Messi, best player in the World, Mbappé top scorer
Winner of his first World Cup and double scorer in the final, Lionel Messi was voted the best player in the competition. The “Pulga” scored 7 goals throughout the tournament. His teammates Enzo Fernandez and Emiliano Martinez were voted best youngster and best goalkeeper of the tournament respectively. Kylian Mbappé must be content with the title of top scorer (8 goals).
Ultimately what does it matter? This trophy for best player of the tournament could only crown Lionel Messi or Kylian Mbappé. A tiny consolation prize for the French striker or a mini icing on the huge cake for the Argentinian, who has just realized his ultimate dream: to win a World Cup. In any case, the two players did not need that to prove their place in the history of football. It was finally the Agentin who won.
It is Messi who will bring home the best player trophy. La Pulga scored seven goals in this competition and in every game of the final stages, a new record. It is even on a double against the Blues that Messi ends the competition. Even if in the lot of all his achievements, the 35-year-old player scored four penalties, he will definitely have weighed.
It was at the top that Lionel Messi left Qatar, he who was playing his last World Cup. What will we remember from his competition? His goal of more than 25 meters scored against Mexico in chickens? His festival to deliver an assist for the third Argentinian goal against Croatia in the semi-final? His second goal in the final to put the French behind? Overall, the native of Rosario especially took in his wake, the Argentine selection towards the coronation. He will have doubted the defenders of all the teams he has met and freed up space for his teammates, without whom he would not have arrived there.
Kylian Mbappé would not have been ridiculous in the place of the Argentina. Author of an absolutely exceptional hat-trick, the 23-year-old striker gave hope in a final where the Blues were at the bottom. Perhaps a little less consistent than Messi throughout the competition, the Frenchman once again showed the planet his immense talent. But Mbappé suffered programmed defenses against him, which prevented him from being even more decisive. The number 10 of the Blues still received the top scorer trophy (8 goals), which he went to get with immense disappointment, on the podium at the Lusail stadium.
Enzo Fernandez best young player, Emiliano Martinez best goalkeeper
The Argentine goalkeeper is not known for being calm and hiding his emotions. Even when he went to collect his trophy as the best goalkeeper in the World Cup, the Aston Villa goalkeeper could not help but stand out, pointing the cup at the wrong place on his body. Not very classy to conclude a successful tournament on the football level. Martinez conceded eight goals including three in the final but was decisive in the most crucial moments. A great parade in the 120th + 3 against Randal Kolo Muani to get the penalty shootout. A session during which he released Kingsley Coman’s strike to take the lead definitively.
He is rather discreet but no less important. At 21, Enzo Fernandez found a place in the Argentinian midfield, until the final coronation. The Benfica player won the best young trophy, succeeding a certain Kylian Mbappé.