FIFA’s decision to hand Unai Simon the Golden Glove at the 2026 World Cup? Seriously, what were they watching? It was patently absurd, an absolute clown show! Especially when Argentina’s Emi Martinez was out there playing with a broken finger and pulling off heroics that defied belief. Martinez made an unbelievable 11 saves in the final alone, a new record for a single World Cup match. Simon, for comparison, barely managed a measly 10 saves across the *entire* tournament. And don’t even get me started on Simon’s atrocious distribution: he hit on just 17 of 64 long deliveries across his five knockout matches, a brutal 26.6% success rate. Martinez was, without a doubt, the best goalkeeper at the whole competition, clocking in with 20 total saves, tied for second only behind Orlando Gill of Paraguay. That’s a titanic performance, battling through a broken finger suffered at the end of the club season. Absolutely phenomenal.
Spain’s Defensive Wall Was Untouchable
While Argentina’s keeper was making history, Spain was busy forging World Cup history of their own with a defense that was just impenetrable. Their 2026 squad recorded the least expected goals conceded per game in World Cup history at an insane 0.29. Think about that for a second: Brazil in ’94 had 0.51, and France in ’98 had 0.63. Spain basically built a fortress that no one could breach! A huge part of that dominance was Pedro Porro, who was the fifth-highest-rated player in the whole tournament by FotMob. He completely owned the right side for Spain, with a high volume of possession flowing directly through him, making their attack sing. But Porro wasn’t just good on the ball, he was an absolute beast defensively, winning over five duels per game and owning the air with a ridiculous 64% success rate. And get this: he did all of that without being booked a single time. Massive, just massive.
Cubarsi: The Teenage Phenomenon Is Here to Stay
But if you want to talk about a future legend, you absolutely have to look at Pau Cubarsi. This kid, just 19 years old, was named FIFA’s Young Player of the Tournament, and honestly, it’s not surprising. He’s not just the best young defender in the world, he’s already solidified himself as a top-five defender, full stop. Cubarsi is brilliant on the ball, completing the second-most passes at the 2026 World Cup, a number that also ranks as the second-most in any World Cup *ever*. Beyond the stats, he was a defensive hero, winning nearly 60% of his ground duels, helping Spain keep that incredibly high line as he defends admirably in space tracking back towards his own goal. His composure and skill at such a young age make you wonder how much better he can even get.
What an incredible tournament for these players! From Martinez’s record-setting saves to Spain’s historic defensive prowess, fueled by Porro and the unbelievable teenage talent of Cubarsi, this World Cup showcased some truly unforgettable performances. You just know these guys are going to be tearing it up for years to come.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by The Sporting News.
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