The FIFA World Cup is coming to an end, with two countries vying to lift the famous golden champions trophy, but with several other player and team awards also in the running.
Individual brilliance, iconic moments and team discipline on the field will be key factors in determining the end-of-tournament honor awarded by FIFA at the end of the final.
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The most advanced teams and their players are the favorites for the award, although some teams are chosen before the finals begin.
Soccer giants Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are among the biggest stars expected to win at least one of the following awards:
🏆Golden boots
🏆Golden Ball
🏆Golden Globe
🏆Young players
🏆Fair play
🏆Tournament goals
What is the FIFA Golden Boot Award and how is it determined?
The FIFA Golden Boot is awarded to the player who scores the most goals at the end of the tournament.
France’s Mbappé is the current holder after scoring eight goals in the 2022 World Cup against Qatar.
If two players are tied for the same number of goals at the end of the tournament, the player with the most assists wins the award.
If these tiebreakers cannot separate two players, the Golden Boot will go to the player with the fewest minutes of goals and assists.
Who is the candidate to win the Golden Boot in 2026?
Messi and Mbappé have scored eight goals and three assists each in the competition so far and are going head-to-head in the race for the coveted award.
The top scorers so far are as follows:
Kylian Mbappé (France) – 8 goals, 3 assists Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals, 3 assists Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals each, 1 assist Ousmane Dembele (France) – 6 goals, 2 assists Mikel Oyarzabal (Spain) – 5 goals, 1 assist
What is the Golden Ball Award? Who are the winners?
Previous winner: Lionel Messi, Argentina
The Golden Ball recognizes outstanding individual performance and is awarded to the tournament’s best player. The final list of candidates will be determined by FIFA’s Technical Research Group and voted on by accredited media covering the tournament. The runners-up in the voting will be awarded a Silver Ball and a Bronze Ball respectively.
The award, first introduced in 1978, is often awarded to players from teams that have not won the tournament, such as Zinedine Zidane (2006), Messi (2014, 2022) and Luka Modric (2018), as voting ends before the final begins. Oliver Kahn remains the only goalkeeper to win this award in 2002.
Messi is the only player to win this award twice.
The 39-year-old is at the top of this year’s favorites list, along with Mbappé and compatriot Michael Oliseh.
Other candidates include England captain Kane and star Bellingham, Norwegian star Erling Haaland and Cape Verde goalkeeper Vosinha.
What is the Golden Glove Award and who might win it?
Previous winner: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)
This award is given to the best goalkeeper of the tournament based on impact, saves and number of clean sheets.
The award was introduced in 1994 and until 2010 was known as the Lev Yashin Award. Four of the past five winners have come from eventual champions.
Goalkeepers have been in the spotlight for their impressive saves in this year’s tournament, most notably Cape Verde’s Bosinha, who rose to social media fame overnight and is reportedly being considered by Inter Miami.
Other standout performances included Orlando Gil (Uruguay), Diogo Costa (Portugal), Gregor Kobel (Switzerland), Yassin Bounou (Morocco) and Mostafa Chobeir (Egypt).
Who is the frontrunner for the Young Player Award?
FIFA said the award, first introduced in 2006, is for players under the age of 21 and “recognizes outstanding young players whose performance, skill and influence have left a lasting mark.”
“Rather than recognizing achievements, this award highlights the talent, ambition and potential that continue to move football forward,” the world governing body said.
The 2022 award went to Enzo Fernández, a member of the title-winning Argentina national team.
This year, Spanish duo Lamine Yamal and Pau Kvarsi top the list and will be competing in the final as part of the European champion team.
Other candidates include Mexico’s Gilberto Mora. He is the youngest player in the tournament, the youngest player to represent Mexico in the tournament, and the youngest to start since Pele in 1958, when he was selected to play in the round of 16 match against Ecuador.
France’s Desir Douet, who was the key to the team’s victory, is also on the list, along with fellow semi-finalist Nico O’Reilly (England).
Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouadi also attracted attention at this World Cup, but this incredible talent has already made his mark on the French youth scene. He recently became the youngest player to make 50 appearances in Ligue 1, the top level of French club football.
What is the FIFA Fair Play Award? Which teams are likely to win it?
The Fair Play Award is given to teams that demonstrate exemplary fair play behavior at the World Cup. This was introduced in 1970 and only teams that make it past the first group stage and reach the Round of 32 (or Round 16 in historical format) are considered.
Brazil has won the tournament four times, followed by England and Spain three times each.
England won the 2022 World Cup in Qatar.
Spain, France and Norway are participating in the 2026 tournament, so another European team could win.
Which player will win the World Cup Goal Award?
The tournament’s overall goal award will be chosen from the quarter-finals and semi-finals, but each round before that will have its own winner, determined at the end of each stage. The fate of this award is in the hands of the public who watched and voted for the selected moments from each round.
The 2022 winner was Brazil’s Richarlison, who scored a stunning scissor-kick goal against Serbia.
Goal of the Tournament in the group stage was scored by Eldor Shomrodov, giving Uzbekistan their second World Cup goal before the debutant team was eliminated.
The Best 32 award went to Cape Verde’s Sidney López Cabral. He stunned Argentina with a late attack before the world champions found their way to victory.
Norwegian superstar and global sensation Erling Haaland scored a late goal against five-time champions Brazil in the Round of 16 to lead his team to their first-ever quarter-final.
The final goal for the tournament award will be chosen from among the six goals from the quarter-finals and semi-finals.
Voting will end at 8am ET (12pm GMT) on Saturday, June 18th, so the awards will be decided before the finals.
The candidates are:
Kylian Mbappé of France vs. Morocco (quarter-finals) Andreas Schjelderup of Norway vs. England (quarter-finals) Jude Bellingham of England vs. Norway (quarter-finals) Julian Alvarez of Argentina vs. Switzerland (quarter-finals) Pedro Polo of Spain vs. France (semi-finals) Enzo Fernandes of Argentina vs. England (semi-finals)
