FIFA reveals the World Cup’s Golden Ball, Golden Boot and Golden Glove trophies for 2026
Ahead of kickoff in North America, world soccer’s governing body has unveiled the designs of the World Cup’s individual awards.
FIFA is steadily stoking World Cup fever. With just hours to go before kickoff, the designs of the individual trophies set to be awarded to the standout players in each category have been unveiled: the Golden Ball (best player), the Golden Glove (best goalkeeper), and the Golden Boot (top scorer).
Backed by Adidas as the official sponsor, the 2026 design stays true to tradition - sleek, gold-toned trophies with refined lines that reflect the prestige of some of the most coveted honors in the global game.
Who won the individual World Cup awards in 2022?
At the last men’s World Cup, in Qatar in 2022, Argentina’s Lionel Messi claimed the Golden Ball, with compatriot Emiliano “Dibu” Martínez named best goalkeeper, and France’s Kylian Mbappé picking up the Golden Boot.
More often than not, the winners are players who go deep into the tournament, underlining how team success inevitably shapes individual recognition on the sport’s biggest stage.
FIFA have unveiled the 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐭, 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐁𝐚𝐥𝐥, and 𝐆𝐨𝐥𝐝𝐞𝐧 𝐆𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞 awards for the World Cup. pic.twitter.com/9lmbPolw3F
— WorldCup Xtra (@FIFAWCXtra) June 11, 2026
A prize that carries record-breaking weight
This time around, the Golden Boot could carry even greater significance than simply leading the scoring charts. Stars like Mbappé and Messi - who have 13 and 12 career World Cup goals, respectively - are in contention to climb towards the summit of the men’s World Cup’s all-time scoring list.
Currently, the leading marksman in the history of the tournament is Germany’s Miroslav Klose, who netted 16 times between 2002 and 2014.
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