FIFA World Cup: Why Rodri won Golden Ball over Messi
What's the story
The 2026 FIFA World Cup concluded with Spain emerging as the champions after a thrilling final against Argentina. However, the individual awards saw some surprising omissions, most notably that of legend Lionel Messi. The Argentine star missed out on both the Golden Ball and Golden Boot, with Spain's Rodri and France's Kylian Mbappe taking home the top honors, respectively.
Award details
Rodri wins Golden Ball; Messi takes Silver Ball
The Golden Ball, awarded to the tournament's best player by a panel of journalists and experts, went to Spain's midfielder Rodri.
Despite not scoring or assisting any goals, Rodri was instrumental in Spain's possession-heavy style of play.
He completed 747 of his 799 passes with an accuracy of 93%, according to FIFA. His compatriot Pau Cubarsi was the next-best, completing 668 passes.
Meanwhile, Messi took home the Silver Ball.
Golden Ball
Why Rodri eclipsed Messi
Messi was eyeing a third Golden Ball, having won the prestigious award in 2014 and 2022.
After leading Argentina to the 2022 title, he powered them to a second successive final. The 39-year-old recorded eight goals and four assists in the 853 minutes played.
However, Rodri eclipsed Messi in the Golden Ball race despite scoring no goals. The star midfielder was rewarded for his passing and possession, which helped Spain win the title.
Do you know?
Messi misses out; glory for Rodri
As per ESPN, Messi remains the only player to have won the Golden Ball multiple times. Meanwhile, Rodri became just the 11th man to win the FIFA World Cup, the UEFA Champions League, and the Ballon d'Or.
Honors
A look at other award winners
France's Kylian Mbappe received the Bronze Ball for his stellar performance throughout the tournament.
Mbappe also won the Golden Boot for the second consecutive time, scoring a total of 10 goals in eight matches.
He became the first player since Germany's Gerd Muller in 1970 to score double digits in a World Cup edition.
Spain's goalkeeper Unai Simon was awarded the Golden Glove for his stellar performance in the tournament.