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World Cup 2026 featured several special strikes, and the Goal of the Tournament has now been named.

World Cup 2026 produced 308 goals across 104 matches - and one stunning effort has been voted the best of them all.

Cape Verde left-back Sidny Lopes Cabral's sensational curling finish in the last 32 against Argentina created one of the enduring images of a memorable debut World Cup for the island nation, and it has now been crowned FIFA's Goal of the Tournament.

Even though the extra-time strike eventually came in a losing cause as the then-holders finally won 3-2 in Miami, it is only right that Lopes Cabral collected the award after Cape Verde became many neutral fans' second team during the finals.

Even after qualifying from Group H with three draws - including a draw with eventual champions Spain - Cape Verde were given little hope against the 2022 winners in the last 32.

But Deroy Duarte's second-half equaliser pushed the tie into extra-time, and while Lisandro Martinez put Argentina back in front early in the added period, the Blue Sharks were still not finished.

In the 103rd minute, Lopes Cabral controlled the ball wide on the left, moved inside Alexis Mac Allister and curled an unstoppable shot beyond Emi Martinez into the top corner - before doing an equally iconic celebration in which he climbed into the stands and hugged his girlfriend.

The 23-year-old, who plays for Turkish club Trabzonspor, later said that he had also wanted to celebrate with his mother, only to find out that she had fainted when he scored.

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Lopes Cabral's strike was chosen as the best from a 12-player shortlist prepared by FIFA, with fans able to vote for their favourite - and the goals that finished second and third may also surprise you.

Uzbekistan forward Eldor Shomurodov's precise lob in a 3-1 defeat against DR Congo finished second in the voting - one of only two goals scored by the World Cup debutants at the tournament.

Haiti also scored only twice at the finals but still made the podium, thanks to Sunderland striker Wilson Isidor's thunderous effort in the 4-2 loss to Morocco.

That unlikely trio was more popular than goals from some of the World Cup's biggest stars, including France captain Kylian Mbappe's second goal against Senegal and Lionel Messi's opener for Argentina on the way to a win over Algeria.

Jude Bellingham's solo strike to seal victory over France in the third-place play-off was also on the shortlist, as was Erling Haaland's second goal for Norway against Brazil in the last 16.

FIFA first introduced the Goal of the Tournament award in 2006, with memorable winners including James Rodriguez's volley for Colombia against Uruguay in 2014 and France full-back Benjamin Pavard's delightful effort in their win over Argentina four years later.

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