As di quarterfinals don finish, we dey inside di business end of di 2026 World Cup. France march on as tournament favorites, don oust di competition’s last African nation standing, Morocco. Didier Deschamps men face Spain for di final four, a team wey dey grow into di tournament and, crucially, bested France at di 2024 Euros.
Meanwhile, England defeat Norway and Argentina see off Switzerland, wey set up a semifinal for di ages on di other side of di bracket. Surprisingly (or perhaps not), di final quartet na di four pre-tournament seeded teams. Wit di vast majority of soccer already played and di finish line in sight, serious thought dey start to dey given to di individual awards.
Di Golden Boot race for di tournament top scorer don already become one of di best of all time, while der be di small matter of di Golden Ball too. Di FIFA World Cup Golden Ball na soccer answer to a most valuable player award, handed to di tournament standout individual performer. Dem introduce am at di 1978 World Cup for Argentina and sponsor am by adidas, di honor dey decided by a vote of accredited media covering di tournament, working from a shortlist compiled by FIFA Technical Study Group.
Runners-up for dat vote collect di Silver and Bronze Ball. Wetin 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 (and frequently do) walk away wit 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, wit Messi standing 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, doin 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. Here dey a rundown of di top contenders to be handed di prize upon di tournament conclusion on July 19.
Given di award dey voted on ahead of di final, Yamal go need to do something truly extraordinary for di semifinal against France to put himself for contention. Di 18-year-old—only just back from a hamstring injury—was badly missed before comin off di bench for Spain group stage opener as La Roja struggle to break down Cabo Verde. He den score for di 4–0 victory over Saudi Arabia, but dat remain im only goal involvement of di tournament to date. He don bag two Superior Player of di Match awards so far, however.
Norway first World Cup appearance for 28 years was worth di wait. Wit Norway exit, Haaland chances of di Golden Boot don end, and probably di Golden Ball too. Still, he end di tournament wit a mightily impressive seven goals and don capture di hearts of fans across North America—many of whom dey encounter di 6’5″ superstar and meme factory for di very first time.
Im displays may not don be as flashy as Yamal, Mikel Oyarzabal or even Marc Cucurella but di 2024 Ballon d'Or winner na im team most important player—as evidenced by im standing at di top of FIFA own Power Rankings for di Defending category.
Olise Golden Ball chances may don drop slightly after failing to register a goal contribution for di last two outings. Di Three Lions No. So often England main man, im finest hour (or 15 minutes) come during di late-show win over DR Congo, as he drag England kickin and screamin into di round of 16.
England is lucky. Dat na di way Haaland sum am up after Norway come undone against di Three Lions for di quarterfinals. No England player don score more than di Real Madrid midfielder six for a single World Cup. Aside from im goals, im all-action performances for di United States and Mexico dis summer don be di stuff of comic books and childish fantasy.
Before di tournament begin, di generally accepted point of view (at least outside Argentina) was dat Messi na a fading force. A cross for Alexis Mac Allister goal against Switzerland also mean no player for di competition history get more assists than Messi either.
Di lethal spearhead for perhaps di best France attack for history, im strikes against Senegal and Morocco dey among di contenders for Goal of di Tournament. Andy Headspeath na a Real Madrid correspondent for Sports Illustrated FC. Originally from di UK, di weather, culture and soccer lure am to Spain over a decade ago where he live wit im wife, son and two untrainable dogs.
