The 2026 World Cup is over, and so is the race for the prestigious Golden Boot - the award given to the tournament's top scorer. With the expanded 48-nation tournament coming to a close, following a month of thrilling action in North America, which star has taken home the illustrious award? Here, GOAL lists the tournament's most prolific performers.
Spain's World Cup celebrations produced one of the defining images of the tournament as Lamine Yamal embraced a devastated Lionel Messi following the final whistle. Argentina's 1-0 defeat left the Albiceleste heartbroken, while the emotional exchange between football's past and present quickly became the enduring image of the night.
Spain’s dominance extended beyond the World Cup trophy, with Rodri headlining the tournament’s official award winners. France's Kylian Mbappe took home the Golden Boot after scoring 10 goals, while Unai Simon and Pau Cubarsi earned individual honors as nearly 6.9 million fans attended the expanded 104-match competition across North America.
Lionel Messi came under fire after appearing to urge the referee to send off Marc Cucurella during the World Cup final. The Argentina captain's reaction followed Enzo Fernandez's dismissal, with former England international Lee Dixon calling the eight-time Ballon d'Or winner's behaviour "ridiculous" during the dramatic match.
Luis de la Fuente praised Spain's "sublime" team performance after their victory in the 2026 World Cup final over Argentina, insisting collective discipline was the key to victory. The Spain boss also revealed how his side limited Lionel Messi's influence and credited his players' dedication for delivering football's biggest prize.
Rodri capped Spain's World Cup triumph by winning the Golden Ball after their final victory over Argentina at MetLife Stadium. La Roja also claimed the Golden Glove and Best Young Player awards through Unai Simon and Pau Cubarsi, while Kylian Mbappe finished as the tournament's top scorer to secure the Golden Boot.
As time ticked on and the shadows continued to envelop the pitch in New Jersey, Argentina kept waiting. Surely, the moment would arrive, right? It always does? For the last two World Cups, there was always a Lionel Messi moment of magic, and it always seemed to arrive when Argentina needed it most.
Lionel Messi and Argentina are readying themselves for a historic World Cup final showdown against Spain, but the defending champions may have a superstitious hurdle to overcome. Rapper Drake has publicly backed the Albiceleste with a massive financial wager, sparking fears among supporters that the infamous "Drake curse" could strike.
The 2026 World Cup final is set to be a historic occasion both on and off the pitch as Argentina and Spain battle for global supremacy at MetLife Stadium. FIFA has pulled out all the stops for the tournament's first-ever official half-time show, bringing together a collection of the world's biggest musical icons.
Kylian Mbappe has reached the summit of World Cup history, but the France captain is fully prepared to see his stay at the top lasting less than 24 hours. Despite surpassing Lionel Messi to become the competition's all-time leading scorer with 22 goals, the Real Madrid forward remains certain that his former PSG team-mate will have something to say in Sunday's final against Spain.
Lionel Messi has sparked fresh speculation about his international future after releasing a powerful and emotional statement just hours before the 2026 World Cup final. The legendary forward, who has led Argentina to the brink of consecutive global titles, described the upcoming clash against Spain as part of a journey that has already secured its place in the history books.
The World Cup final is finally upon us, and Sunday's showdown between Spain and Argentina in New Jersey promises to be an absolutely enthralling encounter between the two best teams in the tournament - with the emphasis very much on 'teams'.
The upcoming international showpiece in America will see a fascinating generational battle unfold as the Albiceleste captain Lionel Messi prepares to encounter La Roja's breakout winger Lamine Yamal. Having closely monitored the teenager's spectacular developmental trajectory at Camp Nou, the veteran playmaker expressed immense admiration while plotting to stop him.
Spain legend Andres Iniesta has warned his national team that stopping Lionel Messi completely in the World Cup final is a near-impossible task. The 2010 hero believes the key to victory lies in imposing their own rhythm rather than obsessing over the brilliant Argentina captain.
Lionel Scaloni has refused to speculate on Lionel Messi's international future ahead of Argentina's World Cup final against Spain. The Argentina boss insisted only the captain knows whether he will continue beyond the tournament as retirement speculation intensifies.
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