We are down to the business end of the 2018 World Cup and along with other major awards like the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball presents some very interesting betting opportunities at this stage. It’s hard to say that there was a great standout individual performer of the group stage and so really the winner of the Golden Ball is likely to be shaped in the competition during the knockout stages.
With the Brazilians the last of the South Americans nations to fall from the competition, the World Cup has boiled down to all European teams. That, of course, has cut a lot of the pre-tournament favourites for the Golden Ball like Lionel Messi and Neymar out of the equation. Here we take a look at the Golden Ball winner odds on who will be crowned the best player at the 2018 World Cup.
World Cup Golden Ball Odds*
Kylian Mbappe 3/1
Harry Kane 4/1
Eden Hazard 4/1
Kevin De Bruyne 7/1
Luka Modric 12/1
Romelu Lukaku 12/1
Antoine Griezmann 12/1
Bar 33/1
* (betting odds taken from Unibet on July 6th, 2018 at 9:26 pm)
Kylian Mbappe
The France star produced a stunning performance in the round of sixteen as he helped Les Bleus fight back against Argentina. The French were level at 2-2 before the Mbappe show started as he netted a brace in the game. That sparked all of the hype on Mbappe going all the way and getting the Golden Ball. Frankly, though that was just one standout performance and the rest of the games at the World cup have been nothing that much above average. Unless he turns it on in the semi finals and potentially the final, we can’t see the young French star getting the award. There just hasn’t been enough of the individual brilliance consistently.
Harry Kane
The England talisman has to be in the running for the Golden Ball and is at 4/1 odds to get it* (betting odds taken from July 6th, 2018 at 9:26 pm). Unless he tears it up in front of goal in what remaining matches he is going to get through, it is hard to see him getting it. Although his goal tally has been fantastic, there probably have been far too many penalty kicks in that tally to get him on the award. If maybe just one or none of the tally had been from the penalty spot, things would be a different matter altogether. Still he has the chance to fire off more goals and earn it outright.
Luka Modric
The Croatian midfielder we think that’s been one of the standout performers of the tournament, at least in the group stage. He produced a couple of fine goals in the group stage and was running the show. Again it is all going to be down to how he performs in the latter stages of the competition. Perhaps if he gets a match winner somewhere or guides the Croatians to the final then he is going to be in the picture for sure. He is a great each way option in the market, but you do get the sense that Croatia would have to win the tournament outright for Modric to really get the attention he deserves.
Eden Hazard
The Belgium forward is our top tip for the World Cup 2018 Golden Ball now at this stage of the competition. Hazard has been spectacular and consistent in his performances for his country so far. He has chipped in with a couple of goals but he has played provider so very well at this event. He has looked mature and composed for his team and the great thing about his performance is that he hasn’t been doing everything on his own, he has been part of the team, something which he hasn’t always done for his club, Chelsea. This has already been a great World Cup for him and now with Belgium in the semis, Hazard is at great 4/1 odds option* (betting odds taken from July 6th, 2018 at 9:26 pm).
Kevin de Bruyne
The group stage was a fairly sedate one for De Bruyne and that is largely because he was being used in a deeper role. That was a pretty strange move right from the start, but as Belgium collectively came good in the quarter finals against Brazil, De Bruyne was at the centre of it all. The kind of performances that he had delivered for Manchester City last year, this time being used further up the pitch, was what the World Cup needed to see from him. If he carries on as such a driving force then he should be in with a shout. He may need a goal or two more, or a couple more assists though perhaps to really push his case.
Romelu Lukaku
Not too surprisingly there are going to be a few Belgians on this list. Lukaku has delivered the goals for Belgium so far at the tournament, exactly what he is on the field to do. But in Belgium quarter-final against Brazil, he produced what was arguably his best game of the tournament as he tore the Brazilians to shreds in the first half of the contest. Even though he didn’t get on the scoresheet in Belgium’s 2-1 win over the Selecao, his physical strength was a huge factor in them getting their result. He has the goals, with now the promise of more and is a more likely a candidate for the Golden Ball in our eyes than Kane is.
Antoine Griezmann
The Frenchman really hasn’t set the tournament alight but because he is there at the business end of the tournament with France then he is going to be a player in this. He got only his second goal of the tournament though in France quarter final win over Uruguay and that was only down to a howler from the Uruguayan keeper on what should have been a routine save. Unless he scores a hatful of goals in his last two games at the tournament, Griezmann isn’t going to win the Golden Ball.
Prediction
We are avoiding the big goal scoring names for this one and we are going with Eden Hazard to take the spotlight. He has been so good in his link up play, has chipped in with the play-making and assists as you would expect him to and with Belgium impressing so much against Brazil there should be more to come from Hazard.
