World Cup 2022 awards predictions: Lionel Messi, Neymar, Kylian Mbappe among top Golden Ball contenders

The 2022 FIFA World Cup gets underway in just a few days from Qatar as 32 teams from around the world will compete for this year's title. At the end of each World Cup, the Golden Ball award is given away to the tournament's all-around best player throughout the campaign. Croatia's Luka Modric took home the honors in 2018, despite his team losing to France in the final.

Ahead of first kick on Sunday, let's take a look at the frontrunners for this year's Golden Ball trophy, with odds courtesy of DraftKings Sportsbook.

Favorite: Lionel Messi +550

Though he's won just about every other award under the sun, Messi is still chasing down his first-ever World Cup trophy. He has one final chance to do it, as the PSG superstar already announced that this would be his last World Cup. You can bet that Messi will be giving it absolutely everything he has as he looks to lift Argentina to their first title in 36 years. While Messi won the Golden Ball in 2014, chances are high that he'll take it home a second time if Argentina makes it to the final.

Other big names in top 5: Neymar +900, Kylian Mbappe +1100, Vinicius Jr. +1600, Harry Kane +1600

It's not a shock that the three favorites to win the Golden Ball are all PSG teammates. Messi, Neymar, and Mbappe have been dominating Ligue 1 this season as PSG is still unbeaten on the campaign. Neymar is a fantastic bet to win the award, as Brazil are the favorites to win the entire tournament in Qatar. Sure, they have other stars on their team that could take the tournament by storm but Neymar generally stands out above the rest and is the most likely candidate of anyone on the Brazilian squad to grab his first Golden Boot award. France's Mbappe, Brazil's Vinicius, and England's Kane are all good shouts in their own right as any one of them could help lead their respective teams to a deep run.

Potential value bet: Phil Foden +4000

If you're looking for more of a long shot, consider England's midfielder Foden. He's priced at +4000. The 22-year-old is making just his first World Cup appearance but has been playing phenomenal soccer in the Premier League, logging seven goals and three assists through 14 matches so far this season. While Kane is the most likely to take home the award if it goes to an English player, Foden is easily next in line as he looks to impress on the world's biggest stage for the first time in his career.

  
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