Spain dominate fans’ World Cup 2026 XI as Cape Verde keeper Vozinha earns shock vote win

Spain have placed three players in the fans’ World Cup 2026 team of the tournament, but it is Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha who has emerged as the biggest surprise in a global vote organised by FIFA.

The all-star XI, chosen by supporters on FIFA’s official website in partnership with sponsor Aramco, reflects Spain’s triumphant campaign as they lifted the World Cup for the second time in their history – and echoes memories of their 2010 dominance.

Spain’s modern golden generation recognised

The fan-selected line-up features three Spain internationals: right-back Pedro Porro, left-back Marc Cucurella and midfielder Rodri, all rewarded for standout performances during the tournament.

Their presence has drawn comparisons in Spain with the 2010 World Cup, when the official team of the tournament included five members of La Roja: Sergio Ramos, Carles Puyol, Joan Capdevila, Sergio Busquets and David Villa, according to Spanish newspaper AS.

While this year’s line-up stops short of that level of one-nation dominance, it underlines how central Spain’s core has once again been to a world title win. Rodri, named player of the tournament, was a near-unanimous choice in midfield.

Vozinha stuns established goalkeeping elite

The most eye-catching outcome came in goal, where Cape Verde’s Vozinha topped the fan poll with close to 40% of the vote.

His selection meant Spain’s Unai Simon – winner of the official Golden Glove award – missed out on the fans’ XI despite his key role in La Roja’s success.

Vozinha’s triumph in the poll highlights how global supporters often reward underdog stories and eye-catching individual displays, even from nations that do not go deep into the competition.

No Arab representation in final XI

Despite several Arab teams taking part in the 2026 World Cup, none of their players made it into the fan-chosen line-up.

The final XI is as follows:

Goalkeeper: – Vozinha (Cape Verde)

Defence: – Pedro Porro (Spain) – Lisandro Martinez (Argentina) – Dayot Upamecano (France) – Marc Cucurella (Spain)

Midfield: – Rodri (Spain) – Michael Olise (France) – Jude Bellingham (England)

Attack: – Kylian Mbappe (France) – Erling Haaland (Norway) – Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Mbappe, Haaland and Messi headline attack

Up front, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland and Lionel Messi formed a star-studded attacking trio, each receiving more than 20% of the vote.

Mbappe finished as the single most-voted-for player across all positions, underlining his status as one of the faces of the modern game. Haaland’s firepower for Norway and Messi’s enduring influence for Argentina ensured both also cruised into the final XI.

England’s Jude Bellingham, one of the tournament’s breakout stars, was a popular pick in midfield, while France’s Michael Olise earned his place after recording the highest number of assists at the World Cup.

Big names miss out as fans make their choices

There was no room for England captain Harry Kane in the starting XI, even though he ranked among the players with the largest overall share of votes.

In Spain, some debate has focused on the omission of centre-backs Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte. Both were central to the champions’ defensive solidity, but Pedro Porro and Marc Cucurella emerged as the most-supported defenders in the poll.

FIFA opened the online vote worldwide following the conclusion of the tournament, inviting fans to pick their best 11 players at Qatar 2026 before publishing the final results on its official platforms.