Shomurodov’s Goal Voted Best of the FIFA World Cup 2026 Group Stage
FIFA has announced the winner of its fan vote for the best goal of the 2026 FIFA World Cup group stage, with Uzbekistan captain Eldor Shomurodov taking top honours for his memorable finish against DR Congo. His delicate chipped effort, scored in the 10th minute, outpolled strikes by some of the biggest names in world football and became one of the defining moments of Uzbekistan’s historic World Cup debut.
According to FIFA, Shomurodov’s composed chip was the standout goal of the group stage. The finish impressed not only supporters but also football experts, who praised its technical quality and composure under pressure.
In the final voting, Shomurodov finished ahead of goals scored by Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé and Vinícius Júnior. The result is especially significant given that Uzbekistan is competing at the FIFA World Cup for the first time, making the recognition an important milestone for the country’s football history.
Shomurodov, captain of Uzbekistan’s national team, known as the White Wolves, currently plays for İstanbul Başakşehir in the Turkish Süper Lig. For both the striker and Uzbek football as a whole, the award marks another landmark achievement on the international stage.
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