It was a double whammy for Argentina, having not only lost the FIFA World Cup 2026 final to a clinical Spain, but also failed to win any awards.
The one award all had their eyes on was the Golden Boot. With Argentina skipper Lionel Messi and French captain Kylian Mbappe tied on eight goals at one point in the tournament and France failing to make the final, Argentine fans were hoping that Messi would win it.
The Golden Boot is one of the few major awards to have eluded Messi in his decorated career, and he entered the final weekend in the lead. Both he and Mbappe were tied with eight goals apiece heading into their last matches, but Messi held the tiebreaker advantage with one additional assist.
However, Mbappe seized control of the race during France's 6-4 loss to England in the third-place game on Saturday. He delivered a stunning performance, scoring two goals and adding an assist, which took his total to 10 for the tournament. This achievement also made him the first player to score 10 goals in a single World Cup since German legend Gerd Müller did so in 1970.
The final marked the first time in 12 World Cup matches that Messi did not contribute a goal or an assist. With Messi drawing a blank in the semifinal against England and the final, Mbappe cemented his place in World Cup history, becoming the first player ever to win the prestigious award for a second time, having also won it four years ago in Qatar when France was defeated by Argentina in the final.
Messi also lost out on the Golden Ball, the award for the tournament's best player. Spain’s skipper Rodri won it to add further sheen to a famous night for his team. A win would have been Messi’s record-extending third award. Having already made history as the only player to win the award twice since its 1978 inception, his role in guiding Argentina to a second consecutive final at 39 years old presented a compelling case.
Goalkeeper Unai Simon won the Golden Glove award, having conceded only a single goal in eight games. The Best Young Player Award. which recognises the top performer aged 21 or younger, went to Pau Cubarsi.
The winners of the Golden Ball, Golden Glove, and Best Young Player awards are determined by a vote from media members, who select from a shortlist created by the FIFA Technical Study Group. Here is the full list of 2026 World Cup award winners:
Golden Ball (Best Player): Rodri (Spain)
Golden Boot (Top Scorer): Kylian Mbappe (France)
Golden Glove (Best Goalkeeper): Unai Simon (Spain)
Best Young Player: Pau Cubarsi (Spain)
Fair Play Award: The Netherlands
