Golden Ball 2026: Rodri
Available in USThe Golden Ball was the one award the betting board got badly wrong. Rodri went in around 11.0 — a long way behind Lionel Messi — and won it anyway, roughly twenty months on from an ACL rupture. Here is the full awards reference: the settled market, the podium and the wider Spanish honours.
On this page
Golden Ball at a glance
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Winner | Rodri (Spain) |
| Pre-award odds | ~11.0 |
| Beat (favourite) | Lionel Messi (~1.11) |
| Context | ~20 months after an ACL rupture |
How the market missed
Messi was priced as a near-certainty for the Golden Ball; Rodri was a distant outsider. The result inverted the board.
| Market | Selection | Decimal odds | Result |
|---|---|---|---|
| Golden Ball | Lionel Messi | ~1.11 | Lost |
| Golden Ball | Rodri | ~11.0 | Won |
An outsider at 11.0 landing over an odds-on favourite was the tournament’s single biggest market miss. The awards board sits with the wider markets on the betting markets page.
The podium
| Place | Player | Team |
|---|---|---|
| Golden Ball | Rodri | Spain |
| Silver Ball | Lionel Messi | Argentina |
| Bronze Ball | Kylian Mbappé | France |
Messi finished the tournament with 8 goals and 4 assists in what is likely his last World Cup at 39; he retains the records for most World Cup appearances (33) and most assists (12).
The comeback
- Rodri suffered an ACL rupture in September 2024.
- He returned to lift the Golden Ball roughly 20 months after surgery.
- Manager Pep Guardiola described the tournament version as “the real Rodri” — a reference to his full recovery of form.
Cross-reference the champions on the Spain team page and the champions summary.
Full awards board
| Award | Winner |
|---|---|
| Golden Ball | Rodri (Spain) |
| Golden Boot | Kylian Mbappé (France), 10 goals |
| Golden Glove | Unai Simón (Spain), 7 clean sheets |
| Best Young Player | Pau Cubarsí (Spain) |
| Final Player of the Match | Ferran Torres (Spain) |
The Golden Boot result covers Mbappé’s scoring award in full.
FAQ
Odds are decimal and were correct pre-award; consensus figures, confirm with your bookmaker. Online in-play betting is not permitted in Australia. Gamble responsibly — 18+. See responsible gambling.
