IFFHS honored "Messi" as the best player of the 2026 World Cup, in contrast to FIFA, which awarded "Rodri."
On 24 July 2026 GMT+7, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) announced Lionel Messi, the Argentine national team forward, as the Best Player of the 2026 World Cup—considered the highest individual honor from the federation for the tournament’s most outstanding player.
This announcement came just days after FIFA awarded the Golden Ball to Rodri, captain of the Spanish national team, sparking widespread debate among fans and analysts. While FIFA chose Rodri, IFFHS concluded that Messi was the player who had the greatest impact on the game throughout the tournament.
Messi scored 8 goals and provided 4 assists, contributing to 12 goals in total. He also achieved an average match rating of 8.33, reflecting his consistent performance throughout the tournament rather than standout efforts in just one or two games.
Although Argentina ultimately lost 1-0 to Spain in the final, marking their second consecutive runner-up finish, Messi’s performance at age 39 was highly acclaimed. He continued to break his own all-time World Cup records in assists, goal involvement, dribbles past opponents, and chance creation during the knockout stages.