Argentina captain Lionel Messi has been voted the AIPS Outstanding Player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup following a global poll of sports journalists. The 39-year-old finished ahead of France’s Kylian Mbappé and England’s Jude Bellingham after another remarkable World Cup campaign.
Switzerland | By ASJFNewsDisck
Lionel Messi has been named the AIPS Outstanding Player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup after topping a worldwide vote conducted by the International Sports Press Association (AIPS).
The poll featured 472 sports journalists from 121 countries, including Afghanistan, who selected the tournament’s three best players. Messi received 1,179 points from 301 voters, comfortably finishing ahead of Kylian Mbappé of France with 717 points and Jude Bellingham of England with 470 points.
The award follows another outstanding World Cup campaign for the Argentina captain, who guided his side to the final before they were defeated 1-0 by Spain after extra time in New York on July 19.
Despite falling short of defending Argentina’s world title, Messi delivered one of the tournament’s standout performances. He scored eight goals and provided four assists in eight matches, earning the Silver Ball as the competition’s second-best player.
The 39-year-old also extended several World Cup records during the tournament, including the most World Cup appearances (34), most World Cup victories (23), most knockout-stage matches played (17) and most career World Cup assists (12).
Messi’s World Cup tally now stands at 21 goals, making him the second-highest scorer in FIFA World Cup history, behind only Mbappé, who increased his record to 22 goals after finishing as the tournament’s top scorer with 10 goals.
Mbappé played a key role in helping France reach a third consecutive World Cup semi-final and successfully retained the Golden Boot, becoming the first player to win the tournament’s top scorer award twice.
England midfielder Jude Bellingham finished third in the AIPS poll after inspiring his country to a third-place finish. The 23-year-old scored seven goals, setting a new record for the most goals by an English player and by a midfielder in a single FIFA World Cup.
Voting was open to all AIPS cardholders and accredited journalists covering the tournament. Participants ranked their top three players, with five points awarded for first place, three for second and one for third.
Twenty players were shortlisted for the award, with Norway’s Erling Haaland, Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Rodri also finishing among the top six.
The AIPS Outstanding Player of the Tournament award is presented by the International Sports Press Association following a vote by sports journalists from around the world. The 2026 FIFA World Cup, hosted by the United States, Canada and Mexico, featured 48 teams and 104 matches, making it the largest edition of the tournament in FIFA history.
Editor’s Note:
The poll drew votes from 472 sports journalists representing 121 countries, including Afghanistan, alongside media representatives from Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, England, France, Germany, India, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Morocco, Pakistan, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, Spain, Türkiye, the United States and many other footballing nations, reflecting the global reach and diversity of the AIPS voting panel.