Unai Simon has described Spain’s FIFA World Cup glory as “madness” after the goalkeeper played a key role in La Roja’s march to the title for the first time in 16 years and stated that the sqaud will realise the “World Cup Madness” when they reach their home.
With seven clean sheets in eight matches, the 29-year-old shot-stopper was awarded the Golden Glove after maintaining a near-impenetrable wall at the back.
Spain have become world champions for the second time in their history, Luis de la Fuente’s men beating Argentina 1-0 in Sunday’s FIFA World Cup 2026 final in New York, New Jersey. Spain are the first team to be reigning champions of both the men’s and women’s World Cups at the same time, having won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
“We’re still processing it,” Simon was quoted by Mundo Deportivo. “I didn’t feel any emotion when the referee blew the final whistle; it was more like: we have achieved it, we have achieved it. When we arrive in Spain we will realise the madness we have done.
“In such a long training camp, 50 days, it’s important to maintain the feeling and the balance between those who play more and those who play less, and in that respect, the manager is exceptional. He has managed all the players’ emotions very well.”
Simon’s seven clean sheets are the most ever registered in a single World Cup. Seven goalkeepers had managed five: the Netherlands’ Jan Jongbloed in 1974, Italy’s Walter Zenga in 1990, Brazil’s Claudio Taffarel in 1994, France’s Fabien Barthez in 1998, Germany’s Oliver Kahn in 2002, Italy’s Gianluigi Buffon in 2006 and Spain’s Iker Casillas in 2010.
Although he finished the tournament with the Golden Glove, Simon refused to take the credit for Spain’s defensive record. He added: “If my gloves during the World Cup could talk, they would say that they haven’t had to work as much as those of other goalkeepers’. Leaving seven clean sheets are numbers that are going to cost a lot to overcome and I don’t attribute the merit to myself but to my teammates. I am grateful to my teammates for the defensive level.
Spain are the first team to be reigning champions of both the men’s and women’s World Cups at the same time, having won the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2023.
Former India all-rounder Yuvraj Singh has called for more opportunities for Yashasvi Jaiswal in the ODI setup, saying regular game time will be crucial for the young opener ahead of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup.
Yuvraj highlighted Jaiswal’s lack of consistent appearances as a bigger concern than the absence of senior players while discussing India’s squad planning following the ODI series against England. According to the former World cup winner, Jaiswal has shown enough promise with his recent performances and needs more exposure before the global tournament arrives.
Yuvraj’s concern over Jaiswal’s limited ODI opportunities
Speaking to JioStar, Yuvraj said that while selection decisions involving experienced players are always challenging, teams must also ensure that backup options are well prepared for major tournaments.
“More than Virat and Rohit, my concern is that Yashasvi Jaiswal, who has scored two hundreds in the last four games, is not starting,” Yuvraj said.
He added that a lack of match practice could increase pressure on Jaiswal if he is required to play an important role during the World Cup.
“If the World Cup comes and he hasn’t had enough game time, he’s suddenly going to feel the pressure. Somewhere down the line, he needs more game time before the World Cup if he is in the plans,” he added.
Yuvraj recalls past World Cup lessons
Yuvraj also pointed towards previous World Cup campaigns where injuries forced teams to make sudden changes.
The former India all-rounder said unexpected injuries can leave inexperienced players under pressure if they have not been exposed to international cricket regularly.
“If someone gets injured, then what do you do? We’ve seen that happen before. In the 2019 World Cup, an injury meant two young players came in without enough experience. You don’t want to make the same mistakes of the past,” Yuvraj said.
Jaiswal waiting for consistent ODI run
Jaiswal has impressed whenever he has received opportunities in recent ODIs, but he has not yet established himself as a regular starter in India’s playing XI.
With India continuing to assess combinations ahead of the next ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, Yuvraj believes giving Jaiswal more chances could help the team build stronger options for the future.
The left-handed opener remains among the promising young batters being considered as India look to strengthen their squad depth ahead of the marquee tournament.
India captain Shubman Gill has called for a major overhaul in the squad’s fitness levels, expressing frustration over players failing to last even a three-match series. He stressed that the side cannot afford frequent injuries if they wish to remain serious contenders for the 2027 ODI World Cup.
