FIFA Announces 2026 World Cup Goal of the Tournament Nominees

The 2026 World Cup delivered thrilling moments from global football icons, with standout performances from Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland. FIFA has now launched fan voting for the 2026 World Cup Goal of the Tournament, with a star-studded shortlist of 12 goals vying for the honor.

This expanded edition became the highest-scoring World Cup in history, with 308 goals scored across 104 matches. Following Sunday’s final, FIFA released the official shortlist, allowing supporters to vote for the most memorable strike of the tournament.

Messi secured a nomination among his eight goals in the competition, with his opening-match strike against Algeria chosen. On June 16, the Argentina captain received a precise pass from Rodrigo De Paul before unleashing a curling long-range effort that found the top-right corner past Luca Zidane, kickstarting Argentina’s campaign.

Mbappé also made the list after a spectacular performance in France’s group-stage clash with Senegal. The Real Madrid forward struck from 32 yards out, sending a powerful shot under the crossbar to record his 58th goal for France, making him the nation’s all-time top scorer.

Haaland’s nomination came courtesy of his decisive goal in Norway’s historic Round of 16 victory over Brazil. Receiving a layoff from Andreas Schjelderup, the towering striker fired a blistering cross-shot into the net to complete a 2-1 upset against the five-time champions.

Other Nominees

• Kerim Alajbegovic — Bosnia and Herzegovina vs. Qatar (1-0), Group B, 24 June.
• Julian Alvarez — Argentina vs. Switzerland (2-1), 11 July.
• Jude Bellingham — England vs. France (4-6), 18 July.
• Sidny Lopes Cabral — Cabo Verde vs. Argentina (2-2), 3 July.
• Wilson Isidor — Haiti vs. Morocco (2-1), Group C, 24 June.
• Elijah Just — New Zealand vs. IR Iran (1-0), Group G, 15 June.
• Daizen Maeda — Japan vs. Sweden (1-0), Group F, 25 June.
• Eldor Shomurodov — Uzbekistan vs. Congo DR (1-0), Group K, 28 June.
• Ferran Torres — Spain vs. Argentina (1-0), Final, 19 July.

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