After weeks of anticipation, the 2022 FIFA World Cup has finally come to a close. The final match saw France crowned as the champions while Lionel Messi emerged as the Golden Ball winner for best player. In addition, young prodigy Kylian Mbappé took away the golden boot for the most goals scored during the tournament. In this article, we will discuss the highlights and major awards from FIFA World Cup 2022 and what they mean for both football fans and players alike.
Lionel Messi wins Golden Ball for best player
It was Lionel Messi’s sixth Golden Ball award, given to the best player at the World Cup. And it couldn’t have come at a more appropriate time: in his country’s first-ever final.
The 32-year-old Argentine was decisive in setting up his side’s opening goal with a brilliant pass to Sergio Aguero, and then put the game out of reach with a stunning individual effort in the second half. It was a fitting end to what has been an incredible tournament for Messi, who has been nothing short of exceptional throughout.
In addition to his two goals in the final, Messi also racked up a tournament-leading six assists, proving once again that he is not only the best player in the world, but also the most unselfish. He is deservedly taking home the Golden Ball as a result.
Kylian Mbappe wins Golden Boot:
The 19-year-old Frenchman was simply unstoppable in Russia, scoring four goals and providing two assists en route to winning the World Cup with his country. He became just the second teenager ever to score in a World Cup final, and his total of six goals for the tournament is enough to earn him the Golden Boot as well.
Mbappe takes Golden Boot
Kylian Mbappé has become the first teenager to score in a World Cup final since Pelé, and he did it in style. The 19-year-old Frenchman put his stamp on the game with a brilliant solo goal in the 65th minute, which was enough to secure him the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer.
Mbappé started his World Cup campaign with a bang, scoring twice in France’s opening game against Argentina. He followed that up with another goal against Peru and then netted again in the round of 16 win over Uruguay. His fourth goal of the tournament came in the quarter-final victory over Argentina (again), before he scored France’s fifth in their semi-final win over Belgium.
In the final against Croatia, Mbappé was at it again, racing away from Mario Mandžukić to fire past Danijel Subašić and seal France’s 4-2 victory. It was a truly stunning performance from Mbappé, who became only the second teenager after Pelé to score in a World Cup final.
Not only did Mbappé take home the Golden Boot, but he also won the Best Young Player award. It’s fair to say that we’ll be seeing a lot more of this young man in the years to come.
FIFA World Cup 2022
The 2022 FIFA World Cup will be the 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup, the quadrennial international men’s football championship contested by the national teams of the member associations of FIFA. It is scheduled to take place in Qatar in November and December 2022. This will be the first World Cup ever to be held in the Arab world and the first in a Muslim-majority country. The tournament has been postponed to avoid clashes with the 2020 Summer Olympics, as was previously planned.
Lionel Messi has won the Golden Ball for best player at the 2018 FIFA World Cup. The Argentine beat out Cristiano Ronaldo and Antoine Griezmann for the award, as voted on by media members covering the tournament. Messi scored six goals and provided one assist in Argentina’s four games at Russia 2018. He also becomes only the second player to win multiple Golden Balls, after Ronaldo.
France’s Kylian Mbappe has won the 2018 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot as top scorer. The 19-year-old scored four goals in six games for Les Bleus, including a crucial goal in their 4-2 final victory over Croatia. This makes him only the second teenager after Brazil’s Pele to score in a World Cup final. Mbappe is also now France’s all-time leading scorer at major tournaments with seven goals (including three at Euro 2016).
Messi’s history with the FIFA World Cup
Lionel Messi has been a part of the FIFA World Cup since 2006, when he was just 18 years old. He’s played in three World Cups total- 2006, 2010, and 2014. In 2006, he became the youngest player ever to score a goal in the World Cup, and he helped his team reach the quarterfinals. In 2010, he scored again against Nigeria in the group stage, but Argentina was ultimately eliminated in the quarterfinals. And in 2014, Messi scored against Iran in the group stage- a game that many have called one of the best World Cup games ever- but Argentina lost to Germany in the final.
Now, at age 30, Messi is back for his fourth World Cup. He’s already made history by becoming the first Argentine player to score in three different World Cups. But with Argentina’s recent string of bad luck at major tournaments- they haven’t won a title since 1993- can Messi finally lead his country to glory? Only time will tell.
Mbappe’s history with the FIFA World Cup
Kylian Mbappe has a history with the FIFA World Cup that dates back to when he was just a child. He was born in France in 1998, the year that the French national team won the World Cup on home soil. Mbappe has said that he grew up watching videos of that triumph and dreaming of one day emulating his heroes.
Mbappe’s first taste of action on the world stage came at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, where he became the first teenager since Pele in 1958 to score in a final. His performances throughout the tournament saw him win the Best Young Player award and he played a key role as France lifted the trophy for a second time.
Just two years later, Mbappe was back on the global stage as part of Didier Deschamps’ side that won the 2019 FIFA Confederations Cup. Once again, Mbappe shone and scored four goals across the tournament, including one in the final against Brazil.
With two major titles already under his belt, Mbappe will be hoping to add a third at this summer’s European Championship. He is currently regarded as one of the best players in the world and will be central to France’s chances of success.
How this year’s FIFA World Cup will be different
1. How this year’s FIFA World Cup will be different
This year’s FIFA World Cup will be different for a number of reasons. For one, it will be the first time that the tournament is being held in Africa. This means that there will be a greater focus on African players and teams than ever before. Additionally, this year’s World Cup will also see the debut of several new technologies, including goal-line technology and video assistant referees (VAR). These new additions should help to make the tournament even more exciting and competitive. Finally, Lionel Messi has been named as the winner of the Golden Ball award for the best player at the World Cup, while French youngster Kylian Mbappé has taken home the Golden Boot award for top scorer. This is further proof that football truly is a global game with no boundaries.
Conclusion
The 22nd FIFA World Cup in Qatar was an extraordinary event, capped off by Brazil lifting the trophy and Lionel Messi’s remarkable performance earning him the Golden Ball. It was a memorable tournament that saw Kylian Mbappe win the Golden Boot after scoring 4 goals, while Robert Lewandowski and Neymar were also among those honoured for their performances. The 2022 FIFA World Cup will go down in history as one of the most exciting tournaments ever seen, thanks to its star-studded cast of players who put on a show every time they stepped onto the pitch!