India’s campaign was severely dented by a string of fitness setbacks, with key players sidelined due to injuries. Pace spearhead Jasprit Bumrah missed the third ODI following an impact injury sustained in Cardiff, while Washington Sundar also suffered a hamstring injury during the same match.
Additionally, Harshit Rana was ruled out with a hamstring issue picked up during the England T20I series, and all-rounder Nitish Kumar Reddy missed the tour altogether after suffering a quadriceps injury during June’s home ODI series against Afghanistan.
“If you look at the first squad that we announced, at least five of the players did not play today,” Gill said after the Lord’s ODI. “When one player gets injured, you have to play a different combination. If two are injured, you play a different combination. I think if a player is missing after every match (due to injury), somewhere we are missing a trick.”
“Keeping the World Cup in mind, we have to play eleven matches in a row. And here the players are unable to finish a series of two or three matches. So something is missing somewhere. They play one or two matches, there’s a niggle and then we’re forced to play a different combination which we don’t think of playing. So all those things make it difficult if one morning you find out that a player has a niggle.
“And then it’s almost like, ‘do you want to take a chance?’ Someone is 80 per cent fit, you’re playing with five bowlers and if he bowls five overs and goes off the field, then who will you bowl? It is difficult. But somewhere as a group, we need to improve our fitness,” he said.
Gill also mentioned the reason behind India opting to go with just one spinner in Axar Patel was because the pitches in Birmingham and Cardiff were not favourable for spinners.
“Whenever spinners came on to bowl, we felt like we kind of had to go into a defensive route. Whenever the fast bowlers were bowling, it felt like something was happening,” Gill said. “That was the thought process behind not playing an extra spinner, maybe play a fast bowler because in the middle overs, you obviously want to create pressure and see if the chances get created,” he added.
Overall, reflecting on the series overall, Gill stated that India had a “pretty decent series” but felt they needed to become smarter in assessing conditions.
“Both the matches that we have lost, we were in the game for the majority of the game,” Gill said. “And I think it’s all about how long we can stay consistently in the game. It almost feels like we are in the game for about 80 per cent of the game,” he said.
Spain captain Rodri added another remarkable chapter to his glittering career after leading La Roja to the FIFA World Cup 2026 title, achieving a feat matched by only a handful of football’s greatest players.
Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 after extra time in the FIFA World Cup 2026 final, with substitute Ferran Torres scoring the decisive goal. While Torres grabbed the headlines with his winner, Rodri once again showcased the consistency and leadership that defined Spain’s title-winning campaign.
The Manchester City midfielder was also named the tournament’s Golden Ball winner, recognising him as the best player of the World Cup.
Rodri completes football’s rarest treble
The World Cup triumph means Rodri has now won the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League and Ballon d’Or during his career, becoming only the 11th men’s player to achieve the landmark.
He joins an illustrious group featuring Sir Bobby Charlton, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Muller, Paolo Rossi, Zinedine Zidane, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Kaka, Lionel Messi and Ousmane Dembele.
Rodri’s achievements do not stop there. Having also claimed the Golden Ball at FIFA World Cup 2026, the Spain captain became only the fourth player to win the World Cup, Champions League, Ballon d’Or and the World Cup Golden Ball, placing him in one of football’s most exclusive groups.
Golden Ball reward after dominant tournament
Although Rodri did not find the scoresheet during the tournament, he remained the driving force behind Spain’s midfield throughout the competition. His composure in possession, intelligent positioning and ability to dictate the tempo proved crucial as Spain completed an unbeaten run to lift their second FIFA World Cup title.
His performances earned him the Golden Ball ahead of Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who received the Silver Ball after helping the defending champions reach another World Cup final. France forward Kylian Mbappé was awarded the Bronze Ball.
Career filled with major honours
Rodri’s latest achievement adds to an already decorated resume. The midfielder won the Ballon d’Or in 2024 following an outstanding season for both club and country, helping Manchester City secure another Premier League title while also playing a key role in Spain’s UEFA Euro 2024 triumph.
He had previously etched his name into Manchester City’s history by scoring the winning goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan, delivering the club’s maiden European crown.
Remarkable return after injury setback
Rodri’s latest success is even more significant considering his journey back from a serious ACL injury suffered less than two years ago.
