On July 22, the International Sports Press Association (AIPS) announced the results of its vote for the best player of the 2026 World Cup. Following a ballot of sports journalists around the world, 39-year-old Messi was ultimately named the best player of this World Cup.

The voting results show that Messi received 1,179 points, giving him a clear lead over Mbappe and Bellingham.

The complete top three are as follows:

Messi (Argentina): 1,179 points, supported by votes from 301 journalists

Mbappe (France): 717 points, supported by 245 journalists' votes

Bellingham (England): 470 points, voted for by 168 journalists

A six-time World Cup legend, Messi continues to make history

At the 2026 World Cup, Messi will take part in his sixth World Cup at the age of 39, becoming one of only three players in history to achieve this feat.

Although Argentina ultimately failed to defend their title, losing to Spain in the final, Messi's performances throughout the tournament remained highly impressive.

At this World Cup, Messi made eight appearances for Argentina, contributing eight goals and four assists, and repeatedly helped the team turn the situation around at crucial moments. Argentina endured a series of extra-time tests on their way to the final, and Messi was unquestionably the team’s most important driving force.

Judging by the data, Messi continues to set multiple World Cup records:

Most appearances in World Cup history: 34 matches

Most wins in World Cup history: 23 matches

Most World Cup Knockout Stage Appearances: 17 Matches

Most assists in World Cup history: 12

Scored in nine consecutive World Cup matches

In addition, Messi has become the only player in history to score at the World Cup before turning 20, after turning 20, and after turning 30.

Across his six World Cup campaigns, Messi led Argentina to the final three times and won the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. He is also the only player to have won the World Cup Golden Ball twice.

After the defeat in the final, Messi expressed his regret on social media: “The pain is immense, and it will take time for the wounds to heal. But I also choose to cherish all the good things, the moments when we gave everything to turn the match around, and the memories that will stay with us forever.”

Mbappe retains Golden Boot as World Cup goalscoring record is broken

France captain Mbappe ranks second. The 27-year-old Mbappe continued to display elite attacking power at the 2026 World Cup, helping France reach the semi-finals for the third consecutive World Cup.

At this tournament, Mbappe scored 10 goals, bringing his career World Cup tally to 22 and surpassing the World Cup scoring record previously held by German legend Klose to become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history.

France eventually lost to Argentina after the semifinals, then beat England 6-4 in the third-place playoff to finish third. With his brace in that match, Mbappe successfully retained the World Cup Golden Boot.

He also became the first player in World Cup history to win the Golden Boot twice, further cementing his status among the top strikers in world football.

Bellingham Helps England Set a New Team World Cup Record

England midfielder Bellingham ranks third.

As a key figure for England at the 2026 World Cup, 23-year-old Bellingham scored seven goals in the tournament, helping the team ultimately finish third.

His seven goals set a record for the most goals by an England player in a single World Cup, and also the highest single-tournament tally by a midfielder in World Cup history. Bellingham was especially outstanding in the knockout stage, scoring twice in both the round of 16 against Mexico and the quarter-final against Norway, becoming the first player since Maradona in 1986 to score two goals in consecutive World Cup knockout matches.

AIPS World Cup Best Player Voting Rules

This selection was open to all AIPS-registered journalists, as well as journalists participating in the AIPS World Cup Hotline project, with a total of 472 journalists from 121 countries taking part.

Each journalist is required to select their top three players for the 2026 World Cup based on their own choice:

First place earns 5 points

Second place receives 3 points

Third place receives 1 point

A total of 20 players ultimately made the shortlist.

Final rankings for the AIPS World Cup Best Player

Messi (Argentina) - 1179 points

Mbappe (France) - 717 points

Bellingham (England) -- 470 points

Haaland (Norway) — 460 points

Yamal (Spain) — 304 points

Rodri (Spain) -- 285 points

Vozinha (Cape Verde) -- 189 points

Kane (England) -- 130 points

Oyarzabal (Spain) -- 118 points

Olise (France) - 91 points

The association stated that the voting covered multiple countries and regions around the world, reflecting the comprehensive assessment by global sports media journalists of players' performances at the 2026 World Cup.