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Why Messi Is My Favourite to Win the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball

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With only two matches left at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, the race for the tournament’s best player award is almost over. For me, Lionel Messi is the clear favourite to win the Golden Ball.

The Argentina captain has once again shown why he is one of football’s greatest players. He has led his team to the World Cup final with outstanding performances, scoring eight goals and providing four assists.

Messi has been involved in most of Argentina’s goals during the tournament and has stepped up in important matches. His leadership, creativity and ability to decide games have made him the standout player of the competition.

  • Lionel MessiLionel Messi

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Spain midfielder Rodri is also among the leading contenders. He has been the driving force in Spain’s midfield, helping his side reach the final while playing a key role in one of the tournament’s strongest defensive records.

France captain Kylian Mbappe has also enjoyed another brilliant World Cup. The forward has scored eight goals and added three assists, leading France’s attack before their semi-final exit. He still has one more chance to impress in the third-place play-off against England.

England midfielder Jude Bellingham has also strengthened his reputation with another excellent tournament. His six goals, energy and influence in midfield were vital in England’s run to the semi-finals.

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Other players who have impressed include Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, Ousmane Dembele, Mikel Oyarzabal and Spain’s young star Lamine Yamal, who have all produced memorable performances during the competition.

Despite the quality of the other contenders, my choice remains Messi. He has combined goals, assists, leadership and match-winning displays better than anyone else at this World Cup.

If Argentina complete their title defence in the final against Spain, I believe Messi will fully deserve to be named the 2026 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball winner as the tournament’s best player.

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France v England LIVE: World Cup 2026 bronze final score and latest updates

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England 2-0 France

28 mins: Another chance for France as Doue finds a tight pass into Mbappe who tried to sneak it past Henderson, who got a deflection, allowing Guehi to stop it going over the line – although it was offside anyway.

France looking the more lively bunch now as England have looked to get control over possession and slow things down a bit.

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:30

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WATCH: Ezri Konsa nods home England’s second

And here’s England’s second goal. Neatly done by Konsa as Rice adds an assist to his tally

Luke Baker18 July 2026 22:28

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Hydration break: England 2-0 France

France have once again playing like a team of individuals, and have had moments of brilliance but nothing is coming together just yet – England’s defence is holding for now.

In attack England have been finding space all over the park – Saka and Rashford are having an easy time out on the wings, with almost unlimited space to get dangerous passes into the box – long may it continue.

(Reuters)

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:26

England 2-0 France

23 mins: Mbappe is given much too space outside the box and lets fly.

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Its not a bad effort but Henderson is happy to see it sail past his post.

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:23

Goal! England 2-0 France

18 mins: Its another one! Just seconds after Saka was away and had a shot deflected by Lacroix to win a corner.

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Declan Rice plays in a vintage cross to the salmon-like Konsa who nestles it in the bottom right.

That’s a goal and an assist for Rice, inside 20 minutes

(Reuters)

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:20

England 1-0 France

15 mins: France are now awake and Mbappe is looking dangerously quick on the ball.

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England are doing well to get back behind the ball and stop the crosses as they come in.

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:16

Denied! England 1-0 France

12 mins: Saka is put through again down the right-hand side and cuts back in and finishes into the bottom left, but the flag goes up as he is a half-yard offside

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As of writing, France have just gone up the other end and had a chance of their own – they are pulling no punches here.

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:13

England 1-0 France

11 mins: France are finding their feet. Doue has a snap shot saved well by Henderson

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James Hicken18 July 2026 22:11

WATCH: Declan Rice scores stunning opening goal

A lovely strike from Declan Rice and a dream start for England!

Luke Baker18 July 2026 22:09

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England 1-0 France

9 mins: Its been a frantic start. England are having the better of it by far, but France have already threatened on the counter attack.

James Hicken18 July 2026 22:09

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Trainer Gavin Bedggood eyes Stakes success for Burning Heartz in Adelaide in 2026

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Jockeys in colorful silks ride racing horses at full gallop on a bright track, with a blue advertising wall in the background and grass underfoot.

Trainer Gavin Bedggood is eyeing a Stakes win in Adelaide for his promising filly Burning Heartz, with ambitions for an Oaks campaign down the track.

Having broken her maiden status at Sandown on July 1, Burning Heartz is now set to compete in the Group 3 South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes over 1400 metres at Morphettville Parks this Saturday.

Bedggood considered spelling Burning Heartz after her initial victory but decided against it, believing a Stakes win would be a valuable addition to her burgeoning race record.

The decision was also influenced by the track conditions, with the Adelaide track reported as heavy on Friday, similar to the surface on which the filly had previously won.

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“I had the option of tipping her out and putting her away for the spring, but’s shown us that she’s very adept on wet ground,” Bedggood commented.

