The World Cup Golden Ball is an award handed to the best player at a single tournament.
And like the Golden Boot – which you can learn more about here – it is an individual accolade which is regarded as one of the most prestigious in the sport.
Below, we run through the current favourites for the 2026 award based on NetBet Sport’s latest World Cup odds.
*All odds are subject to change
Harry Kane (England) – 8.00
The greatest striker on the planet right now, Kane looks ready to take the World Cup by storm – and live up to the status of Golden Ball favourite. England’s record goalscorer enjoyed a quite ridiculous 2025-26 campaign with Bayern Munich, netting 61 goals in 51 matches across all competitions. If the Three Lions manage to end their long wait for World Cup success, Kane is likely to be the main man behind the triumph.
Lamine Yamal (Spain) – 9.00
Yamal’s odds would probably be even shorter if he had not suffered a hamstring injury on Barcelona duty in April. The teenage sensation is still in line to feature at the World Cup, though his minutes at the start of the tournament may be reduced as a result. Nevertheless, with Spain listed as the favourites for glory, Yamal should have plenty of games to weave his magic and stake a claim for this coveted prize.
Kylian Mbappe (France) – 11.00
France skipper Mbappe is hunting down Mirsolav Klose’s all-time World Cup record of 16 goals, having scored 12 of his own across the 2018 and 2022 tournaments. Mbappe won the Golden Boot in the latter with eight goals – including a hat-trick in the final defeat to Argentina. This is a stage he relishes, and though the 2025-26 season had controversial elements to it, goals were certainly not hard to come by. Mbappe scored 42 of them in 44 appearances for Real Madrid, and a record of 56 strikes in 96 games overall for France is seriously impressive.
Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 11.00
The winner of the Golden Ball in 2022 after spearheading Argentina’s triumph, Messi is still going strong at the age of 38. In 14 MLS appearances for Inter Miami this year, the little magician has delivered 12 goals and seven assists. Of course, whether he can roll back the years and deliver on the very biggest stage remains a pertinent question, but Messi has made a habit of silencing any doubters during the course of his amazing career. Only a fool would rule out an iconic swan song from arguably the greatest footballer in history.
Michael Olise (France) – 11.00
Seeing Olise at the same price as Mbappe and Messi is quite extraordinary, but also fully deserved. The ex-Crystal Palace winger is now viewed as one of the world’s best players following another ridiculous season in Bayern colours, the electric winger tallying 22 goals and 31 assists across all competitions. His international career is still in its primitive stages, but seven goal contributions in the first 15 appearances for France suggest the World Cup pressure will not faze him one bit.
Vinicius Junior (Brazil) – 15.00
Even though Neymar is in the squad, Vinicius is viewed as the talisman of Carlo Ancelotti’s Brazil squad. The Real Madrid star has never quite delivered on the international stage, evidenced by a record of just eight goals and eight assists from 47 previous appearances. Those numbers are certainly not befitting of his quality, but time is running out for him to fully win over the Brazilian public. Will 2026 finally be the year the potential is fulfilled on the international stage?
Declan Rice (England) – 21.00
Rice is probably one of only three irreplaceable players in the England side, alongside Kane and Jordan Pickford. The midfielder was a driving force behind Arsenal’s Premier League triumph, and is central to Thomas Tuchel’s plans for the World Cup – especially now a permanent partner in Elliot Anderson has been found. And lest we forget, this is an award which is not solely handed to attackers, evidenced by Luka Modric’s victory in 2018. Can Rice emulate the great Croatian in 2026?
Raphinha (Brazil) – 21.00
Raphinha has evolved into a world-class operator at Barcelona, ending the 2025-26 campaign with 21 goals and eight assists from 33 appearances in all competitions. He is now a mainstay in the Brazil XI as a result, registering five goal contributions in nine outings during the nation’s qualifying campaign. Of course, Raphinha runs the risk of being upstaged by Vinicius and other Brazil colleagues, while his fitness record of late has not been great. So tread carefully when looking at the odds.
Bruno Fernandes (Portugal) – 21.00
Rounding off the list is the Premier League’s assist king, Fernandes. The Manchester United star famously created 21 goals in 2025-26, a single-season record. So he could not be in better form ahead of the World Cup, which makes his price here look all the more attractive. And his stats for Portugal are mighty fine too, previously tallying 28 goals and 26 assists in 87 appearances. Who needs Cristiano Ronaldo when you have got brilliant Bruno?
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