Bright spots on WC’s defence wall | Part 1

It could be argued that this is one of the best FIFA World Cups of all time, even before the final is played. One of the major reasons for that would be the amazingly high level of performances across the boards. With most of the star players showing up, as well as new stars and forgotten veterans making a case for themselves, the new 48 team tournament has been a spectacle that won’t be forgotten anytime soon. Never before has a World Cup been dubbed a ‘Goalkeeper’s Tournament’ while also possessing some of the greatest attacking football of all time, but that’s how all-rounded the games have been. From a French attack that drew comparisons to the 2002 Brazilian three R’s (Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, and Rivaldo) to a Spanish defensive machine that could break the least amount of goals conceded by a World Cup champion, this World Cup has had it all. Of course, some players naturally rise above the others with their elite performances across their individual campaigns. However, a list of the top players will always be naturally skewed towards certain positions, usually the forwards, while others are appreciated but never included. The following is a ranking of the top three players in each position during this tournament, based on individual quality and relative to the expectations of their respective teams.
Read part 2 here.

Goalkeepers
3: Jordan Pickford
Yes, England did concede a lot of goals, but if not for Pickford that tally would have been a lot higher. He was one of the only consistent performers in England’s backline and his performance against Mexico and in their loss against Argentina was amazing. It’s not his fault that the English backline was never set in stone. Especially in the semi-final, Argentina would have had their comeback much earlier, if it wasn’t for some miraculous saves by the English goalkeeper. Whether this was his last tournament as England’s first choice keeper is still to be seen but he has made a strong case for why he should continue.

2: Vozinha
The beating heart of a Cabo Verde team that captured the attention of millions of football fans across the world, Vozinha was a wall at the back for Blue Sharks. The 40-year-old goalkeeper rose to fame after his seven saves against eventual finalists Spain helped the little island nation to get their first ever points in their first ever World Cup. He followed this up with another incredible performance against a relentless attack by Uruguay, that would have scored a few more goals if not for him. Even if Cabo Verde’s fairytale run came to an end with a tense battle against Argentina, Vozinha will forever remain one of the defining cult heroes of this tournament.

1: Unai Simon
One goal. Leading up to the final, Spain have only conceded 1 goal. Granted, the defensive line in front of Unai Simon is world-class, but whenever things have looked hairy in the box for the Spanish, he has been there. Before the tournament, many criticised manager De La Fuente’s decision to start Unai Simon over Arsenal’s David Raya, who just won his third consecutive Golden Glove in the Premier League, and Barcelona’s Joan Garcia. However, over the course of this tournament, Simon has silenced every one of those critics. Unai Simon also broke Walter Zenga’s World Cup record of 519 minutes without conceding a single goal. The new record now stands at a staggering 647 minutes, with 491 of those minutes being played at the 2026 World Cup.

Honorable Mentions: Orlando Gil (Paraguay), Lional Mpasi (DR Congo), Yassine Bounou (Morocco)

Right Back
3: Daniel Munoz
Perhaps the most exciting right-back to watch during this tournament, Daniel Munoz was a menace in that Colombian right wing. Munoz, who plays his club football at Crystal Palace, is one of the best examples of how much of an offensive threat modern full backs are. He is not only a capable defender who can prevent cut-ins from the wing, his explosive pace and stamina make him an elite offensive talent. Despite Colombia’s premature exit, Munoz had a great tournament and finished with 2 goals in all games.

2: Achraf Hakimi
While off the pitch controversies loomed large over Hakimi during the tournament, it didn’t seem to have much of an effect on his game. Much like his PSG fullback partner Nuno Mendes, they seemed to be one of the few players from the Champions League side that carried their form into the World Cup. He captained the young Moroccan team to their second consecutive quarter finals, where they unfortunately came up short against a generational French offence. With 1 goal and 2 assists, Hakimi’s ability to exploit pockets of space in the back and his incredible pace on overlapping runs were a vital part of the Moroccan attack.

1: Pedro Porro
In a semi-final filled with stars like Lamine Yamal, Rodri, and Kylian Mbappe, nobody would have guessed that Pedro Porro would walk away with the Man of the Match award. But his performance was too good to deny him that honour, and he’s been consistently performing at that level throughout this tournament. After being left out of the 2024 Euro squad, Porro has proved why he should be De La Fuente’s top choice right-back going forward. Defensively he’s been solid, but offensively, his link up play with Lamine Yamal and his own overlapping runs have become one of the most dangerous parts of the Spanish attacks. A brilliant header against Austria in the Round of 32 and a beautiful strike that sunk French dreams in the semi-finals, also show how capable he is of putting the ball in the back of the net when Spain really needs it.

