The ideal lineup of the second round at the 2026 World Cup, between surprises and major stars

The players who stood out most in the second round of the group stage make up this lineup, after leaving their mark with goals, assists, decisive saves and dominance in every area of the pitch.

Up front, Messi, David and Undav shone, while Room, Xhaka and Bruno Fernandes became the key figures for their teams in a round filled with spectacle and records.

Eloy Room, Curaçao’s unbeatable guardian

Curaçao’s goalless draw against Ecuador bore the stamp of goalkeeper Eloy Room, who was the decisive man for his team. With 15 saves, he also set the record at this World Cup for the most stops in a single match.

Thanks to this extraordinary performance, Curaçao managed to claim a historic point.

A back line built on leaders

At right-back is Denzel Dumfries, who contributed two assists in the Netherlands’ emphatic 5-1 victory over Sweden.

At the heart of the defense stands Ko Itakura. The Japanese defender was a leading figure in Japan’s spectacular 4-0 win over Tunisia, asserting himself in aerial duels and in organizing the back line.

The trio is completed by Nuno Mendes, who, in addition to his solidity in defense, also scored a fantastic goal from a free-kick in Portugal’s 5-0 win against Uzbekistan.

Midfield with quality and total control

Johan Manzambi completely changed the course of Switzerland’s match against Bosnia after coming off the bench and scoring twice in the 4-1 victory.

Alongside him is Bruno Fernandes, the architect of Portugal’s play against Uzbekistan. The Portuguese midfielder dictated the tempo of the match and added an assist in yet another high-level performance.

Granit Xhaka, Switzerland’s captain, was dominant in every aspect of midfield. He led the team, initiated attacks and capped his display with a goal from the penalty spot.

On the other side comes Cody Gakpo, the player who always stands out in big matches for the Netherlands. He scored two goals and provided an assist in the emphatic win over Sweden.

The forwards who decided the matches

In attack, Lionel Messi could not be left out, as he continues his excellent form at this World Cup. The Argentine scored two goals against Austria and once again showed his extraordinary level.

Jonathan David was Canada’s standout name, scoring a spectacular hat-trick and leading the team to a highly significant victory.

The attacking lineup is completed by Deniz Undav, Germany’s super sub. After coming on from the bench, he scored two decisive goals that secured the “Panzer” team victory and qualification against Ivory Coast.