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Messi leads, Lisandro at the back in FIFA's ideal World Cup XI
Jul 23 2026 00:48 · By onefootball.com · 47 Reads
FIFA officially unveiled the “FIFA Team of the Tournament World Cup 2026”, the ideal lineup highlighting the most decisive players of the competition. Using a 4-3-3 tactical setup, the team features two Argentines: Lisandro Martínez in central defense and Lionel Messi leading the attack.
The attacking trio brings together the biggest stars in world football, placing Messi on the wing, Norwegian Erling Haaland as center forward, and Frenchman Kylian Mbappé on the left. In midfield, a high-class triangle was formed, with Spain’s Rodri as the central محور, joined by England’s Jude Bellingham on the left and France’s Michael Olise on the right.
The defensive line features Lisandro Martínez alongside Frenchman Dayot Upamecano as center backs, with Spain’s Pedro Porro on the right and Marc Cucurella on the left as fullbacks. Meanwhile, the biggest surprise on the list came in goal with the inclusion of Vozinha, thanks to his historic performances for the Cape Verde national team.
Lionel Messi, named the best player of the tournament by the IFFHS
At the same time, the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) awarded Lionel Messi the Best Player of the Tournament prize, the organization’s most important individual honor. The distinction was determined through the body’s overall performance index, a methodology based on statistical data that evaluates match ratings, goals, assists, and direct impact in the knockout stages.
“The numbers supporting this recognition are extraordinary by any measure,” the IFFHS said in its official statement. The Argentine captain played all 7 matches of the tournament (626 minutes on the field), recording 8 goals and 4 assists. His direct involvement in 12 goals proved crucial to the national team’s run at every decisive stage.
The technical analysis concluded that his average match rating was 8.33 out of 10. The organization emphasized that this score reflects sustained excellence under pressure from the group stage to the end of the competition, which set the Argentine apart from the rest of the World Cup’s standout players.
This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇪🇸 here.