Rodri wins World Cup Golden Ball

Spain claimed a hat trick of individual awards after beating Argentina 1-0 to claim their second men's World Cup title Sunday at MetLife Stadium in New Jersey.

Rodri won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, Unai Simón won the Golden Glove for the top performance by a goalkeeper, and Pau Cubarsí won the Best Young Player award, beating out fellow 19-year-old teammate Lamine Yamal.

Argentina star Lionel Messi was hoping to win a record-extending third Golden Ball as the tournament's best player. He's already the only player to win the award multiple times since it was first given in 1978, and sparking Argentina's run to a second straight final at age 39 gave him a strong case for another.

But the award went to Rodri for captaining Spain's run to their second World Cup title. Messi had to settle for the Silver Ball, with France's Kylian Mbappé taking the Bronze Ball.

Having won the Ballon d'Or in 2024, the Golden Ball completes Rodri's return to the top of the sport after rupturing his right ACL almost two years ago.

The Manchester City midfielder didn't have a goal in the tournament, but his passing and controlling the possession are central to the way Spain plays. He became just the 11th man to win the World Cup, the UEFA Champions League and Ballon d'Or.