Spain captain Rodri has won the official World Cup Golden Ball trophy as the tournament's best player, with Lionel Messi taking the Silver Ball and Kylian Mbappe the Bronze Ball. The awards were announced after 104 matches over almost six weeks of unforgettable drama and surprises across the US, Canada and Mexico.
BBC Sport reporters offered their own reflections. Chief football writer Phil McNulty highlighted Messi's enduring inspiration: 'Look at how he controlled the game and pulled the strings when Argentina chased England down in a dramatic semi-final.' McNulty also noted Mbappe's confident demeanour off the pitch, which 'was reflected in some brilliant performances on the pitch - great goals, leadership, flair, composure under pressure'.
“Spain's Rodri wins Golden Ball as World Cup best player; Messi and Mbappe take silver and bronze.”
England reporter Alex Howell picked Jude Bellingham as his player of the tournament, saying the Real Madrid midfielder 'dragged England through by sheer force of will in some games and took his game to another level'. Another reporter credited Messi's eight goals and four assists in eight games, while pointing out that 'England did their best to keep him quiet in the semi-final and succeeded in the first half, but Messi often finds a way and his two assists proved decisive.'
Michael Olise, at just 24, left his mark with seven assists, including a spectacular scissor-kick against Sweden in the last 32 that 'crashed against a post'. Rodi was described as 'irreplaceable' and 'exceptional' at the heart of the best team in the tournament. Messi also scored a hat-trick to equal Klose's scoring record, adding to his legacy.