Honorable Mentions: Denzel Dumfries (Netherlands), Julian Ryerson (Norway), Ricardo Rodriguez (Switzerland)

Left Back
3: Noussair Mazraoui
Has a left-back ever been called clutch before? If not, Mazraoui should be the first for his incredible performance against the Netherlands in the Round of 32. In the 90 + 5’ minute, his perfectly-timed tackle on Crysencio Summerville, who was just about to break-through on goal, was a pivotal moment that kept Morocco in that game. Mazraoui literally put his body on the line to win that game. Apart from that tackle, he finished with 12 clearances, won 4 out of his 5 tackles, 9 out of 12 of his overall contests, and also had an 88% passing accuracy, all while playing the entire 120 minutes. While he was subdued against France in the quarter-finals, even giving away the penalty that luckily Bounou stopped, it shouldn’t take away from the elite performances that he put on earlier in the tournament.

2: Nuno Mendes
Portugal might have had a disappointing tournament but that blame cannot be laid at Nuno Mendes’ feet. While all the talk before the World Cup was about the diamonds in the Portuguese midfield, Mendes proved to everyone that he might be the most important part of the team. One of the few players where their defensive and offensive capabilities are near the same level, he continues to cement his case as one of the best left-backs in the world. He scored a brilliant goal from a set-piece routine against Uzbekistan (although he does have to share some credit with Cristiano Ronaldo’s acting skills). More importantly, for 55 minutes against arguably the best right-winger right now in Lamine Yamal, Mendes didn’t allow him to breathe. Unfortunately he suffered a muscle injury, forcing an early substitution, and his absence left a huge void in the Portuguese backline which was clear for everyone to see. The young star will be hoping to return to the next tournament and build on this campaign.

1: Marc Cucurella
Incredible defensive discipline and a progressive threat on offence, what has Marc Cucurella not done during this tournament. One of the faces of consistency, Cucurella seems to have returned to his stellar form from the 2024 Euros, providing two assists so far across all games. Amidst a big move in the summer to Real Madrid, he has been proving every game why the Spanish giants need someone like him in their backline. Cucurella has played in every single minute of Spain’s games so far, and it’s unlikely that this will change for the final. Watching him play, it’s remarkable as to how tirelessly he runs up and down the left flank, while being so effective all the way from kick-off to the final whistle. Prior to the final, Cucurella has made a grand declaration that if La Roja ends up winning the title, he will retire from the national team. While nobody is holding him to this, it would be a big loss to this Spanish side as he has been a cornerstone for the team on both sides of the pitch.

Honorable Mentions: Djed Spence (England), Johan Mojica (Colombia), Hiroki Ito (Japan)

Center back Pairings
3: Davinson Sanchez and Jhon Lucumi
If only Colombia had a better striker, then perhaps Davinson Sanchez and Jhon Lucumi would be vying for the top spot. Like Spain, Los Cafeteros only conceded one goal during their 2026 tournament run but unfortunately a lack of finishing on the other side meant that they bowed out to Switzerland on penalties. They were perhaps the best example of good South American defending. A little bit of technical defending and a little more physicality meant that opposition players struggled to even stay in the box for too long. Sanchez seemed to be running back the years with some of his performances while Jhon Lacumi finally got a chance to shine on the biggest stage. The art of being a physically imposing defender without conceding too many fouls seemed to have been mastered by the two. They teetered on the brink of a yellow card offence multiple times during a single game, but had just enough technical ability to make it legal. It’s a dying style of defence, but perhaps the Colombian duo’s performances during this tournament will lead to its revival.

2: William Saliba and Dayot Upamecano
Unfortunately, whichever team lost the semi-final between France vs Spain would have seen their centre back pairing come second to that of the winners. That’s how far above the rest, these two teams have been during this tournament. The French duo had only conceded two goals before the semi-final bout against Spain, and if you want to be nit-picky they ended the tournament having conceded just three as a duo because Saliba came off injured before Spain’s second. Both players carried on their amazing form from the club season and it’s impossible to even blame Spain’s two goals on them (the first was a penalty conceded by Lucas Digne and the second could be attributed to Saliba’s replacement Lacroix). Given how weak the French midfield was defensively, it meant that these two really had to cover a wide area of space with little support. While all the praise for France naturally concerned their star-studded offence, one could argue that a lot of that should be diverted to Saliba and Upamecano for their defensive solidity.

1: Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte
Could it be any other pair? The core of Spain’s brickwall at the back, the odd-pairing of Barcelona’s rising star Pau Cubarsi and Athletic Bilbao veteran Aymeric Laporte have been near perfect during Spain's run to the finals. They have only conceded a single goal (which was also partly due to the towering stature of Charles de Ketelaere) in a run-in that included heavy-hitters like Portugal and favourites France. While the experienced presence of Laporte has been important, the real star of the backline is his 19-year-old partner. Pau Cubarsi, a now consistent starter for Barcelona, has made a serious case to win the FIFA Young Player Award. His defensive excellence, especially in high-pressure moments, shows that he plays well above his age like a seasoned veteran. Bar a Lamine Yamal masterclass in the finals, he should lock up that award in what has to be one of the best debut campaigns by a defender at the World Cup.

Honorable Mentions: Marquinhos and Gabriel (Brazil), Nico Elvedi and Manuel Akanji (Switzerland), Virgil Van Dijk and Jan Paul Van Hecke (Netherlands).

Read part 2 here.