FIFA World Cup 2026 has provided goals, surprises, remarkable saves, and some individual performances that will be remembered by football fans for many years to come. Now, as Spain and Argentina get ready to face each other in the finals on July 19, all eyes are now set on the biggest individual awards at the tournament.
Golden Boot, Golden Ball and Golden Glove recognize three kinds of excellence the top goalscorer, the best performer in the tournament, and the best goalkeeper.
Here at Cricbet99, we have considered the main contenders, their performances, and their chances to score awards during FIFA World Cup 2026 to make award winners’ predictions. Our predictions may not be confirmed yet due to the possibility that the final match will alter them.
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What Are FIFA World Cup 2026 Awards?
The FIFA World Cup awards recognise players who produce outstanding performances during the tournament. While winning the World Cup remains the main goal for every team, these individual honours allow exceptional players to receive recognition for their personal contribution.
The three awards attracting the most attention are the Golden Boot, Golden Ball and Golden Glove.
FIFA World Cup Golden Boot
The Golden Boot is presented to the player who scores the most goals during the tournament. Every goal from the group stage to the final counts towards the total.
As of July 16, Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappé are level on eight goals. However, Mbappé’s tournament has ended following France’s semifinal defeat, while Messi still has the final against Spain to improve his total. Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham are among the players behind them, but their remaining opportunity is the third-place match.
FIFA World Cup Golden Ball
The Golden Ball is awarded to the player judged to have been the best overall performer at the World Cup. It is not based only on goals.
The selection also considers assists, creativity, leadership, consistency, influence in major matches and the player’s importance to their team. This means a midfielder, defender or goalkeeper can compete with leading goalscorers for the award.
Previous Golden Ball winners have often combined strong statistics with memorable performances in knockout matches. Reaching the final can significantly strengthen a player’s case, although the award does not always go to a player from the winning team.
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FIFA World Cup Golden Glove
The Golden Glove is awarded to the tournament’s best goalkeeper. Clean sheets are important, but they are not the only factor.
Shot-stopping, penalty saves, handling, distribution, decision-making and performances under pressure can all influence the final selection. A goalkeeper who makes decisive saves in a semifinal or final may have a stronger case than one who recorded more clean sheets in less important matches.
How Winners Are Selected
Each major World Cup award has a different selection process.
How the Golden Boot Winner Is Decided
However, the Golden Boot Award is mainly a numbers game. Whoever manages the highest number of goals in the process earns the prize.
If the players share equal number of goals, then the assist becomes the criterion. In case the two players are equal on assists as well, then the player who has played fewer minutes gets priority.
Thus, the 2026 competition becomes quite intriguing. Messi and Mbappé have eight goals each; however, the latter does not have another chance left. All Messi needs is one goal in the final to take the sole lead.
Mbappé could still clinch the prize if Messi does not manage to score at all and the criteria of tie-breaker work in his favor. Nonetheless, Messi still has control over his standings since he has another shot at the goals.
How the Golden Ball Winner Is Chosen
The Golden Ball is decided through an evaluation of overall tournament performance. A shortlist of leading players is normally prepared before the final decision is made.
The selection looks beyond basic statistics. The judges may consider:
- Goals and assists
- Creativity and chance creation
- Leadership and influence
- Performances in knockout matches
- Consistency throughout the tournament
- Contribution to the team’s progress
- Overall technical and tactical quality
This is why the World Cup final could play such an important role in the 2026 Golden Ball decision. Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal will both have a final opportunity to influence the biggest match of the competition.
How the Golden Glove Winner Is Chosen
The selection of the Golden Glove is done on the basis of assessing the performance of goalkeepers throughout the tournament.
Goals against and clean sheets give useful information, yet the situation has to be considered as well. The fact that a goalkeeper allowed goals does not exclude him from the competition because he managed to make excellent saves as well. Performances in penalty shootouts, one-on-one saves, and good decisions in critical situations are also important factors.