“There was this Stakes race, so it’s a chance to have a two-year-old that’s a city winner with the chance to add some Black Type to her name.”

“It is almost mission accomplished if she could do that.”

“She’s got good ability. Wet ground is zero issue, and she’s drawn a good barrier, so I think she will be very competitive over there.”

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Bedggood indicated that Burning Heartz would eventually require a spell, which might make a start in the VRC Oaks (2500m) at Flemington in November unlikely.

However, he noted that there are several Oaks races in the autumn that might offer more suitable conditions.

“We’ll reassess what happens after Saturday’s race, but she will need a break at some point,” Bedggood said.

“How long that is, I’m not too sure.”

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“You would like to think she could be an Oaks filly, but that may be in the autumn when the tracks are a bit softer too.”

Consider checking out Australian betting sites for the latest racing odds on the South Australian Sires’ Produce Stakes.

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France-England live: Follow Deschamps’ final bow in third-place playoff

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France and England meet in the third-place playoff at the World Cup in Miami, with Didier Deschamps preparing for his final match as France manager after 14 years at the helm. Les Bleus and the Three Lions seek redemption following their semi-final heartbreak. Follow our liveblog for minute-to-minute commentary. 

Official lineups for France-England

England: Maignan – Gusto, Konaté, Lacroix, T. Hernandez – Zaïre-Emery, Rabiot – Olise, Cherki, Doué – Mbappé (c).

Angleterre: Henderson – Quansah, Konsa, Guéhi, Spence – Rice (c), Eze – Saka, Rogers, Rashford – Toney.

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And off we go!

Time for the anthems!

We will start with La Marseillaise

God Save the King will then ring in Miami!

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Three Lions warming up in Miami

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Half an hour until countdown!

Les Bleus’ pitch inspection

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Mbappé’s farewell to Deschamps

“Today is your final dance. You who have given us so much. We should have offered you a better ending, but we failed. Finding words to describe what you have brought us over 14 years is very difficult, as you have been such a major figure in this team’s rebirth. People haven’t always appreciated your greatness, but time and history will take care of that… Thank you for giving me the chance and opportunity to represent my country on the greatest stage for so many years. I feel privileged to have stood alongside one of the greatest legends of our country, and I only have excellent memories of everything we have lived and achieved together. I wish you all the best in your new adventure, and thank you again for everything you have brought to this shirt that means so much to us.”

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Deschamps rotates for final farewell

Didier Deschamps has made wholesale changes for his final match as France manager. An entirely new defensive line takes to the pitch, while Warren Zaïre-Emery earns his first start in midfield alongside Rabiot.

Désiré Doué makes his first start on the left, with Rayan Cherki centrally replacing Michael Olise, who shifts to the right. Kylian Mbappé leads the line, hunting his eighth goal to defend his Golden Boot!

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Les Bleus’ locker room

Three Lions arrive in Miami

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One hour until kick-off!

Les Bleus’ starting XI

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England’s starting XI

Hello and welcome!

Welcome to our live coverage of France-England in the third-place playoff at the World Cup in Miami!

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Didier Deschamps prepares for his final match as France manager after 14 years in charge, while both teams seek redemption following their semi-final disappointments!

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This match marks the conclusion of Didier Deschamps‘ record-breaking tenure as France manager. France‘s coach will oversee his 185th and final match leading Les Bleus, hoping to bow out with a victory. Deschamps has steered France through a golden era, but his time ends on a bittersweet note after their semi-final defeat to Spain.

Kylian Mbappé carries additional motivation into this match, sitting level with Lionel Messi on eight goals in the pursuit of the Golden Boot. The French superstar also has his eye on World Cup history: with 20 tournament goals, he sits just one behind Messi’s all-time record of 21.

Thomas Tuchel’s England side arrive in Miami nursing deep wounds after their dramatic semi-final loss to Argentina. The Three Lions were within touching distance of their first World Cup final in 60 years before Messi’s Argentina delivered a devastating 2-1 comeback blow. England’s anguish is palpable, and their enthusiasm for this third-place match remains minimal…

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IndyCar’s David Malukas hospitalized after Nashville Superspeedway crash

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NEWYou can now listen to Fox News articles!

It’s a big weekend for IndyCar with the series’ race at Nashville Superspeedway on Sunday getting a big lead-in from the FIFA World Cup final, but it got off to a scary start thanks to a big crash for Team Penske’s David Malukas that has ruled him out of Saturday’s qualifying session.

Malukas, who is in his first season behind the wheel of the No. 12 Chevrolet, lost the rear of his car mid-corner and went left rear first into the SAFER barrier during practice on Saturday morning.

