FIFA SAYS RODRI, IFFHS SAYS MESSI

By: Gyang Dakwo

The debate over who truly deserved the 2026 World Cup best player award has taken a new turn after the International Federation of Football History and Statistics (IFFHS) named Lionel Messi as the tournament’s top performer, going against FIFA’s decision to honour Spain captain Rodri.

FIFA had awarded the Golden Ball to Rodri after he guided Spain to their second World Cup title with a 1 – 0 victory over Argentina in the final at MetLife Stadium.

But IFFHS has offered a different view, placing Messi ahead of the other standout performers after what it described as a tournament defined by his numbers and influence.

The Argentine captain, who was 39 during the competition, delivered another memorable World Cup campaign as he led defending champions Argentina to a second consecutive final.

Messi finished as the second-highest scorer and second in assists, scoring 8 goals and providing 4 assists in seven matches. His 12 goal contributions became a major part of Argentina’s run to the final.

For IFFHS, the figures told the story. The organisation highlighted Messi’s consistency throughout the tournament, pointing to his average match rating of 8.33 across all seven appearances.

The federation also noted that Messi continued to rewrite World Cup records, extending his marks for assists, goal contributions, dribbles, chances created and knockout stage involvement.

He also became the first player in World Cup history to score against 17 different opponents, adding another remarkable achievement to his already historic tournament record.

Although Kylian Mbappe moved ahead of Messi as the competition’s all-time leading scorer, the Argentine remained one of the most influential players as he attempted to guide Argentina to another title.

IFFHS said its decision was based on “statistical evidence and the integrity of the performance record”, insisting that Messi’s selection was earned “not by sentiment, not by reputation, but by the authority of the data”.

With FIFA’s Golden Ball going to Rodri and IFFHS choosing Messi, the question now left for football fans is whether the award should be decided by the player who lifts the trophy or the one whose individual impact stands out throughout the tournament.

With FIFA choosing Rodri and IFFHS backing Messi, the debate now centres on what defines the best player at a World Cup: overall influence, individual numbers or impact on a team’s success.