FIFA has finally unveiled its Team of the Tournament for the recently concluded 2026 World Cup, held across the United States, Mexico and Canada. Spain lifted the trophy for only the second time in their history after defeating Argentina 1-0 in extra time in the final at MetLife Stadium in New York.Kylian Mbappe for France and Lionel Messi for Argentina. (AFP)The Best XI features three players each from Spain and France, two from Argentina, and one apiece from England, Norway and World Cup debutants Cape Verde.Spain's representatives are right-back Pedro Porro, left-back Marc Cucurella and midfielder Rodri, who also won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player.ALSO READ: Argentina coach apologises for Dani Olmo punch, reveals what sparked ugly World Cup final confrontationBut while Rodri's inclusion was never in doubt, FIFA's selections have raised eyebrows elsewhere. Two of Spain's standout performers — centre-backs Pau Cubarsi and Aymeric Laporte — failed to make the XI despite anchoring the tournament's best defence. Goalkeeper Unai Simon, who won the Golden Glove after keeping seven clean sheets and conceding just once throughout the World Cup, was another notable omission.Cubarsi, who won the Best Young Player award, completed 668 passes during the tournament, second only to Rodri, while Laporte added another 618. Together, they formed one of the most composed defensive pairings of the competition, leading a Spain side that conceded the fewest goals at the tournament.Instead, FIFA opted for France's Dayot Upamecano and Argentina's Lisandro Martinez in central defence.Simon's exclusion also came as a surprise. Rather than selecting the Golden Glove winner, FIFA handed the goalkeeper's spot to Cape Verde veteran Vozinha, whose remarkable performances during the African nation's historic run to the Round of 32 turned him into one of the breakout stars of the tournament.Elsewhere, there were few surprises.Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe, the tournament's two biggest stars, headline the attack. Mbappe finished with 10 goals and four assists to claim the Golden Boot, while Messi almost single-handedly carried Argentina to a second successive World Cup final with eight goals and four assists.The pair are joined in the front three by Norway striker Erling Haaland, who scored seven goals as his country reached the knockout stage for the first time in their history, including a famous Round of 32 victory over Brazil.France's Michael Olise and England's Jude Bellingham complete the midfield alongside Rodri.FIFA World Cup 2026 Team of the Tournament:Goalkeeper: Vozinha (Cape Verde)Defenders: Pedro Porro (Spain), Dayot Upamecano (France), Lisandro Martinez (Argentina), Marc Cucurella (Spain)Midfielders: Jude Bellingham (England), Rodri (Spain), Michael Olise (France)Forwards: Lionel Messi (Argentina), Kylian Mbappe (France), Erling Haaland (Norway)