FIFA World Cup 2018 Awards: Golden Ball, Boot and Glove Winners
July 15, 2018
Luka Modric won the Golden Ball as the best player at the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, following Croatia's defeat to France in the final at Moscow's Luzhniki Stadium on Sunday:
France claimed the trophy courtesy of a 4-2 win, with Kylian Mbappe on the scoresheet before he picked up the Young Player award:
The Golden Glove went to Chelsea goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, who helped Belgium finish third:
Finally, Harry Kane collected the Golden Boot after the Tottenham Hotspur striker netted six goals to propel England to the semi-final:
A Spain side beaten in the Round of 16 by hosts Russia still collected FIFA's award for fair play.
Most of the focus naturally belongs to Modric and Mbappe after their contributions towards what proved to be a thrilling final. Modric couldn't get on the scoresheet, but the 32-year-old still used the ball with typical intelligence and class.
Modric's careful probing and artful precision defined Croatia during the tournament. It also helped ensure the Blazers weren't overwhelmed in the final, despite coming out on the wrong end of the scoreline:
Afterwards, Croatia's chief playmaker, who won the award ahead of France's Antoine Griezmann and Eden Hazard of Belgium, fittingly earned the congratulations of his own football federation:
As good as Modric has been, Mbappe is the bigger story after the way the 19-year-old wowed audiences over the past month. When the Paris Saint-Germain forward struck from distance in the 65th minute of the final he scored his fourth goal of the tournament.
In the process, Mbappe added to the growing comparisons between himself and World Cup king Pele:
Mbappe may feel aggrieved to not have claimed the Golden Ball. After all, he can boast four goals and three assists at these finals compared to Modric's two goals and one assist.
However, France's teenage sensation can merely be content with already being proclaimed as the obvious successor to the sport's two biggest stars:
Kane may yet put himself in the same bracket, although the 24-year-old will likely still be ruing missing key chances during the 2-1 defeat to Modric's Croatia in the semi-final.
Even so, Kane generally led the line brilliantly for the Three Lions, while showcasing the ruthless streak he's made a hallmark of his game at club level. His performances in Russia also earned Kane a doth of the cap from the last man to win the Golden Boot for England:
It's taken 32 years for the Three Lions to find a striker as cool in front of goal. Kane can build on what he's done in Russia to dominant for his country for years to come.