Rodri named World Cup Golden Ball as Spain sweep individual honors

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey to claim its second men’s World Cup title and captured three of the tournament’s top individual awards. Midfielder Rodri was presented with the Golden Ball as the best player, goalkeeper Unai Simón received the Golden Glove for his record seven shutouts, and Pau Cubarsí earned the Best Young Player award, edging out teammate Lamine Yamal.

Lionel Messi, who had hoped to add a third Golden Ball to his résumé, was awarded the Silver Ball, while France’s Kylian Mbappé took the Bronze. Rodri, who captained Spain throughout the competition, said, "It feels like the perfect script. I certainly didn’t expect this. This group is incredible. We are two-time world champions. It’s a tough feat, the hardest one to achieve. And we won it against a team like Argentina."

Having won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, Rodri added the Golden Ball to his accolades, becoming the 11th player to win the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and the Ballon d’Or. He noted, "I’m proud and I would love for new generations to see that it is possible… that a player who touches the sky and then plummets to hell is also capable of rising again."

Simón highlighted the team’s defensive consistency, stating, "The stats highlight the defensive work of the entire team. If you want to win a World Cup, you have to be consistent. We achieved this together."

France’s Kylan Mbappé secured the Golden Boot with 10 goals and four assists, while Messi finished the tournament with eight goals and four assists, failing to score or assist in the final for the first time in his last 12 World Cup matches.