FIFA don confirm say France captain Kylian Mbappe dey hold advantage over Argentina skipper Lionel Messi for race to win Golden Boot for 2026 World Cup. Di world football governing body clarify di standings on Sunday as tournament head into semi-final stage, with both stars lock on eight goals.
Despite being level on goals, Mbappe occupy di top spot because he don register three assists during di competition, compared to Messi one. Norway forward Erling Haaland, wey team don already exit di tournament, remain in contention with seven goals.
England teammates Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane dey next on di scoring chart, with both players record six goals and one assist each. Explaining how di award dey determined when players finish level on goals, FIFA say: “If two or more players score di same number of goals, di number of assists (as determined by di members of di FIFA Technical Study Group) shall be decisive.”
Di governing body add say if players remain inseparable after goals and assists, playing time become di deciding factor. “If two or more players still equal after taking into account di number of assists, di total minutes played in di tournament go be taken into account, with di player wey play fewer minutes ranked first.”
With di World Cup semi-finals still to play, both Mbappe and Messi get opportunity to add to dia tallies as dem chase di tournament top scorer award. Meanwhile, di Golden Ball award dey also generate plenty talk as tournament reach business end.
France march on as tournament favorites, having oust di competition last African nation standing, Morocco. Didier Deschamps men face Spain for di final four, a team wey dey grow into di tournament and, crucially, best France at di 2024 Euros.
England defeat Norway and Argentina see off Switzerland don set up a semifinal for di ages on di other side of di bracket. Surprisingly, di final quartet be di four pre-tournament seeded teams.
Di FIFA World Cup Golden Ball na soccer answer to a most valuable player award, handed to di tournament standout individual performer. Introduced at di 1978 World Cup in Argentina and sponsored by adidas, di honor dey decided by a vote of accredited media wey dey cover di tournament, working from a shortlist compiled by FIFA Technical Study Group.
Runners-up for dat vote dey collect di Silver and Bronze Ball. What make di award distinctive na im independence from di results. Voting typically wrap up before di final kick off, so a player on di losing side fit still walk away with di grand prize as previous winners Zinedine Zidane, Diego Forlan, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric don all do.
Eleven different players don win di Golden Ball since im creation, with Messi stand alone as di only two-time recipient, claiming di trophy for both 2014 and 2022. Oliver Kahn remain di only goalkeeper to take home di prize, doing so for 2002.
Unlike for some previous editions, di superstars don come to play at dis World Cup, making for a fantastic overall spectacle and a wide-open race for dis year Golden Ball. Norway exit don end Haaland chances for Golden Boot, and probably di Golden Ball too. Still, he end di tournament with a mightily impressive seven goals and don capture di hearts of fans across North America.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham don score six goals for di tournament, and im performances don be di stuff of comic books. Before di tournament begin, di generally accepted point of view na say Messi na a fading force, but he don prove critics wrong with im displays.
