By Jamie Griffith
Most players would be happy with one World Cup Golden Ball. Of course, extraterrestrial bar-raiser Lionel Messi isn’t most players and after becoming the first man to win two Golden Balls four years ago, he is threatening to break his own record and land a third this summer.
He helped Argentina into the semi-finals on Sunday morning and is among the leading contenders for the award. However, he has plenty of Golden Ball rivals and we have an intriguing race on our hands.
Let’s look at the contenders, and decide who the worthy favourite should be.
Harry Kane
England’s captain started the tournament on fire, scoring five goals in his opening four appearances, including a match-winning brace against DR Congo in the last 32.
His odds for the Golden Ball have dropped significantly following the Three Lions' last two games, though, with his only strike across those matches being a penalty against Mexico.
Given he scored 61 goals in 51 appearances for Bayern Munich during the 2025-26 season, it would be brave to rule out Kane improving again. However, for now, there are three players ahead of him in the race to be named Player of the Tournament.
Jude Bellingham
One of those players ahead of Kane is someone he has a very good relationship with - Jude Bellingham. The pair have struck up a deadly partnership for England this summer, scoring 12 of their nation’s 13 World Cup goals between them.
The thing that has edged Bellingham ahead of his captain is his timing, though. The Real Madrid star has stepped up and then some in the knockout stage, netting a clutch brace against Mexico before repeating the feat in Saturday’s quarter-final victory over Norway.
If the trend continues, Bellingham should come up with huge moments in the semis and final. If England win the tournament, he will be a deserving Golden Ball recipient.
Lionel Messi
Bellingham isn’t the only consistent rescuer left in the competition, of course, and Messi continues to defy logic by remaining one of the world’s best players despite being 39 years old.
The little magician has a resilience that many don’t and he showed that most in the last-16 win over Egypt. Messi had missed a penalty in the first half and watched his side go 2-0 down, yet dusted himself down to set up Argentina’s first goal before scoring the equaliser himself.
The Inter Miami superstar’s eight goals also make him the joint-top scorer at this World Cup and even if Argentina fall short in their World Cup defence, he will probably land a third Golden Ball if they lose the final to Spain, who haven’t had a standout player.
However, it could be a different story if the Albiceleste play France in the final given the presence of one man in particular…
Kylian Mbappe
France are favourites to win the World Cup, so it is no surprise that their captain and best player, Kylian Mbappe, is the leading candidate to land the Golden Ball.
He is joint with Messi on eight goals, while also having three assists, so will have the Golden Boot in sight, too. The Golden Ball will be his main aim, though, after narrowly missing out to Messi four years ago.
Mbappe scored a hat-trick in that thrilling Qatar final and has again shown his big-game credentials on many occasions this summer, netting four goals in France’s three knockout matches.
France’s captain has been the standout player of a tournament which Les Bleus look set to win, making him hard to look past in the Golden Ball race.
