Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, Vinicius in World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament

Following the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup group stage, Opta has compiled a symbolic team of the tournament's best players.

Alongside global football stars, the list includes unexpected heroes from teams like Cape Verde, Ghana, and Ecuador. The attacking line, in particular, is sure to grab fans' attention.

In goal — the hero of Cape Verde

According to Opta, Vozinha of Cape Verde was selected as the best goalkeeper of the group stage.

The experienced keeper contributed significantly to his team's historic playoff qualification, standing out with a series of crucial saves.

Vozinha played a major role in Cape Verde reaching the next stage in their debut World Cup appearance.

Unexpected names in the defensive line

The symbolic team's defense is composed as follows:

• Marven Senaya — Ghana;

• Pau Cubarsí — Spain;

• Diney Borges — Cape Verde;

• Keito Nakamura — Japan.

This quartet stood out for their consistent performances in the group stage, reliable tackling, and tactical discipline.

McKennie and Vite in midfield

The central midfield features USA international Weston McKennie and Ecuador's Pedro Vite.

Both players played a key role in controlling the game, progressing the ball, and maintaining the balance between defense and attack.

The attack — a true collection of stars

The strongest part of Opta's symbolic lineup is the attacking line.

It includes the following players:

• Lionel Messi — Argentina;

• Vinicius Junior — Brazil;

• Kylian Mbappe — France;

• Erling Haaland — Norway.

This quartet recorded the highest stats in terms of goals, assists, and overall impact during the group stage.

Messi, Mbappe, Haaland, and Vinicius in one lineup — the biggest highlight of this symbolic team.

Opta Team of the Tournament

Goalkeeper: Vozinha.

Defenders: Marven Senaya, Pau Cubarsí, Diney Borges, Keito Nakamura.

Midfielders: Weston McKennie, Pedro Vite.

Forwards: Lionel Messi, Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe, Erling Haaland.

Argentina defending the title

As a reminder, the current world champions are the Argentina national team.

In the 2022 World Cup final, the match between Argentina and France ended 3-3 after extra time. The Argentines won 4-2 in the penalty shootout to claim the world title.

Who do you think is the most surprising omission from Opta's symbolic team? Leave your thoughts in the comments and share the lineup with football fans.