FULL LIST: World Cup players with two Man of the Match awards

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.

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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 Oyelakin

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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