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The 2026 World Cup has reached its most exciting stage. We now know which four countries will be playing in the tournament’s semi-finals.
France v Spain and Argentina v England. Two thrilling matches. The very best the world’s elite have to offer at present.
The semi-final fixtures:
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Semi-final 1: Spain v France – Tuesday 14 July 2026
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Semi-final 2: Argentina v England – Wednesday 15 July 2026
All four teams boast players who have already experienced the limelight at the Ballon d'Or awards ceremony.
The semi-finals will feature 10 players who have shared the various awards at the ceremony in recent years.
Ballon d'Or stars in the World Cup semi-finals
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Lionel Messi (Argentina): Winner of the Ballon d'Or
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Rodri (Spain): Ballon d'Or winner
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Ousmane Dembélé (France): Winner of the ‘Ballon d'Or’
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Emiliano Martínez (Argentina): Winner of the Yashin Trophy
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Lamine Yamal (Spain): Winner of the Kopa Trophy
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Jude Bellingham (England): Winner of the Kopa Trophy
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Pedri (Spain): Winner of the Kopa Trophy
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Gavi (Spain): Winner of the Kopa Trophy
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Kylian Mbappé (France): Winner of the Gerd Müller Trophy
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Harry Kane (England): Winner of the Gerd Müller Trophy
Ballon d'Or: The very best of the world’s elite
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Three Ballon d'Or winners will feature in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup.
These footballers, who were recognised as the best in the world, will now have the chance to lead their national teams to a World Cup title.
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Lionel Messi (Argentina): Winner of 8 Ballons d’Or (2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2015, 2019, 2021 and 2023). At 39, he continues to lead his national team with the same magic as ever.
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Rodri (Spain): Winner of the Ballon d'Or in 2024. He is the driving force in the Spanish midfield and the one responsible for orchestrating the team’s play.
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Ousmane Dembélé (France): Winner of the ‘Ballon d'Or’ in 2025. The lightning-fast forward is one of the French national team’s most dangerous weapons in attack.
Yashin Trophy: Reliability between the posts
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The 2026 World Cup semi-finals will also feature a two-time winner of the Yashin Trophy.
The award, which recognises the world’s best goalkeeper, will be represented in the World Cup’s knockout stages.
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Emiliano ‘Dibu’ Martínez (Argentina): He won the Yashin Trophy for the world’s best goalkeeper two years running (2023 and 2024). His presence between the posts is a guarantee for the Argentines.
Kopa Trophy: Young talents who have already made their mark
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Meanwhile, the award for the world’s best player under 21 has four representatives in the semi-finals of the 2026 World Cup:
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Lamine Yamal (Spain): The jewel in the crown of modern football. He has already won two consecutive Kopa Trophies (2024 and 2025).
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Jude Bellingham (England): Winner of the award in 2023. He is the heart and soul of the English team.
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Pedri (Spain): Winner of the first-ever Kopa Trophy in 2021. Today, he is a mainstay in the Spanish national team’s midfield.
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Gavi (Spain): The FC Barcelona and Spain midfielder won the Kopa Trophy in 2022.
Gerd Müller Trophy: The art of scoring goals
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Finally, these World Cup semi-finals will feature two Gerd Müller Trophy winners.
The award, which honours the top goalscorers, will be represented by two of the best strikers on the planet.
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Kylian Mbappé (France): Winner of the Gerd Müller Trophy in 2024. He currently leads the French national team’s attack and is the World Cup’s top scorer with 8 goals.
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Harry Kane (England): Winner of the Gerd Müller Trophy in 2024 (shared with Mbappé). He is the linchpin of the England team and has scored 6 goals in this World Cup.
Without a doubt, the 2026 World Cup semi-finals will be thrilling given the calibre of these fixtures.
France v Spain and England v Argentina are likely to be matches that bring together the best footballers on the planet today.
Will any of them manage to stand out enough to shine at the 2026 Ballon d'Or?
