At this point, who is the favorite for the Golden Ball?

[c9777666]

The award presented to the best player at the World Cup.

Unlike the Conn Smythe Trophy, this doesn't usually go to the best player on the winning team (You have to go back to 1994 for the last time that happened!)

Right now, who's been the best player so far?

Harry Kane? Mbappe? Lukaku? A goalekeeper? Other?

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[Evilo]

Lukaku certainly not. Kane, Mbappe, not convinced as of now.
Frankly, it will all depend on how it plays out.

 

[Vasilevskiy]

Luka Modric

 

[Ivan13]

The award presented to the best player at the World Cup.

Unlike the Conn Smythe Trophy, this doesn't usually go to the best player on the winning team (You have to go back to 1994 for the last time that happened!)

Right now, who's been the best player so far?

Harry Kane? Mbappe? Lukaku? A goalekeeper? Other?

For what? Converting penalties and scoring 3 against the juggernaut that is Panama?

 

[Havre]

Modric has a strong case so far. But too early to tell.

Could definitely see Kane winning it if he can score a couple of more. People are blinded by goals. And he played well yesterday until he just ran out of gas.

 

[alko]

For what? Converting penalties and scoring 3 against the juggernaut that is Panama?

It is not so easy, as you think. I will be ok with Kane.

 

[Paulie Gualtieri]

Mbappe or Neymar I assume.

 

[Ivan13]

It's Neymar, Mbappe or Modrić.

 

[YNWA14]

It's Neymar, Mbappe or Modrić.

This most likely.

Modric has been the best of the 3 so far for me, but we're only at the QFs.

 

[Ceremony]

Mbappe or Neymar, depending on which wins the tournament.

 

[Luigi Habs]

Too early to tell. It will be awarded to a finalist. I think it will go to Neymar which would make me puke.

 

[hatterson]

As of right now my vote would be Modric and then Mbappe, then Neymar.

Lots of time and important games to change that though.

As for the golden boot, Kane is the clear frontrunner now, Lukaku seems to be the only real challenge unless Mbappe or Neymar explode in one of these games.

 

[YNWA14]

Also, if Sweden's Cinderella run continues I could see Forsberg being thrown in the hat. He's had an outstanding tournament.

 

[Savant]

England - Kane
Sweden - Forsberg

France - Kante or Mbappe
Uruguay - Suarez

Brazil - Coutinho
Belgium - Hazard

Croatia - Modric
Russia - Golovin

 

[Havre]

Mbappe? Love him as we all do, but hardly the player of the tournament (yet of course - could very well end up being). But I guess like Kane might win it because whoever decides are blinded by the number of goals Mbappe might because of a couple of highlight moments.

Don't see it with Neymar either, but rather him than Mbappe (based on how they have played - much prefer Mbappe both as a player and person).

Mina. Clearly partly because he has scored those goals, but also been part of a very solid Colombia (defensively I think Sanchez has outplayed him after that shaky first game though). Godin. Uruguay are almost flawless defensively. Trippier. Can't believe I'm mentioning him and he will of course never win, but he has been very very good. Surprisingly solid defensively and his delivery has been fantastic. Coutinho has been better than Neymar in my opinion.

I think they will go with whoever scores a couple of goals out of Kane, Mbappe, Neymar or Coutinho (just because it is based on lazy highlights and number of goals). If none of them do then Modric might get it (of course he still could if he suddenly ends up dominating the remaining games as he sometimes does).

 

[spintheblackcircle]

Mbappe, Kane, Neymar.

 

[Evilo]

As of right now my vote would be Modric and then Mbappe, then Neymar.

Lots of time and important games to change that though.

As for the golden boot, Kane is the clear frontrunner now, Lukaku seems to be the only real challenge unless Mbappe or Neymar explode in one of these games.

If Mbappe shot penalties, he'd be at 4 goals in 4 games.

 

[hatterson]

If Mbappe shot penalties, he'd be at 4 goals in 4 games.

Ok, and?

 

[Scandale du Jour]

Ok, and?

His point is that Kane shoots penalty and that affected his totals. If Mbappé shot penalties as well, he would have as many goals as Kane.

 

[hatterson]

His point is that Kane shoots penalty and that affected his totals. If Mbappé shot penalties as well, he would have as many goals as Kane.

He would still be two short. But either way I’m not sure why it matters.

Kane has 6 goals through 4 games, that’s all that matters for the golden boot, not how he got them. How he got them matters for the golden ball and there’s a reason I don’t have him close to it.

 

[Evilo]

My point is that with the tournament far from over the pens might be the difference between Kane and Mbappe for scoring race.
Given what both bring to their team besides scoring there's few doubt in my mind Mbappe is ahead in the MVP race.

 

[Suiteness]

Messi won it four years ago on the strength of 4 goals in the group stages and one assist in the knockout rounds.

Forlan beat out Sneijder when both scored 5 goals but Sneijder led his team farther in the competition.

There's no rhyme or reason to this trophy.

 

[YNWA14]

Sure there is. It's just not based on statistics but how well the player plays. Sneijder was largely opportunistic but didn't affect the game as much as Forland did for his team overall (though certainly if Robben had buried one of the two incredible through balls that Sneijder put him through for in the final it might have ended differently...). I thought Robben should have received it in 2014, but Messi was certainly the other stand out, and both of those players were the driving force of their teams.

It's not perfect, but if you're just looking for the most productive player that's not necessarily the best player.

 

[Stray Wasp]

Whatever the eccentricities of the voting for the award, no one is going to win player of the tournament for losing at the quarter final stage. So I'll wait until Sunday evening before I bother speculating further.

 

[hatterson]

My point is that with the tournament far from over the pens might be the difference between Kane and Mbappe for scoring race.
Given what both bring to their team besides scoring there's few doubt in my mind Mbappe is ahead in the MVP race.

I don’t disagree with this at all, and have never mentioned otherwise.