5 articles
Spain won the World Cup and Rodri took the Golden Ball, yet the bookmakers make Harry Kane the Ballon d'Or 2026 favourite ahead of Lamine Yamal. Where the race stands, and why the ceremony leaves Paris for London.
The Manchester City midfielder took best player at World Cup 2026 with no goals and no assists, edging Lionel Messi and his eight goals in the tournament's most argued verdict. Spain swept the individual prizes.
Spain kept the ball, closed every gap and left the holders without a single shot on target. A tactical breakdown of how de la Fuente's side controlled the final and starved Messi.
Rodri has run this World Cup from deep, the pulse at the heart of everything Spain do. Argentina know it. Ahead of the final at MetLife, the fight to disrupt Spain's metronome may settle everything.
Spain won it 2-1, but Opta had them at 17 shots to five and 2.08 expected goals to 0.37. This is the tactical story of a quarter-final the scoreboard kept insisting was close, and never really was.
