Rodri adjudged as the best players at the World Cup
Spain captain Rodri won the Golden Ball award for the best player at the FIFA World Cup 2026 on Sunday after leading his team to a 1-0 victory against Argentina.
Kylian Mbappé won the Golden Boot after Lionel Messi failed to add to his tally in the final against Spain.
Rodri didn’t have a goal in the tournament, but his passing and controlling the possession are central to the way Spain plays. He became just the 11th man to win the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and Ballon d’Or.
Argentinian talisman Messi, who was almost reduced to a bystander in the final, had to settle for the Silver Ball, with Mbappé taking the Bronze Ball.
Mbappé scored 10 goals to top the Golden Boot charts ahead of Argentina great Messi, who finished with eight.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham and Norway striker Erling Haaland each scored seven times.
Real Madrid forward Mbappé , 27, also won the prize at the FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, where France were beaten finalists.
The Frenchman, who made his World Cup debut in 2018, scored twice in Saturday’s third-place playoff, which England won 6-4.
Mbappe is now the top scorer in FIFA World Cup history, with 22 goals across three tournaments, one ahead of Messi.
Spain claimed a hat trick of individual awards with Unai Simón won the Golden Glove for the top performance by a goalkeeper and Pau Cubarsí won the Best Young Player Award, beating out fellow 19-year-old teammate Lamine Yamal.
The individual winners
Netherlands
