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SportsFIFA unveils World Cup Dream XI sparking backlash; Golden Glove winner Unai Simon omitted
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FIFA announced the fan-voted World Cup Dream XI for the 2026 tournament, sparking widespread fan backlash on social media. The team notably excludes Golden Glove winner Unai Simon and Young Player Award recipient Pau Cubarsi of Spain, despite Spain's strong defensive record. Instead, Cape Verde's Vozinha was voted goalkeeper with nearly 40% of the vote, while Dayot Upamecano and Lisandro Martinez were chosen as central defenders. Spain's Marc Cucurella and Pedro Porro filled the full-back positions. The midfield consists of Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise, and Rodri, while the forward line features Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Lionel Messi. Fans expressed disbelief on social media, questioning the omission of Simon and Cubarsi. The voting process involved fan votes after each round, with additional players added by FIFA based on performance. Simon had won the semi-final goalkeeper vote with 45%, but Vozinha averaged 50% in earlier rounds.
Source report
Author: Matthew Abbott, Sports Writer
FIFA's fan-voted World Cup Dream XI has sparked widespread confusion and criticism online, with notable omissions including Golden Glove winner Unai Simón and Young Player Award recipient Pau Cubarsí.
The FIFA Dream XI
Goalkeeper
- Vozinha – received nearly 40% of the vote
Defenders
- Dayot Upamecano (France) – nearly 15% of the vote
- Lisandro Martínez (Argentina) – barely 10% of the vote
- Marc Cucurella (Spain) – 23% of the vote
- Pedro Porro (Spain) – approaching 19% of the vote
Midfielders
- Jude Bellingham (England) – 29% of the vote
- Michael Olise (France) – 19% of the vote
- Rodri (Spain) – 15% of the vote
Forwards
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – 27% of the vote
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – nearly 30% of the vote
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 22% of the vote
Fan Reactions
Many supporters expressed frustration on social media following FIFA's announcement:
"Golden glove winner is not the GK of the tournament. What a joke."
"Why is there no Cubarsí in the defence?"
"This should be a prank, right? Where's Cubarsí? Where's Simón, who collected the Golden Glove?"
"Martínez over Cubarsí? Are we for real… him, Laporte and Unai kept it only one goal all World Cup."
How the Voting Worked
The fan vote was open for 48 hours after the World Cup final. Throughout the tournament, votes were cast for standout players in four categories—goalkeeper, defender, midfielder, and forward—after each round to build a shortlist.
The four winners from each round made the shortlist, alongside "additional players identified by FIFA based on their performances during the tournament."
- Pau Cubarsí was not the top-voted defender after any of the seven rounds.
- Unai Simón received nearly 45% of the goalkeeper vote after the semi-finals.
- Vozinha averaged 50% when winning round one and the round of 32.
Notable Details
- Rodri, despite winning the Golden Ball as Spain's captain, received only 15% of the vote—well behind Bronze Boot winner Jude Bellingham (29%) and Michael Olise (19%).
- Erling Haaland, this summer's Golden Boot and Bronze Ball winner, led the forward vote with nearly 30%, followed by Haaland (27%) and Messi (22%), who also earned a Silver Ball and Silver Boot alongside his runners-up medal.
- Jude Bellingham is the only England player included in the XI.
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Source
Mirror - FootballWestern
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FIFA Announces Fan-Voted 2026 World Cup Dream XI, Sparking Controversy