Arya News - FIFA’s biggest global showpiece saw 1,039 players from 48 nations play across 16 venues and score 308 goals.
As Spain bask in the glory of their World Cup win in the streets of Madrid, and Argentina come to terms with being dethroned, the curtain has officially fallen on the FIFA World Cup 2026.
Much will be remembered about the global showpiece that was FIFA’s biggest tournament to date: three host nations, 16 venues, 104 matches across 39 days, featuring 1,039 players from 48 nations, and 308 goals scored.
The magnitude of the tournament is reflected in statistics that surpassed those of Qatar 2022 and stands as a testament to ever-evolving athletic ability and sporting limits.
Here’s a full breakdown of the 2026 World Cup in numbers:
Most goals and assists
France and Real Madrid star forward Kylian Mbappe took home his second Golden Boot award after scoring 10 goals across the tournament – the first player to do so in a World Cup since West Germany’s Gerd Muller in 1970 – to surpass Lionel Messi, who finished with eight in the 2026 edition.
Mbappe, 27, became the all-time leading goal scorer in World Cup history with 22 after his second goal during France’s third-place match against England, whose forward Jude Bellingham also scripted some history of his own as the first Englishman to score seven goals in a World Cup.
Top goal scorers:
Kylian Mbappe (France): 10 goals, 4 assists Lionel Messi (Argentina): 8 goals, 4 assists Jude Bellingham (England): 7 goals, 1 assist Erling Haaland (Norway): 7 goals, 0 assists Ousmane Dembele (France): 6 goals, 2 assists Harry Kane (England): 6 goals, 2 assists Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain): 5 goals, 1 assist Ismaila Sarr (Senegal): 4 goals, 1 assist Julián Quinones (Mexico): 4 goals, 1 assist Vinicius Junior (Brazil): 4 goals, 1 assist
France also top the list for most assists after Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Olise made his seventh during the third-place match against England.
Next best were five players with four assists each: Norway’s Martin Odegaard, Mbappe, Brahim Diaz of Morocco, Brazilian midfielder Bruno Guimaraes, and Messi.
England and France topped the attacking stats with 20 goals each.
The Three Lions had 14 assists, 118 attempts at goal (52 on target), and 50 percent possession control. France, meanwhile, had 18 assists, 139 attempts at goal (59 on target), and 51 percent possession.
Top team goals and assists:
England: 20 goals, 14 assists France: 20 goals, 18 assists Argentina: 19 goals, 12 assists Spain: 14 goals, 10 assists Belgium: 14 goals, 10 assists
England’s Jude Bellingham celebrates scoring his team’s sixth goal during the 2026 World Cup third-place match between France and England at Miami Stadium, US on July 18, 2026 [AFP] Most saves and clean sheets
Paraguay goalkeeper Orlando Gill was instrumental to his side’s shock win over Germany after a string of saves, including two in the penalty shootout that took them to the round of 16.
Spain’s Unai Simon ultimately had the best performance to win the Golden Glove award, while debutant Cape Verde’s Vozinha had some of the most memorable saves and heroics.
Most saves by a goalkeeper:
Orlando Gill (Paraguay): 28 Eloy Room (Curacao): 21 Emiliano Martinez (Argentina): 20 Gregor Kobel (Switzerland): 20 Diogo Costa (Portugal): 20 Jordan Pickford (England): 19 Yassine Bounou (Morocco): 19 Vozinha (Cape Verde): 18 Zion Suzuki (Japan): 17 Mohammed Al Owais (Saudi Arabia): 17 World Cup winners Spain had the most clean sheets (7), followed by four each from France, Colombia and Mexico. Argentina, Morocco, England, Brazil, Ivory Coast and Paraguay had two each.
Paraguay’s Orlando Gill makes a save from Germany’s Kai Havertz [Peter Cziborra/Reuters] In defence, Qatar and Egypt had the most own goals (2), while 10 countries had one own goal each.
Most goals conceded:
Iraq, Tunisia, England: 12 Uzbekistan, Norway: 11 New Zealand, Sweden, France, Qatar: 10 Curacao, Senegal, Algeria, Austria: 9 Jordan, Haiti, Argentina, Bosnia & Herzegovina, USA: 8 Unsurprisingly, the most yellow cards went to Argentina (15) and Egypt (12), whose last-16 match was arguably one of the most controversial, heavily scrutinised, politically charged, and heated of the tournament.
Most yellow cards:
Argentina: 15 Egypt: 12 Canada: 11 Paraguay: 9 Brazil, England, Switzerland, Colombia, Ecuador: 8 Curacao, Portugal, USA, Haiti, Morocco, Bosnia: 7
Qatar and South Africa picked up two red cards each, with the former handed to Assim Madibo for a clumsy challenge on Ismael Kone that ended in a horrific injury .
Egypt coach Hossam Hassan is shown a yellow card by referee Francois Letexier [Paul Childs/Reuters]