The 11th in history! A 30-year-old star won both the Champions League and World Cup in the same year. He played 50 matches for Spain without a single loss.

In the World Cup final concluded on July 20, Beijing time, Spain beat the reigning champion Argentina 1-0 with an extra-time winner by Ferran Torres, capturing the World Cup crown for the first time in 16 years.

As Spain lifted the trophy, 30-year-old starting midfielder Fabián Ruiz achieved a remarkable feat. He became the 11th player in history to win the Champions League and the World Cup in the same year.

Previously, only ten players had accomplished the rare achievement of winning both the Champions League (including the European Cup) and the World Cup in the same year. The full list is as follows:

1974: Sepp Maier, Paul Breitner, Hans-Georg Schwarzenbeck, Franz Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, Uli Hoeneß (Bayern, West Germany)

1998: Christian Karembeu (Real Madrid, France)

2002: Roberto Carlos (Real Madrid, Brazil)

2014: Sami Khedira (Real Madrid, Germany)

2018: Raphaël Varane (Real Madrid, France)

It is worth noting that Argentine striker Julián Álvarez won the World Cup at the end of 2022, while he won the Champions League with Manchester City in June 2023, so he is not considered a traditional "same-year double winner."

Moreover, Fabián Ruiz is regarded as a true "lucky charm" for Spain. In the 50 matches he has played, the Spanish team has never lost in regular time (35 wins, 15 draws).