Lionel Messi has been named the best player of the World Cup by the International Association of Sports Press (AIPS), reports infohub.kz.
According to a poll of 472 journalists from 121 countries, the 39-year-old Argentine amassed 1,179 points, ahead of France's Kylian Mbappé (717) and England's Jude Bellingham (470).
Messi scored eight goals in the tournament, finishing second behind Mbappé, who netted ten.
In the 2026 World Cup final, Spain defeated Argentina 1-0. The match ended 0-0 after regulation time, and Ferran Torres, the 26-year-old Barcelona striker, scored the only goal in the second extra time period.