Spain's double: champions of Europe and the world

With the 2026 World Cup, Spain hold the European Championship and the World Cup at the same time, joining a historic list. Rodri also takes the Golden Ball and Mbappe the Golden Boot.

The 2026 World Cup title is not just another trophy for Spain: it is the piece that completes a historic double. La Roja are, right now, champions of Europe (Euro 2024) and champions of the world (2026 World Cup) at the same time, a combination very few national teams have ever achieved. The generation of Rodri, Pedri, Oyarzabal and Lamine Yamal has, over two summers, built a golden era.

Champions of Europe and the world at once

Winning the European Championship and the World Cup back to back is one of the hardest feats in international football. Spain had already done it in their magical spell (Euro 2008, World Cup 2010 and Euro 2012), and now they link continent and world again with the 2024 and 2026 titles. Few national teams can claim to rule Europe and the planet at the same time.

A unique record: men's and women's world champions

There is one statistic that makes this moment even more special. With the women's team as 2023 World Cup winners and the men's team as 2026 champions, Spain have become the first nation in history to hold the men's and women's World Cup titles at the same time. It is an unprecedented milestone that confirms the health of Spanish football from top to bottom.

Rodri, World Cup Golden Ball; Mbappe, top scorer

The individual awards also had a Spanish accent. Rodri Hernandez was named the tournament's best player and received the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball: without scoring a goal, he was the brain of La Roja's play, the master of midfield and the piece that put everything in order. The midfielder crowns a spectacular chapter of his career.

The Golden Boot, for the top scorer, went to Kylian Mbappe, who finished the World Cup with 10 goals despite France's semifinal exit. The Frenchman was, once again, the most decisive striker of the tournament, if without a team prize.

• Golden Ball (best player): Rodri Hernandez (Spain)
• Golden Boot (top scorer): Kylian Mbappe (France), 10 goals
• Spain: European champions 2024 and world champions 2026
• Spain: men's (2026) and women's (2023) world champions at the same time

The other side: Messi's farewell

Every great celebration has its flip side. The image of Lionel Messi in tears with his runners-up medal travelled around the world: it was probably his last World Cup, and he left without the second consecutive title Argentina were chasing. Spain's glory and the Argentine legend's farewell shared the very same night.

The other teams that ruled continent and world

Linking the European Championship and the World Cup is a rarity only a few giants have managed. Germany (then West Germany) won Euro 1972 and the 1974 World Cup; France took the same path with the 1998 World Cup and Euro 2000; and Spain themselves had done it with Euro 2008 and the 2010 World Cup. Now, with 2024 and 2026, La Roja repeat that double and once again enter that select club.

What sets this Spain apart is that they have done it with a mix of experienced players and fresh young arrivals, which stretches expectations far beyond this summer. This is not the end of a cycle, but perhaps the peak of a project that still has plenty left to give.

Where this Spain sits in history

With two major titles in two years and a recognisable style, this team earns a place among the best versions of La Roja of all time. Best of all is the age of its stars: with Lamine Yamal and company still so young, the ceiling for this side looks very high indeed. The future could hardly look brighter.

What comes next for La Roja

The challenge from here will be keeping the hunger. Teams that win everything often struggle to renew their drive, but the age of this squad works in their favour: many of its key men still have years at the top ahead of them. With Nations League commitments and qualifying for the next major tournaments on the horizon, Spain face the future as the team everyone wants to beat. It is a dizzying place to be, but one this generation has thoroughly earned.

Now it is your turn: predict the new season

La Roja's summer is over, but football does not stop: the league returns around 15 August. On quiniPrats you can create a prediction league with friends for the new season and keep enjoying the picks week after week. Free and pressure-free, as always.