Published on 12/6/2026
|
Last update: 13:50 (Mecca time)
There is no doubt that the FIFA World Cup represents the biggest dream of every player in the world, as everyone seeks to raise the most expensive trophy at the end of the tournament. However, the competition is not limited to the collective coronation only, but also extends to prestigious individual awards given to the most prominent stars.
Since the 1982 edition, which was held in Spain, the tournament’s best player award and the top scorer award have become an essential part of the World Cup’s history, as the first is awarded to the best player, while the second is given to whoever scores the highest number of goals. In 1994, the Best Goalkeeper Award was added, which was previously known as the Lev Yashin Award before its name was later changed in 2010.
Read also
list of 2 itemsend of list
With the kick-off of the 2026 World Cup, which will be held in Canada, Mexico and the United States, new designs for these three awards were revealed by Adidas, in a move that gives the tournament a renewed visual character that reflects the development of the largest football event in the world.
The design of the Best Player award, which Lionel Messi is the last to win, was inspired by the new official ball of the tournament.
Strong competition awaits Messi
Although Messi will participate again in the 2026 edition to defend his title, the competition will be very strong, in light of the presence of prominent names such as Kylian Mbappe, along with a new generation of rising stars such as Lamin Yamal, in addition to distinguished players such as Harry Kane, Ousmane Dembélé, Michel Olise, Vitinha and Bruno Fernandes, who are performing at great levels with their clubs.
Will it be Harry Kane’s summer?
As for the tournament’s top scorer award, it witnessed the crowning of a number of the most prominent strikers in recent editions, such as Harry Kane in 2018, James Rodriguez in 2014, and Thomas Muller in 2010, while the Brazilian Ronaldo in 2002 and Miroslav Klose in 2006 had previously won it.
In the 2022 edition, Kylian Mbappé succeeded in topping the scorers list despite losing the final to Argentina after scoring three goals in the final match.
Harry Kane is considered one of the most prominent candidates to win this award in the 2026 edition, especially after his great scoring performance last season, after scoring 61 goals in only 51 matches with Bayern Munich.
However, the competition will be intense with the presence of Mbappe, Erling Haaland, Vinicius Junior, Dembele, Lamine Gamal, and other stars, in addition to the possibility of the continued brilliance of some veteran names such as Messi and Ronaldo, although most of the winners of this award are usually under the age of thirty, with the exception of a few cases in the history of the tournament.
Goalkeepers have a share
As for the Best Goalkeeper Award, it was awarded for the first time to Iker Casillas in 2010 after his significant contribution to the Spanish national team winning the title, while Emiliano Martinez won it in the 2022 edition after his decisive role in Argentina’s victory, especially during influential saves and penalty kicks.
Martinez may retain his award in the 2026 edition if he continues his brilliance, but he will face strong competition from a number of prominent goalkeepers such as David Raya, Jordan Pickford, Alisson, Unai Simon, and Diego Costa, in addition to the possibility of the return of veteran German goalkeeper Manuel Neuer in what may be his last participation in the World Cup at the age of forty.
