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Argentina lost the championship title, having been defeated 1-0 by Spain in the World Cup final. Although Lionel Messi was considered the frontrunner for FIFA’s Golden Ball, the individual best player award ultimately went to Spain captain Rodri. This has sparked discussion and criticism.
Meanwhile, the International Federation of Football History & Statistics (IFFHS) has surpassed the decision of football’s supreme governing body (FIFA) by declaring Lionel Messi as the tournament’s best footballer.
The organization chose the Argentina captain as the best player of the recently concluded World Cup, based on an analysis of data-performance indicators.
IFFHS stated that this title was awarded based on their proprietary Performance Index. This is a modern data-driven method that calculates a player’s goals, assists, match ratings for each game, and the impact of knockout stages throughout the tournament using specific equations. The organization’s technical panel reached this decision after a thorough analysis of detailed information from every match of the 2026 World Cup.
IFFHS presented the details of Messi’s ratings to support their decision. Throughout the entire tournament, Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists in eight matches played. His average match rating throughout the tournament was 8.33.
Performance in the knockout stages received special importance in the statistical agency’s evaluation. The ability to pull a team back from the brink of elimination in matches facing the threat of departure reveals a player’s true greatness. Messi’s contribution to Argentina’s progress in the knockout stages was undeniable.
IFFHS clearly stated that Messi was declared the World Cup’s best player not based on personal recognition or emotion, but rather through a 100% analysis of data, facts, and performance statistics.