Lionel Messi, the captain of Argentina’s national football team, has been named the best player of the recent World Cup according to a global poll conducted by the International Association of Sports Press (AIPS). The results of the vote, which involved 472 journalists from 121 countries, were announced on the organization’s website on July 21.
“Lionel Messi has been recognized as the outstanding player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the AIPS worldwide poll, carried out by the International Association of Sports Press,” states the official announcement on the association’s website.
Based on the voting outcome, the 39-year-old Argentine striker accumulated 1,179 points, clearly surpassing Frenchman Kylian Mbappé and Englishman Jude Bellingham in the rankings, who secured second and third place, respectively.
During the recent World Cup, Messi scored eight goals and provided four assists in eight matches, becoming the second-highest scorer in World Cup history with 21 career goals. Despite Argentina’s 0-1 loss to Spain in the final match, the legendary forward set a historic record by becoming the first footballer to take the field as captain in three World Cup final matches.
Earlier that same day, journalist Hernán Castillo reported that Messi had informed his national team teammates of his decision to retire from international football. According to the reporter, the footballer addressed the players after the 2026 World Cup final match. In total, Messi has played 207 matches for the national team. During his time with the Argentine squad, the forward has scored 125 goals.
On July 20, Messi stated that he was experiencing unbearable pain from the defeat in the World Cup final. He noted that it is difficult for him to objectively assess the scale of the achievement but reminded that the team had reached two consecutive World Cup finals.
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