Lionel Messi

Lionel Messi finally secured his World Cup in 2022 at age 35, scoring 7 goals and making 3 assists to win both the Golden Boot and Golden Ball simultaneously—the first player to achieve this feat, outperforming Ronaldo Nazário's 2002 dual award hopes. His quarterfinal performance against the Netherlands, with a goal and assist followed by a deliberate taunt, was one of the most electrifying individual displays in modern history, leading to a 3-3 penalty shootout victory. Over the tournament, he completed 28 successful dribbles, cheaper than the average elite midfielder's physical toll, and his leadership propelled Argentina to a 4-2 final shootout win over France.