Kylian Mbappe, Rodri & GOAL’s 2026 World Cup Team of the Tournament
A World Cup has the power to be transformative for a player’s career, and Pedro Porro is certainly someone who appears to have benefitted in North America. The Tottenham defender wasn’t even Spain’s starting right-back going into the tournament, but he didn’t look back after replacing Atletico Madrid’s Marcos Llorente in La Roja’s line-up for the last-32 clash with Austria. Now, he is a world champion.
Porro demonstrated shone in that tie, keeping Austria’s left flank quiet and demonstrating his attacking instincts by popping up in the opposition box to head his side into a two-goal lead. Keeping his place against Portugal in the round of 16, Porro was among Spain’s standout performers, making more defensive contributions than anyone else on the pitch (nine), and he was impressive again – especially in attack – against Belgium in the last eight.
If that wasn’t enough already, he delivered once more in the semi-finals, firing home the second goal like a seasoned striker to put the game beyond France, and his cross led to the goal in the final, too.
