Rodri wins Golden Ball over Messi, sparking debate: best team vs best player

Published Jul 21, 01:46 AM UTC

Spain defeated Argentina 1-0 to win the World Cup, with Rodri winning the tournament's Golden Ball award. Sky Sports analysis questions whether Rodri deserved the award over superstars like Messi, Mbappé, and Bellingham. While Rodri ranked only 18th in Sky Sports' Power Rankings and seventh-best on his own team by comprehensive score, he led in ball touches and defensive metrics like tackles and ball recoveries. His leadership and experience were also cited as crucial. However, Messi and Mbappé each ranked in the top ten in 18 of 43 key statistics, compared to Rodri's 13. The article concludes that the best team won the best player award, rather than the truly best-performing individual.