FIFA has revealed the shortlist for the best goal of the 2026 World Cup, held across the United States, Mexico and Canada. The tournament concluded last Sunday with Spain claiming their second world title, defeating Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey. From 308 goals scored across the competition—the highest-scoring World Cup since 1930—just 12 strikes made the cut for fan voting, which remains open until 27 July.
The nominees feature some of football's biggest names. Lionel Messi leads the list with a stunning finish against Algeria in the group stage, while Kylian Mbappé, who claimed the Golden Boot with 10 goals, earned his nomination for an impressive strike against Senegal. Ferran Torres appears as the author of the tournament's decisive moment—the only goal in the final that secured Spain's victory. Argentine forward Julián Álvarez from Atlético Madrid also features after his quarter-final goal against Switzerland.
Star Players and Standout Moments
Beyond the finalists, several other elite performers made the shortlist. Jude Bellingham, the Real Madrid midfielder, struck a memorable effort against France in the third-place play-off, where England secured bronze. Erling Haaland of Manchester City earned his nomination for an exceptional finish against Brazil in the last 16, contributing to one of the tournament's major shocks. The list also includes goals from group-stage specialists such as New Zealand's Elijah Just against Iran and Japan's Daizen Maeda against Sweden.
A notable absence marks the shortlist: no goals from any of the eight Arab nations competing—Morocco, Algeria, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Tunisia, Iraq and Jordan—despite impressive performances from several sides. Paradoxically, three of the 12 nominated goals were scored against Arab opponents, meaning a quarter of the selection came at their expense. Wilson Isidor's strike for Haiti against Morocco, Kerim Alajbegovic's finish for Bosnia against Qatar, and other goals targeting these nations reflect the competitive disparity across the tournament.
The voting mechanism opens the award to supporters worldwide, allowing fans to determine which moment deserves recognition as the competition's finest technical achievement. With the highest-scoring World Cup on record producing such a competitive selection, the final choice will showcase either individual brilliance or decisive tournament moments. Fans have one week to cast their votes and crown the goal that captures their imagination.