After recovering from the setback, the 30-year-old returned to captain Spain on football’s biggest stage, lifting the World Cup trophy and finishing the tournament as its best player.
In a landmark moment for Spanish football and the global game, teenage Barcelona stars Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí have become the first duo of teenagers in football history to start a FIFA World Cup final for the same team, adding another historic chapter to their already remarkable young careers.
A Contrast Of Generations
The selection by Spain manager Luis de la Fuente set up one of the most statistically fascinating matchups ever seen in an international showpiece.
While Spain trusted their teenage core at both ends of the pitch, Argentina countered with immense tournament experience. Lionel Scaloni’s Albiceleste fielded the second-oldest starting lineup in World Cup final history, averaging over 30 years of age, anchored by Lionel Messi.
Prior to July 2026, breaking into a World Cup final as a teenager was a mythic rarity reserved only for the absolute greats of the sport. The Spanish duo became just the fourth and fifth players to achieve the milestone, matching iconic names:
Pelé (1958) – 17 years, 249 days
Giuseppe Bergomi (1982) – 18 years, 201 days
Kylian Mbappé (1918) – 19 years, 178 days
Lamine Yamal (2026) – 19 years, 7 days
Pau Cubarsí (2026) – 19 years, 179 days
Furthermore, Lamine Yamal claimed a solo record of his own, officially becoming the first player in football history to play in both a UEFA European Championship final (Euro 2024) and a FIFA World Cup final as a teenager.
Rock At The Back, Spark Up Front
Spain’s flawless progression to the FIFA World Cup 2026 final was completely dictated by the maturity of these two young stars.
Cubarsí played like a veteran defensive general, anchoring a backline that kept an incredible six clean sheets out of seven games on their path to New Jersey. Ahead of the final, the 19-year-old had completed 566 passes – trailing only seasoned teammates Rodri and Aymeric Laporte – while leading the entire tournament in completed through balls.
On the flip side, Yamal’s progressive dribbling and calculated final-third play terrorized defenses. It was his brilliant sequence in the semi-final that won the crucial penalty against France, setting up La Roja for their 2-0 triumph to book their tickets to the finale.
Regardless of the match’s ultimate scoreline, the 2026 World Cup will forever be remembered as the moment Spain showed the world that if you are good enough, you are never too young.
As defending champions Argentina stepped onto the pitch for the high-stakes FIFA World Cup 2026 final against reigning European champions Spain in New York, the 39-year-old Lionel Messi officially secured his place in the most exclusive tier of sporting immortality.
By participating in the showpiece match, Messi became only the second player in football history to actively play in three different FIFA World Cup finals, matching the legendary Brazilian right-back Cafu.
Entering The Ultimate Elite
For over two decades, Cafu’s record stood completely untouched. The dynamic Brazilian defender set the benchmark by playing in the 1994, 1998, and 2002 finals.
While other iconic figures like Pele have technically won three World Cups, Pele did not actually feature on the pitch during the 1962 final due to an injury sustained early in the tournament.
Messi’s entry into this club comes with an even more distinct distinction: he is the first player ever to start in all three finals, as Cafu originally entered the 1994 final against Italy as a first-half substitute.
The Blueprint Of A 12-Year Journey
Messi’s trio of World Cup finals spans over a decade, charting the evolution of one of sports’ greatest careers:
2014 (Rio de Janeiro): A 27-year-old Messi suffered a heartbreaking 1-0 extra-time defeat to Germany at the Maracana Stadium, though he took home the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player.
2022 (Lusail): In what many believed was his international swansong, Messi put on a masterclass, scoring twice in a chaotic 3-3 draw before converting his penalty to lift the trophy against France.
2026 (New Jersey): Defying father time at 39, Messi guided a transitioning Albiceleste squad through dramatic knockout rounds against Egypt and England to reach the grand finale.
While Cafu reached his third final at the age of 32, Messi has achieved the feat at 39, showcasing a remarkable adaptation of his style. No longer the rapid winger of 2014, the 2026 version of Messi has operated as an elite playmaker and ruthless final-third orchestrator.
Leading this tournament in expected assists and direct goal contributions, he has transformed how an aging superstar anchors a world-class team. Should Argentina emerge victorious against La Roja, Messi will surpass Cafu by securing his second World Cup title as an active on-field winner.
