FIFA World Cup 2026 Player of the Match Award Sparks Debate

Agency July 11, 2026

FIFA World Cup 2026 Player of the Match Award Sparks Debate

The 'Player of the Match' award for the 2026 FIFA World Cup is causing considerable debate. After Spain defeated Belgium 2-1 in the quarter-finals, Lamine Yamal won this award, but many football analysts and supporters commented that his performance was not the best of that game. This is not the first time such a controversy has arisen in this World Cup.

How is the award selected?

Since the 2010 World Cup, the right to select the 'Player of the Match' has been given to the supporters. From halftime until the end of the game, supporters worldwide can vote for the player they consider the best through FIFA's website. If a player scores a decisive goal, makes a great save, or delivers a game-changing performance towards the end of the match, supporters can change their vote. Before 2010, this award was selected by FIFA's technical experts. Subsequently, it has been managed through mobile SMS, social media, and now through open voting on FIFA's website.

Why is it controversial?

It is criticized that because of open voting by supporters, this award often goes in favor of popular players. Famous stars are more likely to receive more votes than players who genuinely perform excellently in the game. An example of this was seen in the 2022 World Cup. Kevin De Bruyne of Belgium was surprised himself when he won the award after a 1-0 victory against Canada. He said at the time, 'Perhaps I received the trophy because of my name.' Similar controversy has been repeated in this World Cup. When Portugal defeated Croatia 2-1, Cristiano Ronaldo was declared 'Player of the Match'. Although he scored the equalizing goal from a penalty, many felt his impact on the overall game was limited. Similarly, when Spain beat Austria 3-0, many analysts believed Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored two goals, was the rightful recipient, even though Lamine Yamal won the award. When Argentina beat Cape Verde 3-2, Lionel Messi received the award. Although he scored one goal, criticism arose that the goal and assist from defender Lisandro Martinez and the excellent performance of Cape Verde's Sidney Cabral were overlooked.

Supporters' Vote Decisive

Since no registration is required to vote on FIFA's website, anyone from around the world can vote. Analysts say this greatly benefits popular players. Especially players like Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé, Yamal, or Haaland, who have many supporters, are likely to receive more votes.

Most 'Player of the Match' Winners in This World Cup

In the 2026 World Cup, Lionel Messi has been declared 'Player of the Match' the most times so far. He won this honor in four of the first five games. After him, Jude Bellingham (England), Vinícius Júnior (Brazil), and Erling Haaland (Norway) have each received this award 3 times. Players who have won the award twice include Harry Kane, Julián Quiñones, Folarin Balogun, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé, Luis Díaz, and Mohamed Salah. Although the purpose of the 'Player of the Match' award is to honor the best player of the game, its selection process is entirely based on supporter voting, which often makes popularity the deciding factor. Therefore, the situation where the player who performs best and the player who wins the award are not the same has been seen repeatedly. For this reason, this honor in the World Cup continues to be a subject of both praise and controversy.

The list of 'Player of the Match' award winners in the 2026 World Cup is as follows:

Group Stage: