The 2026 World Cup served as the ultimate stage for the emergence of cult heroes—players who may not be global superstars but thrive as underdogs to capture the hearts of fans. With the tournament's expanded format bringing more teams and lesser-known players into the spotlight, we have identified our 10 favorite cult heroes from the competition.
At the top of our list is Cape Verde goalkeeper Vozinha. At 40 years old, he became a massive fan favorite in his first World Cup. After keeping a clean sheet against Spain on his debut, his popularity skyrocketed, with his Instagram following growing from 50,000 to nearly 30 million. He made eight saves against Argentina in the round of 32 and has even had a species of sea slug named after him.
Switzerland midfielder Manzambi was a textbook breakout star. He shone in the group stage with a brace against Bosnia and Herzegovina, followed by a goal and an assist against Canada, and another assist in the round of 32. Switzerland’s momentum seemed to fade once he became unavailable, and he is now on course to join Aston Villa following a transfer hijack that saw him heavily linked with Newcastle.
Mexico forward Quinones forced his way into the scoring charts with four goals, outperforming players like Cristiano Ronaldo. As the Saudi Pro League golden boot winner who has never played in Europe, his World Cup exploits have sparked speculation about a potential move. Cape Verde’s Roberto Lopes also provided an incredible story. A Shamrock Rovers player since 2017, the Dublin-born defender initially ignored messages from the Cape Verde national team, thinking they were spam. He eventually joined them in 2019 and was ever-present during their run to the round of 32, where they pushed Argentina to extra time.
New Zealand winger Just scored three goals, surpassing his country's entire tally from all previous World Cup appearances. After scoring a brace on his debut against Iran and a consolation goal against Belgium, he addressed his future following New Zealand's elimination. "In terms of transfer in the window, that’s I guess my agent’s job," he said. "Well, I hope he’s busy at the moment and I will obviously speak with him and, in football, you never know." Both Celtic and Rangers have been linked to him, and it sounds like he is interested in a move.
Egypt winger Hassan made a name for himself in the knockout stage. After debuting in the round of 32 against Australia, he dazzled against Argentina in the round of 16, setting up a goal for Mostafa Ziko after a mesmerizing run that nearly produced a second goal for his side. With his club Real Oviedo relegated from La Liga, he may be on the move this summer. Meanwhile, Paraguay goalkeeper Gill became a hero for his two saves in a penalty shootout win against Germany. Despite being on the losing side against France in the next round, he earned sympathy after the dust settled on the match.
Cape Verde left-back Cabral kept his team's dream alive with a wonder goal in extra time against Argentina. Though they eventually fell, he started three of their four matches and is now set to join Trabzonspor. Curacao goalkeeper Eloy Room proved his worth by making 15 saves in a single match against Ecuador—the most in any 90-minute game at the 2026 tournament—helping the minnows secure their only point. Finally, Newcastle defender Dan Burn became an unlikely fan favorite for England. Despite questions regarding his inclusion, he became a player supporters could rally behind, even transitioning into an emergency striker during the semi-final loss to Argentina.
