Football might be a team sport – but that won’t stop players hoping their World Cup performances are recognised beyond the results.
FIFA first officially introduced what was then known as the man of the match award at the 2002 edition of their showpiece tournament.
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El Hadji Diouf was the inaugural recipient of the individual honour following Senegal’s 1-0 win over France in the competition opener.
Over two decades on, the Lions of Teranga will again open their World Cup against Les Blues, but none of the players on the pitch will be the first to claim the award at the 2026 World Cup.
In total, Lionel Messi is top of the pile – having now collected 13 POTM prizes after scooping the honour in both of Argentina’s first two games.
Cristiano Ronaldo is next up with eight, despite Portugal only twice going past the round of 16 in his five outings at the World Cup.
Harry Kane is leading the list for England, with four player of the match awards across both the 2018 and 2022 editions.
Now named the Superior Player of the Match due to sponsorship reasons, over 100 stars can potentially take a trophy home this year.
And no one might be more delighted than Kai Havertz, who infamously had to pose with one in Qatar following Germany’s exit.
However, the Arsenal star beamed this time around as he was crowned FIFA’s best player in the 7-1 victory against Curacao.
Who decides the World Cup player of the match?
In the Premier League, co-commentators of the TV broadcaster showing the game pick who will be honoured post-game.
But at the 2026 World Cup, it’s determined by a fan vote on the FIFA Play Zone app and website from halftime until the final whistle.
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World Cup: Most player of the match awards by edition
2002 South Korea/Japan
2006 Germany
2010 South Africa
- Netherlands Wesley Sneijder – 4
2014 Brazil
- Argentina Lionel Messi – 4
2018 Russia
- France Antoine Griezmann – 3
- Belgium Eden Hazard – 3
- England Harry Kane – 3
- Croatia Luka Modrić – 3
2022 Qatar
- Argentina Lionel Messi – 5
World Cup 2026 Player of the Match – every winner
Thursday, June 11
Friday, June 12
Saturday, June 13
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Sunday, June 14
- Group C: Haiti 0-1 Scotland – John McGinn (Scotland)
- Group D: Australia 2-0 Turkey – Nestory Irankunda (Australia)
- Group E: Germany 7-1 Curacao – Kai Havertz (Germany)
- Group F: Netherlands 2-2 Japan – Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands)
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Monday, June 15
- Group E: Ivory Coast 1-0 Ecuador – Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast)
- Group F: Sweden 5-1 Tunisia – Alexander Isak (Sweden)
- Group H: Spain 0-0 Cape Verde – Vozinha (Cabo Verde)
- Group G: Belgium 1-1 Egypt – Emam Ashour (Egypt)
- Group H: Saudi Arabia 1-1 Uruguay – Federico Valverde (Uruguay)
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Tuesday, June 16
- Group G: Iran 2-2 New Zealand – Ramin Rezaeian (IR Iran)
- Group I: France 3-1 Senegal – Michael Olise (France)
- Group I: Iraq 1-4 Norway – Erling Haaland (Norway)
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Wednesday, June 17
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Thursday, June 18
- Group L: Ghana 1-0 Panama – Antoine Semenyo (Ghana)
- Group K: Uzbekistan 1-3 Colombia – Luis Diaz (Colombia)
- Group A: Czechia 1-1 South Africa – Ladislav Krejci (Czechia)
- Group B: Switzerland 4-1 Bosnia-Herzegovina – Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
- Group B: Canada 6-0 Qatar – Jonathan David (Canada)
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Friday June 19
- Group B: Mexico 1-0 South Korea – Luis Romo (Mexico)
- Group D: USA 2-0 Australia – Folarin Balogun (USA)
- Group C: Scotland 0-1 Morocco – Ismael Saibari (Morocco)
Saturday, June 20
- Group C: Brazil 3-0 Haiti – Vincius Junior (Brazil)
- Group D: Turkey 0-1 Paraguay – Matias Galarza (Paraguay)
- Group A: Netherlands 5-1 Sweden – Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)
- Group E: Germany 2-1 Ivory Coast – Deniz Undav (Germany)
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Sunday, June 21
- Group E: Ecuador 0-0 Curaçao – Eloy Room (Curacao)
- Group F: Tunisia 0-4 Japan – Ayase Ueda (Japan)
- Group H: Spain 4-0 Saudi Arabia – Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain)
- Group G: Belgium 0-0 Iran – Alireza Beiranvand (Iran)
- Group H: Uruguay 2-2 Cabo Verde – Kevin Pina (Cabo Verde)
Monday, June 22
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Tuesday, June 23
- Group I: Norway 3-2 Senegal – Erling Haaland (Norway)
- Group J: Jordan 1-2 Algeria – Ibrahim Maza (Algeria)
- Group K: Portugal 5-0 Uzbekistan – Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
- Group L: England 0-0 Ghana – Jude Bellingham (England)
Wednesday, June 24
- Group L: Panama 0-1 Croatia – Cristian Martinez (Panama)
- Group K: Colombia 1-0 DR Congo – Daniel Munoz (Colombia)
- Group B: Switzerland 2-1 Canada – Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)
- Group B: Bosnia and Herzegovina 3-1 Qatar – Kerim Alajbegovic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)
- Group C: Morocco 4-2 Haiti – Achraf Hakimi (Morocco)
- Group C: Scotland 0-3 Brazil – Vinicius Jr (Brazil)
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Thursday, June 25
- Group A: South Africa 1-0 South Korea – Thapelo Maseko (South Africa)
- Group A: Czechia 0-3 Mexico – Mateo Chavez (Mexico)
- Group E: Curucao 0-2 Ivory Coast – Nicolas Pepe (Ivory Coast)
- Group E: Ecuador 2-1 Germany – Nilson Angulo (Ecuador)
Friday, June 26
- Group F: Japan 1-1 Sweden – Anthony Elanga (Sweden)
- Group F: Tunisia 1-3 Netherlands – Brian Brobbey (Netherlands)
- Group D: Turkey 3-2 USA – Arda Guler (Turkey)
- Group D: Paraguay 0-0 Australia – Aiden O’Neill (Australia)
More to follow…
