The group stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup featured several standout individual performances.
Still, only six players won the Superior Player of the Match award twice before the knockout rounds.
Argentina captain Lionel Messi, who also has the most goals (six), is among the players to claim the accolade on two occasions.
The other players are from co-hosts USA, Norway, Brazil, Switzerland and England.
The awards underline their influence in helping their countries reach the Round of 32.
As the knockout stage commences on Sunday (today), PUNCH Online highlights the players who have won the Superior Player of the Match award twice so far.
Players who won the Superior Player of the Match award twice in the World Cup group stage
- Lionel Messi (Argentina) – vs Algeria, vs Austria
- Erling Haaland (Norway) – vs Iraq, vs Senegal
- Folarin Balogun (USA) – vs Paraguay, vs Australia
- Vinicius Junior (Brazil) – vs Morocco, vs Haiti
- Johan Manzambi (Switzerland) – vs Bosnia and Herzegovina, vs Canada
- Jude Bellingham (England) – vs Ghana, vs Panama
Players with one Superior Player of the Match award in the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage
- Julian Quiñones (Mexico) – vs South Africa
- Hwang In-beom (Korea Republic) – vs Czechia
- Ismaël Koné (Canada) – vs Bosnia and Herzegovina
- John McGinn (Scotland) – vs Haiti
- Nestory Irankunda (Australia) – vs Türkiye
- Mahmoud Abunada (Qatar) – vs Switzerland
- Yan Diomande (Côte d’Ivoire) – vs Ecuador
- Kai Havertz (Germany) – vs Curaçao
- Virgil van Dijk (Netherlands) – vs Japan
- Alexander Isak (Sweden) – vs Tunisia
- Federico Valverde (Uruguay) – vs Saudi Arabia
- Vozinha (Cabo Verde) – vs Spain
- Ramin Rezaeian (IR Iran) – vs New Zealand
- Emam Ashour (Egypt) – vs Belgium
- Michael Olise (France) – vs Senegal
- Ali Olwan (Jordan) – vs Austria
- Antoine Semenyo (Ghana) – vs Panama
- Harry Kane (England) – vs Croatia
- João Neves (Portugal) – vs Congo DR
- Luis Díaz (Colombia) – vs Uzbekistan
- Ladislav Krejčí (Czechia) – vs South Africa
- Jonathan David (Canada) – vs Qatar
- Luis Romo (Mexico) – vs Korea Republic
- Ismael Saibari (Morocco) – vs Scotland
- Matías Galarza (Paraguay) – vs Türkiye
- Deniz Undav (Germany) – vs Côte d’Ivoire
- Eloy Room (Curaçao) – vs Ecuador
- Cody Gakpo (Netherlands) – vs Sweden
- Ayase Ueda (Japan) – vs Tunisia
- Kevin Pina (Cabo Verde) – vs Uruguay
- Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – vs Saudi Arabia
- Alireza Beiranvand (IR Iran) – vs Belgium
- Mohamed Salah (Egypt) – vs New Zealand
- Kylian Mbappé (France) – vs Iraq
- Ibrahim Maza (Algeria) – vs Jordan
- Cristian Martínez (Panama) – vs Croatia
- Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) – vs Uzbekistan
- Daniel Muñoz (Colombia) – vs Congo DR
- Achraf Hakimi (Morocco) – vs Haiti
- Kerim Alajbegović (Bosnia and Herzegovina) – vs Qatar
- Mateo Chávez (Mexico) – vs Czechia
- Thapelo Maseko (South Africa) – vs Korea Republic
- Nicolas Pépé (Côte d’Ivoire) – vs Curaçao
- Nilson Angulo (Ecuador) – vs Germany
- Anthony Elanga (Sweden) – vs Japan
- Brian Brobbey (Netherlands) – vs Tunisia
- Arda Güler (Türkiye) – vs USA
- Aiden O’Neill (Australia) – vs Paraguay
- Ousmane Dembélé (France) – vs Norway
- Pape Gueye (Senegal) – vs Iraq
- Leandro Trossard (Belgium) – vs New Zealand
- Deroy Duarte (Cabo Verde) – vs Saudi Arabia
- Álex Baena (Spain) – vs Uruguay
- Petar Sučić (Croatia) – vs Ghana
- Riyad Mahrez (Algeria) – vs Austria
- Giovani Lo Celso (Argentina) – vs Jordan
- Diogo Costa (Portugal) – vs Colombia
- Yoane Wissa (Congo DR) – vs Uzbekistan
Saheed is a journalist at Punch Newspapers with over two years of experience covering metro, technology, sports, politics, and human-interest stories. He focuses on producing clear, engaging reports across diverse beats. Saheed’s work reflects hands-on newsroom experience and a commitment to accurate and balanced journalism.
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