It was a heavy impact that destroyed the rear of Malukas’ car.

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That was obviously the end of Malukas’ practice session, and he was reported to be “awake, alert, and in good spirits.”

David Malukas crash

Team Penske’s David Malukas suffered a big crash in practice at Nashville Superspeedway that heavily damaged his No. 12 Chevrolet and sent him to the hospital. (Photo by Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images)

But a little bit later, it was revealed that Malukas had been taken to a local hospital for further testing and evaluation.

IndyCar vet Conor Daly has since been tapped to take over Malukas’ car for qualifying. However, his status for Saturday evening’s practice and Sunday’s race, the Borchetta Bourbon Music City Grand Prix, remains unclear.

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Interestingly, Malukas was already set to serve a nine-place grid penalty due to an unapproved engine change.

David Malukas

David Malukas will miss qualifying, with Conor Daly taking his place. The team said that if the car is ready, Daly will use the session to perform a shakedown run. (Photo by Brandon Badraoui/Lumen via Getty Images)

Now, with the car needing major repairs after the crash, if it’s ready for qualifying, Daly’s job will be to perform a shakedown run to ensure it’s ready to go for the rest of the weekend regardless of who is in it.

Even after qualifying had gotten underway, the team was still working to put the car together, with the added consideration that if Daly drives in qualifying, he will have to drive the rest of the weekend, even if Malukas is healthy enough to return.

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Malukas is currently sitting in fourth place in the championship standings, 66 points behind leader Alex Palou, and has performed well in his first season with one of the series’ premier teams.

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While he’s still chasing his first win, the 24-year-old from Chicago has one pole, five top fives, and 9 top tens on the year, including a second-place finish in this year’s Indianapolis 500.

This week, Malukas was one of three drivers — along with Palou and Indy 500 winner Felix Rosenqvist — who visited the White House ahead of the Freedom 250 Grand Prix of Washington, DC.

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Rapper Drake places his bet on who will win 2026 FIFA World Cup ahead of Spain vs Argentina clash, fans react

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Canadian rapper Drake has placed his bet on who will win the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy between Argentina and Spain on Sunday, July 19. The musician backed the defending champions to make it back-to-back triumphs on the grandest stage in football.

The 2026 FIFA World Cup has finally reached the stage everyone has been looking forward to since the start of the summer. Argentina and Spain are scheduled to go head-to-head for the coveted prize at the New York New Jersey Stadium after seeing off England and France, respectively, in the semifinals.

Ahead of the encounter, Drake has chosen to make his prediction by placing a bet on the fixture. The musician has placed a massive $1.5 million on the South American giants to come out victorious from the encounter.

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The bet, which was placed on Stake, has 3.45 odds and will be settled within 90 minutes. Hence, to win the bet, Argentina must win the game within regular play time, excluding extra time and the penalty shootout.

Should the defending champions secure the victory, Drake would pocket a whopping $5,175,000, leaving him with a profit of $3,675,000. The rapper shared the screenshot of the bet slip on his Instagram page. However, there have been a couple of hilarious reactions in the comments.

A user named charrlatteeee wrote: “Thank God, Argentina might actually lose because of this.” Another user, antoniomvrcos wrote: “Thank you for cursing them” while 630massage simply wrote “Congratulations, Spain”.

Commenters feel Spain might just win the gameCommenters feel Spain might just win the game
Commenters feel Spain might just win the game
Some commenters think the rapper's support might just be a curse on ArgentinaSome commenters think the rapper's support might just be a curse on Argentina
Some commenters think the rapper’s support might just be a curse on Argentina

While some people align with his bet, most fans feel it indicates that Argentina would lose the match. Drake has had ill luck in betting in recent years, with most of his picks failing to play out, and many believe that the defending champions will also be affected.

He backed Argentina to beat France in regular time in the 2022 FIFA World Cup final. The Albiceleste claimed the trophy, but the musician lost the bet because the match ended 2-2 in normal time and was dragged into extra time, eventually going to a shootout.

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All eyes on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal ahead of 2026 FIFA World Cup final

Argentina and Spain are gearing up for a massive clash that will determine who goes home with the 2026 FIFA World Cup trophy. As expected, the spotlight has shone on Lionel Messi and Lamine Yamal, the superstars of their respective teams who have much in common.

Messi has been the best player in the competition so far. The eight-time Ballon d’Or winner currently tops the goalscoring chart with an impressive eight goals to his name in seven matches. He’s also bagged four assists and picked up five Man Of The Match awards.

Yamal, on the other hand, has also been a shining light in the tournament. The 19-year-old has a goal to his name and three Man Of The Match awards. With both superstars carrying their nations on their shoulders, it’d be interesting to see who will end up claiming the crown on Sunday.