The Golden Ball winner for the 2023 World Cup is Lionel Messi. Messi wins the prize for being the competition’s top player.
After earning his second Golden Ball on Sunday in Qatar after getting the FIFA World Cup 2022 Awards, Lionel Messi made history by being the first player to get two of them.
World Cup 2022 Awards:
Earlier on Sunday, Argentina won its third World Cup by defeating France 3-3 (4-2 on penalties), giving Messi his first World Cup victory.
Messi ended the competition with seven goals, 1 fewer than fellow Paris Saint-Germain player and Golden Boot winner KylianMbappé.
When Argentina defeated Germany in FIFA World World Cup 2023 Awards final in 2014, the 35-year-old got his maiden Golden ball. After announcing mid-tournament that the FIFA World Cup 2023 would be his final World Cup, Messi finished his “last dance” by defeating France and winning his second Golden Ball trophy.
The player that had the best performance receives the Golden Ball. The player who scored the most goals throughout the competition is given the Golden Boot.
World Cup 2022 Awards: Full List
The award is co-sponsored by France Football, the same organization that presents the annual Ballon d’Or, widely regarded as the best individual honor in football, and Adidas, its official ball makers of the competition. Messi holds the record with seven Ballon d’Or victories.
Just at the World Cup 2022 Awards: Lionel Messi won the Golden Ball, securing his position as the competition’s greatest player. Messi scored 7 goals while guiding Argentina to their first World Cup victory and second international crown.
Prior to the competition, Messi was projected to be the winner at +550, per DraftKings Sportsbook. He created the majority of Argentina’s opportunities and was in charge of the majority of the team’s goals. He was able to defeat some formidable defensive teams, leading the squad to victory in two penalty shootouts, one of which was the championship game. Even though this is Messi’s final World Cup, he leaves the tournament as its champion and finest player.
