, Turkey finished bottom of one of the most straightforward-looking groups in the tournament. Despite boasting Kenan Yildiz, Arda Guler and Hakan Calhanoglu, Turkey crashed out after losing to Australia and Paraguay.

Lionel Messi wasn’t a winner on the final day, but this summer has added another chapter to his greatness. At 39, he took an average Argentina on his back to make a personal, record-equalling third

final appearance.

Messi’s eight goals and four assists earned him the Silver Boot and Silver Ball awards, and this was the most productive

of his career.

An expanded

brought opportunities for more nations than ever before, with almost every confederation benefiting with stories of success.

All, it appears, except for Asia. There were nine Asian teams at the tournament, who combined won only 10% of their fixtures. Only Japan and Australia progressed, with Jordan, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Uzbekistan all finishing bottom of their groups.

France fell short in the semi-finals, but Kylian Mbappe has immortalised himself this summer. The 27-year-old became only the fourth footballer to score 10 goals in a single edition of the

and the first for 56 years.

In the process, he made history as the first player to win multiple

Golden Boots and overtook

Lionel Messi

to become the tournament’s all-time record scorer. He might still have a couple more World Cups in him to add to that record.

Thomas Tuchel has just led England to their best-ever

finish on foreign soil, and the Three Lions’ best performance since winning the

in 1966. At surface level, some would suggest a job well done, but the manner of England’s exit to Argentina has placed the German under scrutiny.

England surrendered a late lead in the semi-finals, following a negative backs-to-the-wall bid to hold on. The Three Lions had only 12% of the possession following Anthony Gordon’s opening goal, inviting wave after wave of attack before eventually crumbling. Tuchel’s tactics have put him under pressure ahead of Euro 2028.

Thursday, 16 July 2026

An uber-exciting bronze final win has alleviated that somewhat.

Unquestionably Africa’s best football nation right now. Morocco impressed in the group stage to progress with relative ease, with Ismael Saibari and Ayyoub Bouaddi emerging as breakout stars.

The Atlas Lions did see their run ended by France in the quarter-finals, but successive World Cups in the latter stages, sandwiched between AFCON success, has made this a golden era for the North Africans.

Germany’s woeful recent record in

tournaments continued this summer, as the four-time winners crashed out in a last-32 upset. Germany’s last three World Cups have now ended in two group-stage exits and a penalty shootout defeat to Paraguay, a fall from grace for a traditional powerhouse.

Julian Nagelsmann’s failure to bring success has seen his tenure ended, with the 38-year-old now seeking a new challenge to restore his reputation.

Read –

Our 2026 World Cup Team of the Tournament

See more –

Spain secure second World Cup crown after extra-time win over Argentina

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