Traditionally, the winners of the competition belonged to the teams that managed to get through to the latter stages. In 2022, Emiliano Martínez received the trophy because he made crucial saves helping his team become the champion. The list of winners published by FIFA provides us with more examples.
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FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot Prediction
Lionel Messi – Our Golden Boot Favourite
Our current prediction for the FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Boot winner is Lionel Messi.
Messi enters the final level with Mbappé on eight goals. Unlike the French forward, he still has one game remaining and therefore has the clearest opportunity to take full control of the race.
Argentina have scored 19 goals during the tournament, giving them the competition’s strongest attack heading into the final. Messi has remained central to their attacking play, contributing as both a scorer and creator.
Spain will present Argentina’s toughest defensive challenge. They have conceded only one goal during their run to the final, so Messi may not receive many clear opportunities. However, his ability to score from penalties, free kicks and open play keeps him in a strong position.
Cricbet99 Golden Boot prediction: Lionel Messi
Kylian Mbappé – Still a Strong Candidate
Kylian Mbappé remains a serious Golden Boot contender despite France’s semifinal exit.
He has completed the tournament with eight goals, meaning Messi must either score or win through the relevant tiebreaker. Mbappé’s pace, movement and finishing made him one of the competition’s standout attackers.
His total is now fixed, but it is high enough to keep him in contention until the final whistle of the tournament.
Other Possible Contenders
Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Ousmane Dembélé have each scored six goals. Kane and Bellingham could still add to their totals during England’s third-place match against France, while Dembélé may also feature for France.
They would need an exceptional performance to overtake the leaders, making Messi and Mbappé the two most realistic Golden Boot candidates.
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Ball Prediction
Lionel Messi – Leading Golden Ball Candidate
Our leading prediction for the 2026 Golden Ball is Lionel Messi.
His case is not based only on goals. Messi has provided creativity, leadership and control during Argentina’s run to the final. He also created both goals in Argentina’s 2–1 semifinal victory over England, showing that his influence remains strong even when he does not score.
Argentina have won all seven of their matches, and Messi has been central to their ability to manage important moments. Winning the final or producing another decisive display would make him extremely difficult to overlook.
Lamine Yamal – Spain’s Golden Ball Challenger
Lamine Yamal is one of Messi’s strongest challengers.
The Spanish attacker has been central to a team that reached the final while playing controlled, technical football. His movement, confidence and creativity have made him one of the tournament’s most exciting players.
The final offers Yamal an opportunity to make a defining contribution on the biggest stage. A goal, assist or match-winning performance against Argentina could move him to the front of the Golden Ball race.
The final also presents an unusual story: an established football legend leading Argentina against one of the game’s brightest young stars. Spain enter the match unbeaten, while Argentina are attempting to defend the title they won in 2022.
Other Golden Ball Contenders
Kylian Mbappé remains a candidate because of his eight goals and overall influence for France. A Golden Ball winner does not have to come from the tournament champion, so his semifinal exit does not completely remove him from consideration.
Spain’s Mikel Merino also deserves recognition. He has delivered important goals during the knockout stage, including a late winner against Belgium in the quarterfinal.
However, the final is likely to move the balance towards Messi or Yamal.
Cricbet99 Golden Ball prediction: Lionel Messi
Main challenger: Lamine Yamal
FIFA World Cup 2026 Golden Glove Contenders
The Golden Glove race may be decided by the final because the two remaining goalkeepers have the opportunity to produce a tournament-defining performance.
Unai Simón – Our Golden Glove Favourite
Our current Golden Glove prediction is Unai Simón of Spain.
Spain have been the strongest defensive team of the tournament, conceding only one goal on their way to the final. That record gives Simón a major advantage.
His role has involved more than making saves. Spain often build possession from the back, requiring their goalkeeper to remain calm with the ball and make accurate decisions under pressure.
Another clean sheet in the final would make Simón the clear favourite. Even if Spain concede, a series of important saves could still secure the award.
Emiliano Martínez – The Big-Match Specialist
Emiliano Martínez remains a major contender because of his experience and reputation in high-pressure matches.
