FIFA World Cup Best XI Shortlist Draws Heavy Criticism After Spain’s Laporte & Cubas Get Snubbed

2026-07-22

FIFA’s official 2026 World Cup Team of the Tournament shortlist has sparked widespread backlash across Spain, after the nation’s title-winning centre-back pairing of Aymeric Laporte and Pau Cubas was surprisingly left out of the candidate list. As reported by Spanish sports outlet AS, the two first-choice defenders were omitted despite delivering rock-solid performances throughout Spain’s championship-winning campaign.

Spain claimed its second World Cup trophy at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey, wrapping up a remarkable tournament under head coach Luis de la Fuente. The 26-man squad has secured its place in Spanish football history, with its outstanding defensive resilience standing out as the backbone of its success. La Roja conceded just one goal across the entire World Cup run, with Laporte and Cubas’ disciplined centre-back partnership widely credited for this elite defensive record.

Traditionally, FIFA opens a public vote after every World Cup to determine the official Team of the Tournament. While several Spanish stars have secured spots across different positional shortlists, the absence of the team’s starting centre-back duo has triggered massive public doubt and criticism domestically.

The selection controversy deepens due to Pau Cubas’ individual accolade. The Barcelona prospect was officially crowned the 2026 World Cup’s Best Young Player for his consistent, high-level performances throughout the competition. Fans and football pundits have blasted the conflicting decision, stating it is unreasonable for the tournament’s best young talent to be excluded from the Best XI shortlist.

Full 2026 FIFA World Cup Best XI Official Shortlist

Defenders (8 Candidates)

Marc Cucurella (Spain), Pedro Porro (Spain), Lisandro Martínez (Argentina), Nuno Mendes (Portugal), Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands), Gabriel (Brazil), Cristian Romero (Argentina), Dayot Upamecano (France)

Goalkeepers (5 Candidates)

Unai Simón (Spain), Vozinha (Cape Verde), Emiliano Martínez (Argentina), Jordan Pickford (England), Rhydian Ruum (Curaçao)

Midfielders & Wingers (9 Candidates)

Rodri (Spain), Lamine Yamal (Spain), Jude Bellingham (England), Michael Olise (France), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil), Enzo Fernández (Argentina), Ousmane Dembélé (France), Luka Modrić (Croatia), Bilal El Khannouss (Morocco)

Forwards (6 Candidates)

Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain), Kylian Mbappé (France), Guillermo Quiñones (Mexico), Harry Kane (England), Erling Haaland (Norway), Lionel Messi (Argentina)