Spanish football is on the up, the national team has just proved itself to be the best in the world and La Liga boasts some of the very best teams and a host of world class talent.
And that talent was in ready supply as La Roja won the 2026 World Cup, as expected back in Spain, and Luis de la Fuente’s team showcased some of the stellar talent of the Primera Division, notably from back-to-back La Liga winners Barcelona, with the likes of Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Dani Olmo in his title winning team.
Spain have won two World Cups and three European Champions over the past 18 years to establish themselves as the exemplar in Europe and, much like Italy, many of their players play in the Primera Division, but the Spanish top flight boasts players from other nations, some of which made it to the semi-finals of the World Cup.
So let’s look at the SBOTOP pick of five players who have improved their stock in America over the past five weeks.
Jude Bellingham: England and Real Madrid
One player who really came of age at the World Cup was Real Madrid’s England star Bellingham, who finished with seven goals, the most ever scored by an Englishman at a World Cup finals. His two in two minutes against Mexico gave the Three Lions the belief they could go all the way and, but for a late comeback by Argentina in the semi-final England may well have done so.
He scored another brace in the quarter final win over Norway and Bellingham starred again during the third place play-off, a thrilling 6-4 win over France, scoring a brilliant solo goal in a match which put the final in the shade, in terms of entertainment that is. Still only 23, the Los Blancos star fulfilled his huge potential this summer.
Mikel Oyarzabal: Spain and Real Sociedad
He sometimes goes under the radar but Sociedad talisman Oyarzabal has the statistics to say he’s one of the very best, scoring five goals in the tournament to become Spain’s joint top World Cup finals scorer at one event, alongside Emilio Butragueno and David Villa. He was quiet in la Roja’s opener against Cape Verde but quickly gathered momentum, scoring twice and making an assist in Spain’s 4-0 destruction of Saudi Arabia and he scored another brace in Spain’s win over Austria. He kept his cool to convert a penalty in Spain’s semi-final win over France and, with 30 goals in 61 internationals Oyarzabal has become one of La Roja’s best hitmen of all time.
Kylian Mbappe: France and Real Madrid
Mbappe’s transfer to Real Madrid in 2024 was greeted with fanfare at the Santiago Bernabeu but Los Blancos have failed to keep pace with Barcelona over that time, and the France skipper was initially thought to have unbalanced the Galacticos. He hasn’t always cut a happy figure in Madrid, but Mbappe was smiling plenty over in the USA as he put in some stellar performances, winning the Golden Boot with ten goals. Mbappe’s stock was already high but, in the USA, he certainly looked like the player Real Madrid fans were hoping would put their team ahead of Barcelona. Maybe he can inspire his Los Blancos team-mates this season, he’ll certainly make more than his fair share of La Liga 2026 highlights in the coming months…and he’ll need to.
Pau Cubarsi: Spain and Barcelona
The La Liga 2026 betting odds are backing the Blaugrana to make it three Primera Division titles on the bounce and when you look at the Spain team you can see the Catalan influence. Many of Barca’s star players at this competition were creative and attacking players, but the winner of the Best Young Player award was 19 year old centre back Cubarsi. Since his elevation from Barcelona B in 2024 Cubarsi has been one of Hansi Flick’s first picks and in the USA he was sensational. A cultured and mature player, Cubarsi looks destined to be one of the world’s best defenders over the next decade.
Unai Simon: Spain and Athletic Bilbao
Another Basque based player to start was keeper Simon, who only conceded one goal in the entire competition, when Charles de Ketelaere scored for Belgium in the quarter finals as La Roja ran out 2-1 winners. A commanding presence Simon is a renowned shot stopper with superb judgement on when to stay in his six yard box and when to go. Sound in the air and with superb distribution skills he is a modern style keeper who, like Oyarzabal, is widely admired outside the Basque but seems happy to stay at home.
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