Arsenal icon Paul Merson has shared his predictions for the standout individual honors at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, as well as identifying two teams that could spring surprises. In a recent column for Sportskeeda, the former England midfielder singled out Kylian Mbappe to claim the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, while backing Harry Kane to win the Golden Boot as the top scorer.
Merson described Mbappe as an obvious pick due to his goal-scoring prowess and France’s potential deep run in the competition. Regarding the Golden Boot, he sees a tight race between Kane and Mbappe but leans toward the England captain. He also highlighted Colombia and Mexico as teams capable of upsetting expectations. Colombia, he noted, possesses a solid squad well-suited to the humid conditions that could play a factor. Mexico, despite not having to qualify as co-hosts, have posted strong results recently and could make an impact.