Transfermarkt picks the ideal group stage line-up – a lone Arab player

Egypt goalkeeper Mustafa Shubert continued his remarkable brilliance at the 2026 World Cup after TransferMarket, an international website specializing in football statistics and player market values, selected him as part of the ideal group stage squad, becoming the only Arab and African player to retain his place among the best players in the first round of the tournament.

The website published the squad on its official Instagram page, where Mustafa Schubert was chosen as the best goalkeeper in recognition of his outstanding performances against the Egyptian national team in the first round.

Schubert’s selection came after an exceptional performance in which he led the Egyptian national team to the second round of the tournament, as he played a decisive role in several matches thanks to his impressive saves. He also attracted attention by scoring a penalty kick against the Iranian national team, confirming his position as one of the most notable stars of the tournament so far.

The ideal squad included a number of world football’s most prominent stars, led by France’s Kylian Mbappe, Norway’s Erling Haaland, Argentina’s Lionel Messi and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior, as well as Brazil’s Bruno Guimaraes, France’s Michael Olis and his compatriot Dayot Upamecano.