With the calendar advancing towards the global tournament that will be jointly hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada, the sport’s highest entity has started an engagement campaign with fans. The international federation’s strategy consists of publishing striking statistics and curious facts about past editions every day, creating a strong climate of expectation for the competition. This initiative seeks to revive fans’ memories through numbers that shaped the trajectory of the most popular championship on the planet over the decades.
Within this historical recovery, one feat remains unparalleled on international fields: double winning the top prize for best player in the tournament. The South American star secured his first golden statuette during the competition held in Brazilian territory, just over ten years ago. On that day, the number ten found the net four times with memorable finishes and led the Albiceleste squad to the decisive match. The exceptional performance was enough to overcome strong competitors in the fight for the award, leaving German striker Thomas Müller and Dutch winger Arjen Robben behind.
Understand how the award that recognized the talent of the Argentine star works
The awarding of this specific honor aims to crown the athlete who demonstrated the highest technical level throughout the month of competitions. The evaluation system is not restricted to first place, extending recognition to athletes who complete the podium of excellence. In this way, the professionals who finish the vote in second and third place are decorated with silver and bronze trophies, respectively, attesting to the enormous influence they exerted on the success of their national teams.
The culmination of this individual trajectory occurred recently in the Middle East, during the veteran’s participation in his fifth consecutive world championship. The definitive consecration came with the victory of the collective title, ending a harrowing fast that haunted the South American nation for almost four decades. The player, often called a genius by experts, had an impeccable performance throughout the campaign in Qatar, scoring seven goals in total. The crowning achievement of his performance came in the final clash, where he beat the opposing goalkeeper on two crucial occasions, securing not only the cup, but also his second golden statuette.
Although the record of two main statuettes is exclusive to the current Argentine captain, official records show that a select group of legends managed to appear in the top three on multiple occasions. Italian striker Paolo Rossi started this list with a second place in 1978, followed by the top prize in the following edition. Idol Diego Maradona shone brightly with gold in 1986 and secured bronze four years later. The scenario also features the presence of Brazilian phenomenon Ronaldo, who won the main prize in France in 1998 and took silver in the 2002 Asian tournament, while Croatian midfielder Luka Modric completes the elite group with his 2018 golden trophy and third position achieved in the last tournament.