Cape Verdean goalkeeper Vozinha was chosen for the ideal ‘eleven’ of the World Cup 2026, which includes three footballers from champions Spain – among them midfielder Rodri, elected best player of the tournament – and an equal number from France.
Argentina, who lost the final to Spain, 1-0, after extra time, has two representatives on the best team of the World Championship, with midfielder Lionel Messi standing out, who received the ‘Silver Ball’, while among the French the presence of forward Kylian Mbappé stands out, ‘Bronze Ball’ and top scorer of the competition, with 10 goals.
Defender Nuno Mendes was the only Portuguese player among the candidates for the ideal ‘eleven’ of the World Cup 2026, in which the Portuguese national team was eliminated in the round of 16 by the Spanish, also losing 1-0, but he was not chosen, just like Spanish goalkeeper Unai Simón, who received the ‘Golden Glove’, the award for the best goalkeeper, and was surpassed by Vozinha, the most outstanding figure from Cape Verde.
The African team made its World Cup debut with a sensational 0-0 draw against Spain and its veteran 40-year-old goalkeeper was primarily responsible for the feat, ranking as the only player present on the best team of the tournament who did not reach the quarterfinals: Cape Verde was eliminated by Argentina in the round of 32, losing 3-2 after extra time.
Read more about this topic: Who is Vozinha? The 40 year old Cape Verde GK who saved 7 shots from Spain (with videos)
In front of the Cape Verdean goalkeeper, the defense is made up of Spanish full-backs Porro and Cucurella, with Argentine Lisandro Martínez and Frenchman Upamecano chosen as the central defenders, following a vote that did not include any member of Spain’s acclaimed defensive axis, among them Pau Cubarsí, elected best young player.
Rodri, ‘Golden Ball’ of the World Cup 2026, shares midfield with Frenchman Olise and Englishman Bellingham, whose national teams faced each other in the match to determine third and fourth place, which ended with an unusual 6-4 victory for England.
The attack was entrusted to Messi, second-best scorer of the tournament with eight goals, to ‘Golden Boot’ winner Mbappé, who became the top scorer in final phases with 22 goals, and to Norwegian Erling Haaland, third most prolific scorer of the tournament, alongside Bellingham, both with seven accurate shots.
The World Cup 2026, the first to be expanded to 48 national teams, took place between June 11 and July 19, in the United States, Mexico and Canada.
