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    • Messi, Mbappe, Griezmann lead race for World Cup’s Golden Ball award

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    Only two teams remain and as fans wait in anticipation for the final on Sunday, CTVNews.ca takes a look back at the best performers from this World Cup and sorts out who’s in line for the biggest individual prize.

    With France meeting Argentina in the final, it is quite likely a player for the winner of this match takes home the Golden Ball.

    The prestigious Golden Ball award, first introduced in 1982, is handed to the best player of the tournament. Croatia’s Luka Modric is the most recent winner after leading his team to the final in 2018.

    Eight of the 10 official winners have been from a team that played the final, though only three have been from teams that won the World Cup that year. Romario was the last winner from a winning team, doing so when Brazil won in 1994.

    With that, here’s CTVNews.ca’s look at the top candidates heading into the final:

    LIONEL MESSI (ARGENTINA)

    The Argentine legend has scored in three straight knockout matches to move ahead of Gabriel Batistuta and become the nation’s all-time leading scorer at men’s World Cups.

    After the through ball of the tournament against the Netherlands in the Round of 16, Messi produced another moment of magic against Croatia in the quarterfinals when he received a throw-in near the halfway line, dribbled all the way to the byline with arguably the defender of the tournament in Josko Gvardiol providing no respite, made a couple of feints, followed by a brilliant half-turn to elude Gvardiol and provide Julian Alvarez with a tap-in.

    20-year-old Gvardiol should feel no shame in being added to the list of top defenders who have been made to look like schoolboys by Messi.

    He is also now tied with Kylian Mbappe for the tournament lead in goals, but is technically ahead because he has more assists and that is the tie-breaker.

    If Messi were to add another Golden Ball to the trophy cabinet after winning one in 2014, he would join Diego Maradona (1986, 1990) as the only players to have won the official award twice.

    Saudi Arabia was a long, long time ago.

    •  Key stat: Messi (39) is second in progressive passes behind only Luka Modric (52).

    KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE)

    Though Messi has become the betting favourite for the Golden Ball, Mbappe has a legitimate case to still be considered the top man for the award.

    He has been in dazzling form throughout the World Cup, scoring with some brilliant strikes as well as proving a nightmare for defenders as he storms down that left wing time and time again.

    Mbappe leads the tournament in shot-creating actions with 43 and has the most non-penalty goals with five.

    Against Morocco, PSG teammate Achraf Hakimi tried to take advantage of Mbappe’s reluctance to get back defensively, but instead it had teammates like defensive midfielder Sofyan Amrabat working overtime to try and keep him in check.

    While one spectacular run was thwarted, Mbappe had his way later with some swift touches in and around the box before his shot attempt deflected to teammate Kolo Muani, who smashed home from close range.

    This Sunday, Mbappe could become just the second man after Paolo Rossi (1982) to officially win the World Cup, Golden Boot (top scorer), and Golden Ball award at the same tournament. This, after winning the World Cup and Young Player of the Tournament in 2018. Incredible.

    •  Key stat: Mbappe’s eight goal-creating actions are the most in the tournament.

    ANTOINE GRIEZMANN (FRANCE)

    Don’t sleep on Griezmann’s candidacy for the Golden Ball. Why?

    While Mbappe rightly receives plenty of plaudits for his attacking prowess, Griezmann has been the best midfielder at this tournament. He has provided one sublime performance after another, and in a role with plenty of demands, the 31-year-old has performed each of them to perfection.

    In the absence of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante, Deschamps has played Griezmann deeper than he normally would, just in front of defensive midfielders Aurelien Tchouameni and Adrien Rabiot (Rabiot was replaced by Youssouf Fofana against Morocco due to an illness).

    Griezmann has always been a player with more to his game than goals, but Deschamps has seemingly unlocked all of his powers in full force by playing him in what’s known as a No. 8 role where being the link between defence and attack is pivotal.

    Entering the final, Griezmann leads the tournament in key passes made with 20, through balls completed with four, and crosses. He is also tied for the lead in assists with Messi and he has managed all this while putting in a shift defensively, too.

    Griezmann provided the exquisite cross that met Olivier Giroud’s head for the winner against England, and it was his work on the right side of the pitch that created the opening for France to take the lead against Morocco. He won Man of the Match in both the quarterfinals and semifinals.

    He won Player of the Tournament and the Golden Boot (top scorer) at Euro 2016, and adding a World Cup Golden Ball would be the crowning individual achievement of a fantastic career.

    •  Key stat: Griezmann is also third behind Messi (37) and Mbappe (43) in shot-creating actions with 31.

    HONOURABLE MENTIONS

    Sofyan Amrabat’s tireless efforts were remarkable to watch and were the biggest reason Morocco seemed impossible to break down over the course of the tournament. His ability to win the ball back and still have enough energy to surge forward and lead attacks was mind blowing.

    Josko Gvardiol is only 20-years-old and looks like he will be one of the best centre-backs in world soccer for years to come. He had the most clearances in the tournament (and was fourth in interceptions) and a Croatia side that reached the semis without much attacking threat needed every single one of them.

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