Messi has work to catch Mbappe for Golden Boot, 3rd Golden Ball in reach

Lionel Messi has quite a climb to catch Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Boot.

The Argentina superstar has won just about everything in soccer except for the award for being the leading scorer at the World Cup, and he’s now two behind Mbappe after the France striker upped his total to 10 goals in a wild third-place game. Even if Messi can’t get there, a record-extending third Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player seems well in reach after Sunday’s World Cup final against Spain in East Rutherford, New Jersey. 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 gives him a strong case for another. “He is the history. He is the legend,” Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni said.

The other awards to be presented Sunday for performances at the World Cup are the Golden Glove for the top goalkeeper, and the Best Young Player Award, given to the top player 21 years old or younger. Spain is in good shape to win at least one if not both of those, with Unai Simon allowing only one goal in seven games and 19-year-old Yamine Lamal providing the dazzle up front and showing why he is already considered one of the most promising players in the world.