He won the Golden Glove at the 2022 World Cup after helping Argentina become champions. His confidence in one-on-one situations and penalty shootouts makes him especially valuable during knockout football.
If the 2026 final is decided by penalties and Martínez produces another decisive performance, the award race could change immediately. He may not have Spain’s defensive numbers, but his ability to deliver memorable saves in major moments keeps him firmly involved.
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Mike Maignan
Mike Maignan was one of the leading Golden Glove candidates before France’s semifinal loss. He produced strong performances and helped France reach the final four.
However, France’s defeat and Spain’s defensive record now give Simón an advantage. Maignan could still strengthen his case in the third-place match, although Golden Glove winners usually benefit from reaching the final.
Jordan Pickford
Jordan Pickford is another goalkeeper who has performed well during the tournament. England reached the semifinals before losing narrowly to Argentina, and Pickford produced several important saves during their run.
A strong display against France in the third-place match could improve his position. However, Simón and Martínez have the benefit of playing in the final.
Cricbet99 Golden Glove prediction: Unai Simón
Main challenger: Emiliano Martínez
Factors That Could Decide the Winners
Predictions can change quickly during a World Cup final. A single goal, assist or save may decide an individual award.
Performance in the Final
The final will be the most important factor in the Golden Ball and Golden Glove races. A match-winning performance carries more weight than a quiet display because it happens under the greatest pressure.
Messi and Yamal will have a final opportunity to influence the Golden Ball decision, while Simón and Martínez can strengthen their Golden Glove cases.
Goals and Assists
Goals will directly decide the Golden Boot, but they can also influence the Golden Ball.
One Messi goal would move him ahead of Mbappé in the scoring race. A goal or assist from Yamal could strengthen his case as the tournament’s best player.
Clean Sheets and Important Saves
For goalkeepers, a clean sheet in the final would be a major advantage. However, the quality and timing of saves will also matter.
A goalkeeper who makes one outstanding stop in the final minutes may be remembered more clearly than one who makes several routine saves.
Team Success
Players from successful teams usually receive more attention because they play more matches and perform on bigger stages.
Reaching the final has already strengthened the cases of Messi, Yamal, Simón and Martínez. Winning the trophy could provide the final push needed to secure an individual award.
Consistency Across the Tournament
One great performance is valuable, but FIFA awards normally recognise the full tournament.
The strongest candidates have contributed from the group stage through the knockout rounds. Consistency is especially important for the Golden Ball, which rewards overall influence rather than one statistical category.
Why Individual Awards Matter
Individual World Cup awards become part of football history. They recognise players who performed at the highest level during the sport’s biggest international competition.
The Golden Boot places a player alongside the tournament’s greatest goalscorers. The Golden Ball identifies the player who had the strongest overall influence. The Golden Glove celebrates the goalkeeper whose saves and decisions helped shape the competition.
These awards can also define a player’s legacy. A young player can announce themselves to the world, while an experienced star can add another important achievement to an already successful career.
For fans following the tournament through Cricbet99 ID, individual award races add another layer of interest. They encourage us to look beyond the final score and examine goals, assists, clean sheets, leadership and major turning points.
Final Cricbet99 Award Predictions
Based on performances up to July 16, 2026, our predictions are:
| FIFA World Cup 2026 Award | Predicted Winner | Main Challenger |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Boot | Lionel Messi | Kylian Mbappé |
| Golden Ball | Lionel Messi | Lamine Yamal |
| Golden Glove | Unai Simón | Emiliano Martínez |
Messi has the advantage in both attacking award races because he has already produced an outstanding tournament and still has the final to play. Simón leads our Golden Glove prediction because of Spain’s exceptional defensive record.
However, nothing is confirmed. The Spain versus Argentina final could completely change the final rankings. That uncertainty is exactly what makes the FIFA World Cup 2026 award races so exciting.
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Predictions and statistics in this article reflect information available on July 16, 2026. Individual awards will be confirmed after the tournament concludes.
