Ronaldo
Piauiense · Defender · #0 · Brazil · 34 yrs
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Simon: Spain did not need a star like Messi, Mbappe or Ronaldo to win World Cup
Having won the World Cup Golden Glove following Spain's final win, Unai Simon praised La Roja for overcoming other teams' star power. The post Simon: Spain did not need a star like Messi, Mbappe or Ronaldo to win World Cup appeared first on SoccerNews.
List of World Cup Golden Ball winners: Every tournament MVP in soccer history
The list of players who received the Golden Ball as the best player of the competition. While the main goal for every player at the World Cup is to lift the trophy, individual awards also carry great prestige because the tournament features the best players in the world. The Golden Ball is awarded to the best player of the tournament, with the winner voted by media representatives from a shortlist selected by FIFA’s Technical Study Group. The list of winners features a remarkable group of players, even if some all-time greats such as Pelé never received the award. That had nothing to do with his performances, as the Golden Ball was only introduced in 1982. Unlike most individual awards, the players finishing second and third in the voting also receive the Silver Ball and Bronze Ball, respectively. The award has been won by some of the greatest players in soccer history, with Lionel Messi remaining the only player to receive it twice. Even goalkeepers have their own positional honor, the Golden Glove, they are also eligible for the Golden Ball. Oliver Kahn remains the only goalkeeper to win the tournament’s MVP award after doing so in 2002. Golden Ball winners World CupGolden BallTeam’s finishChampion1982Paolo Rossi (Italy)ChampionsItaly1986Diego Maradona (Argentina)ChampionsArgentina1990Salvatore Schillaci (Italy)Third placeWest Germany1994Romário (Brazil)ChampionsBrazil1998Ronaldo (Brazil)Runners-upFrance2002Oliver Kahn (Germany)Runners-upBrazil2006Zinedine Zidane (France)Runners-upItaly2010Diego Forlán (Uruguay)Fourth placeSpain2014Lionel Messi (Argentina)Runners-upGermany2018Luka Modrić (Croatia)Runners-upFrance2022Lionel Messi (Argentina)ChampionsArgentina2026Rodri (Spain)ChampionsSpain*In 1978, a group of journalists voted Mario Kempes as the tournament’s best player after Argentina won the title. Paolo Rossi and Dirceu finished second and third, respectively. FIFA recognizes this unofficial award in its records.
Neither Messi nor Mbappe: The 1958 World Cup goal record that remains unbroken
Amidst the glory and shattered expectations, one mythical scoring milestone remains stubbornly out of reach. The curtain has fallen on the 2026 World Cup, leaving behind a newly crowned champion, immortal performances, and a thrilling new chapter in the eternal clash between Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Yet, amidst the glory and shattered expectations, one mythical scoring milestone remains stubbornly out of reach. Standing like an ancient fortress, this decades-old record continues to defy the absolute greatest attacking titans the beautiful game has ever produced. The final between Spain and Argentina closed the curtain on one of the highest-quality World Cups in recent memory. While the spotlight naturally shifted toward the champion, the Golden Boot race, and Messi’s likely farewell on the World Cup stage, another historic achievement quietly survived yet another challenge. The answer lies with Just Fontaine, the legendary France striker whose astonishing haul of 13 goals in a single World Cup continues to stand alone nearly seven decades later. Even after an expanded 48-team tournament and more matches than ever before, nobody managed to erase the mark he established in Sweden in 1958. Fontaine’s achievement remains one of soccer’s most remarkable individual feats. He scored against Paraguay (three), Yugoslavia (two), Scotland (one), Northern Ireland (two), Brazil (one), and West Germany (four), averaging more than two goals per game across only six appearances. Ex-French international footballer Just Fontaine (C) receives the Adidas Platinum Boot award Messi and Mbappe came close, but history stood firm The 2026 tournament appeared to offer the perfect opportunity for Fontaine’s record to finally fall. Messi, Mbappe, Harry Kane, Erling Haaland, and Jude Bellingham all produced prolific campaigns, raising hopes that someone would finally rewrite soccer history. Instead, the record remained untouched after the final whistle. Mbappe finished as the tournament’s Golden Boot winner with 10 goals and four assists, while Messi concluded the World Cup with eight goals, leaving Fontaine’s incredible total safely intact. RankPlayerNational TeamGoalsAssists1.Kylian MbappeFrance1042.Lionel MessiArgentina843.Jude BellinghamEngland714.Erling HaalandNorway705.Ousmane DembeleFrance626.Harry KaneEngland61 One reason Fontaine’s accomplishment continues to amaze historians is the incredible story behind it. The French striker wasn’t even expected to start the tournament and famously ended up wearing borrowed boots after damaging his own pair during training. “I was devastated,” Fontaine once recalled in an interview with FIFA after tearing one of his boots before France’s opening match. “I thought my chance could be gone.” Fortunately for France, teammate Stephane Bruey wore the same shoe size and generously loaned Fontaine his boots. The rest quickly became soccer folklore as the striker exploded for 13 goals in just six matches, averaging a goal every 42 minutes. Record built in only one World Cup Perhaps the most astonishing detail is that Fontaine only played in one World Cup during his entire career. Unlike players such as Miroslav Klose, Ronaldo Nazario, Messi, or Mbappe, he never had multiple tournaments to build his numbers. Klose eventually became the men’s World Cup’s all-time leading scorer with 16 career goals, but those strikes came across four separate tournaments. Fontaine reached 13 goals during a single edition, making the feat even more remarkable. France striker Just Fontaine His scoring spree helped France finish third at the 1958 World Cup after victories over Paraguay, Yugoslavia, Scotland, Northern Ireland, and West Germany. The only team capable of stopping France was Pele’s Brazil in the semifinals. Why modern soccer makes the challenge even harder Many believed expanding the tournament from 32 to 48 teams would finally create the perfect conditions for someone to surpass Fontaine. In reality, the opposite may h
Brazil legend Ronaldo pleads Neymar to rethink international retirement
Neymar announced his international retirement after Brazil's World Cup exit, but Ronaldo Nazario believes the decision was made rashly. The post Brazil legend Ronaldo pleads Neymar to rethink international retirement appeared first on SoccerNews.
Portugal v Spain: World Cup 2026 last 16 – live
⚽️ Kick-off time: 2pm local, 3pm EDT, 8pm BST, 5am AEST⚽️ Player guide | Bracketology| Golden Boot | Email ScottThe great pennant showdown. Spain have managed to pull off a feat previously considered almost impossible, by producing a pennant with an even more boring design than England’s. Not sure what we’ll do should the two teams meet in the final. Maybe just quietly drop this feature. Probably for the best all round.Portugal’s is rather nice, though! This isn’t the one Ronaldo will be handing over to Rodri today, they didn’t take a photo of that, but you get the gist. One of the great recognisable crests. A couple of points docked for lack of edge-cushioning tassels; a sudden gust of wind at the coin toss and you could have someone’s eye out with that. Continue reading...
