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FIFA World Cup 2022: Race for the Golden Ball goes down to the wire in Qatar

With just two matches remaining - third place payoff followed by the final, we take a look at the players in the race for the prestigious Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards in Qatar 2022.

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Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi go head-to-head for FIFA World Cup 2022 honours
Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi go head-to-head for FIFA World Cup 2022 honours

Bengaluru, December 15: FIFA World Cup 2022 in Qatar has been nothing short of surprising and exciting for football fans with nearly a month of action almost coming to a close on Sunday (December 18).

With Qatar 2022 being the last World Cup for Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi and Luka Modric among a few others, the emotional quotient has reached another peak.

While the greats of the game were involved for their swansong, this year is said to be a game of the underdogs where teams such as Morocco surprised everyone with their impeccable performance throughout the tournament.

The Atlas Lions may have fallen in the semifinal hurdle, but they stunned European heavyweights Belgium, Spain and Portugal to become the first-ever African team to reach a FIFA World Cup semifinal.

Now, with just two matches remaining - third place payoff between Morocco and Croatia followed by the final between France and Argentina, we take a look at the players in the race for the prestigious Golden Boot and Golden Ball awards.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe

Leading the goal charts, this French footballer is ahead in terms of becoming the top player of the season. He is among those players who have the highest goals on his name this season. With around 5 goals on his name in the current FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022, he seems to be hitting the list of the top players.

Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi

Another name that hits the list is the little star of the Argentinian football team Leo Messi. After losing the first match with Saudi Arabia, they have hit back and how! With the best assists by Messi and the nail-biting matches, Argentina has finally reached the finals. He is definitely the one in the running for the winner of the Golden Boot.

Luka Modric

Luka Modric

This footballer from the Republic of Croatia is one such name that is seen among the highly speculated players who can be named top player of the season. His fans were left heartbroken watching him play the last match against Argentina. His central midfielder ability & the capability to play as an attacking & defecting midfielder is what gets him to the list.

Sofyan Amrabat

Sofyan Amrabat

Morocco has won many hearts with their game and impeccable playing through the season of FIFA 2022. Sofyan Amrabat is one such player who stood out this entire season. This midfielder who represents the Morocco national team is one more name that fits the bill of speculation and is among the highly anticipated player to be the leading player of the present FIFA World Cup 2022.

Well one can only wait and watch who will get the Golden Boot and the Golden Ball. Tune into MTV HD, Sports18, and JioCinema to watch the FIFA World Cup 2022, LIVE! And enjoy the football fiesta.

Story first published: Thursday, December 15, 2022, 18:54 [IST]
Other articles published on Dec 15, 2022
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