Online Reporter
THE World Cup is over with Spain emerging as winners after an incredible tournament.
Several big-name stars have delivered brilliant performances across the last six weeks in North America.
From the usual suspects, to new heroes, plenty of players have catapulted themselves to even greater stardom.
As the tournament winds down, SunSport’s Tom Barclay selects his team of the tournament…
GOALKEEPER: Vozinha, Cape Verde
BECAME an overnight social-media sensation for his stunning shutout against Spain at the start of the tournament.
That splendid display in the 0-0 stalemate against the eventual winners saw his following on Instagram skyrocket from 50,000 pre-tournament to 29million.
RIGHT-BACK: Pedro Porro, Spain
THOSE who watched Tottenham scrap to Premier League survival on the final day of the season would not have predicted their two right-backs shining in the World Cup semi-finals.
But while Djed Spence’s heroics were not enough to see England get past Argentina, Porro scored the killer second goal as Spain shocked favourites France.
Porro was sensational all tournament and Spurs will be delighted they managed to tie him down to a bumper five-year contract midway through it.
CENTRE-BACK: Pau Cubarsi, Spain
AN essential part of a miserly Spanish defence who kept seven clean sheets in eight games.
Playing alongside former Manchester City – and France – centre-back Aymeric Laporte, classy Cubarsi was the model of composure throughout and rightfully won the young player of the tournament award.
Another fantastic product from Barca’s La Masia academy, it is amazing to think he is still only 19.
CENTRE-BACK: Dayot Upamecano, France
DIDIER DESCHAMPS revealed on Friday that Upamecano is known as “the Little Monster” in the France set-up.
Harry Kane’s Bayern Munich team-mate followed up a fine season in the Bundesliga with an impressive tournament.
His speed and technical quality on the ball were key to France conceding only two goals in their first six games, before Luis de la Fuente’s Spain gave Les Bleus the blues.
LEFT-BACK: Marc Cucurella, Spain
CURLY-HAIRED Cucurella has had one heck of a summer.
On the day of Spain’s first game – when they were held to a 0-0 draw by plucky Cape Verde – it was announced the left-back was joining Real Madrid from Chelsea for £50million.
That sparked an excellent World Cup for the ex-Brighton man who was great going forward and a rock in defence as Spain emerged as champions.
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD: Rodri, Spain
AFTER a season plagued by injury, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner looked back to his best and took home the player of the tournament award.
Everyone in England knows his terrific ability to grip a game from the base of midfield and he was pivotal in helping Spain follow up their Euro 2024 win with glory here.
How Manchester City must be desperate to get a new contract sorted so they can pair him with £116m new-boy Elliot Anderson.
DEFENSIVE MIDFIELD: Enzo Fernandez, Argentina
THE man we love to hate – or maybe just hate.
But there is no denying the Argentina star is top quality and proved as much with that devastating late equaliser against England in that heartbreaking semi-final.
He massively let himself down in the final with his daft red card but until that point he was key to Argentina getting so close.
ATTACKING MIDFIELD: Michael Olise, France
COPPED a bit of flak for a quiet display against Spain in the semi-final.
But earlier in the tournament Olise was simply sensational, playing in a No10 role and displaying the kind of exquisite, defence-splitting passes that a peak Kevin De Bruyne would be proud of.
Another star Real Madrid have their eyes on this summer, though Bayern Munich team-mate Harry Kane will hope that possible blockbuster switch does not come off.
ATTACKING MIDFIELD: Jude Bellingham, England
WHAT an emphatic answer to anyone doubting him ahead of the tournament.
Kane was very good but Bellingham was unreal in the knockout games against Mexico and Norway, dragging England through with back-to-back braces.
He hit seven goals in total and was the Three Lions’ talisman. Argentina may have shackled him but it does not deny the fact he is a world-class operator who we are lucky to call our own.
STRIKER: Lionel Messi, Argentina
SOME of us had never seen Messi in the flesh until that fateful night in Atlanta – and then left wishing we had not.
The GOAT made a mockery of the fact he is turning 40 next summer by conjuring up two killer late goals to dump out England.
Not only that but he scored a whopping eight goals in the tournament, coming up clutch for the nation that adores him time and again.
STRIKER: Kylian Mbappe, France
MBAPPE wrote on social media that the France team had “failed” outgoing boss Didier Deschamps, who is stepping down after the tournament.
That is after the tournament favourites were dumped out by Spain in the semis.
But that does not erase another excellent campaign individually by the Real Madrid mega star, whose 10 goals took him to 22 World Cup strikes overall and the golden boot -Sun.
