Football betting tips: World Cup awards
2pts Jude Bellingham to win the Golden Ball at 10/1 (General)
2pts Michael Olise to win the Golden Ball at 10/1 (General)
Golden Ball odds (Sky Bet)
- Kylian Mbappe - 13/8
- Lionel Messi - 7/4
- Erling Haaland - 13/2
- Harry Kane - 15/2
- Jude Bellingham, Michael Olise - 10/1
- Lamine Yamal - 16/1
- Ousmane Dembele - 18/1
- Mikel Oyarzabal - 33/1
Odds correct 12:15 BST (08/07/26)
Yesteryear tells us two things about the GOLDEN BALL award.
Firstly, you don’t have to win the World Cup to win this accolade but you almost certainly have to be a finalist. All but one of the last 11 winners (91%) have played for the winning nation or the runners-up.
Secondly, it rarely goes to the Golden Boot winner. Only Italy’s Paolo Rossi in 1982 has finished as the World Cup top goalscorer and won the Player of the Tournament in the same competition.
With Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe leading the top goalscorer charge, it’s worth opposing the market leaders for the Golden Ball, especially as both France and Argentina have tricky routes to the final.
Les Bleus must beat Morocco then most likely Spain. The South Americans laboured past Cape Verde and Egypt in the knockouts, and will have to get past Switzerland in the quarters then England or Norway in the semis, the latter beat Brazil in the round of 16.
World Cup Golden Ball winners (nation's position)
- 2022 - Lionel Messi, Argentina (1st)
- 2018 - Luka Modric, Croatia (2nd)
- 2014 - Lionel Messi, Argentina (2nd)
- 2010 - Diego Forlan, Uruguay (4th)
- 2006 - Zinedine Zidane, France (2nd)
- 2002 - Oliver Kahn, Germany (2nd)
- 1998 - Ronaldo, Brazil (2nd)
- 1994 - Romario, Brazil (1st)
- 1990 - Salvatore Schillaci, Italy (3rd)
- 1986 - Diego Maradona, Arg (1st)
- 1982 - Paolo Rossi, Italy (1st)
To win the Golden Ball you’ve gotta have main character energy. Forgive me that phrase - I nicked it from Joe - but it is the only way of putting it.
The point is, it's not a statistically based award. It’s decided by a panel of experts.
Sure, goals and assists help but it’s usually the more performative players, the easiest on the eye, the ones with a bit of razzle dazzle, and edge which win it.
So, with England generally second favourites to make the final, it makes sense to go with the player from the Three Lions camp who ticks all the boxes.
I’m talking about JUDE BELLINGHAM. Obviously.
"The passion of the Azteca now is all English!"
— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) July 6, 2026
Jude Bellingham gives England the lead! pic.twitter.com/WXwm5JuU5B
As we saw against Mexico, Bellingham has a knack of putting in big performances when it matters most.
He doubled his goals tally at the finals with a brace at the Azteca and popped up with that overhead kick to save Gareth Southgate’s side against Slovakia at the 2024 Euros.
Bellingham has won the Man of the Match award in three of England’s five games at the World Cup (Ghana, Panama, Mexico) and won it the most times for his country at the last Euros (2).
At 10/1 to win the Golden Ball this summer, the Three Lions maestro is worth a point or two.
The caveat being Bellingham is a yellow card away from missing the semi-final, should England get there, but that’s a problem for another day.
Should France reach the final it is fair to assume Kylian Mbappe will have clinched back-to-back Golden Boots. Given the lack of precedent for winning both awards, one of his team-mates will then be in a great position to land Player of the Tournament - especially if France lift the trophy.
Mbappe has, understandably, dominated coverage from a French perspective, but MICHAEL OLISE's performances haven't escaped attention.
In what is his first major tournament the Bayern Munich man has been incredible, topping the assists charts with five - creating three goals for his captain.
With Mbappe and Lionel Messi so short TO WIN THE GOLDEN BALL it is worth opposing them and backing OLISE at 10/1 instead.
He looked a strong candidate pre-tournament but was a stingy 15/2, which is what makes this such an inviting price given how exceptional he has been.
Odds correct at 13:00 BST (08/07/26)
More World Cup content from Sporting Life
Outright previews
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