2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball Odds & Betting Preview

Here at BoyleSports we have all the latest FIFA World Cup Golden ball odds for you as we countdown to the tournament start.

Check out our betting preview of who the top contenders are to land the player of the tournament award in Qatar.

What is the World Cup Golden Ball?

The FIFA World Cup Golden Ball is the award handed out at the end of the tournament to the player that is judged to have been the best player at the World Cup. The winner of the Golden Ball is decided by the FIFA Technical Study Group.

Who Won The Golden Ball At The Last World Cup?

At the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia Luka Modric of Croatia was the winner of the Golden Ball. Modric had an excellent tournament as the midfielder guided his country Croatia to a first-ever World Cup final appearance. The now 37-year-old Real Madrid star scored two goals and recorded one assist in his seven games played in that tournament. However, those basic stats don’t give a true reflection of how great Modric was in Russia.

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World Cup Golden Ball Betting Odds

Team success plays a big part in determining who wins this award with five of the last six winners playing on a team that reached the final.

The one winner of the Golden Ball who didn’t reach the final was Diego Forlan of Uruguay in 2010 and his team made it to the semi-final that year.

Who Is The Favourite To Win The 2022 World Cup Golden Ball?

Lionel Messi

The little Argentine magician is playing in what is almost definitely his last FIFA World Cup. Despite Messi being in the twilight of his career he is still one of the very best in the world. Our odds makers have him installed as the 8/1 betting favourite for the FIFA World Cup Golden Ball.

The PSG man is set up well to make a run at this award in Qatar with this Argentina team listed as joint second favourites to win the World Cup. If Argentina can make it to the semi-finals or final then there is a great chance that Messi wins this award given that he would likely be a big part of their success and also how beloved he is by football fans.

Kylian Mbappe

Second favourite in the betting to win the 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Ball is Kylian Mbappe of France. The 23-year-old was sensational in the 2018 tournament where he scored four goals to help France win that World Cup.

The French are joint second favourites to win this World Cup at 11/2 odds and that means that Mbappe, who is their star player, has a great chance at claiming the Golden Ball award. Mbappe is in great form coming into this tournament with seven Champions League goals scored in six games along with 12 goals in France’s Ligue 1. You can back Mbappe to win the Golden Ball at odds of 10/1.

Karim Benzema

Just behind Kylian Mbappe in the betting is his France teammate Karim Benzema. The French striker has been incredible this past year and was rewarded for his level of play with the Ballon d’Or award in October. While his attacking partner Mbappe is the star man for France, Benzema is the best striker in the world right now on current form.

The 34-year-old was the key player in his club Real Madrid’s path to winning the Champions League earlier in the year. If Benzema can maintain his form in this World Cup then France could very well find themselves in the final again. At odds of 11/1 Benzema looks like good value to walk away with the Golden Ball here.

Kevin De Bruyne

Manchester City’s midfield playmaker is next in the World Cup Golden Ball odds for the 2022 World Cup. De Bruyne is in amazing form coming into this tournament with three goals and nine assists in this Premier League season. Now he bids to take his club form to Qatar to help Belgium go far in this World Cup.

While KDB won’t have Erling Haaland to latch onto the end of his crosses in this tournament he should still have a lot of success with his unreal vision on the pitch. The Belgian midfielder is one of the finest passers of a football that we have ever seen in the modern game with an ability to create chances from seemingly nothing. If you fancy De Bruyne to be the best player at this World Cup you will find odds of 12/1.

Neymar

Our odds makers have the electric Neymar Jr as the most likely Brazilian player to win the 2022 World Cup Golden Ball. With Brazil installed as the favourites for this competition, and team success being critical to who wins this award, the PSG clubman should be in with a great shout of picking up this award.

Brazil’s number ten has been playing some of the best football we’ve seen from him in years this season. At PSG he already has eleven goals and nine assists in Ligue 1 through fourteen games played. Neymar, as the best player on the tournament favourites, looks like the best value bet to win the Golden Ball at odds of 12/1.

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