​Earlier in the week we posted another sponsored poll inviting Carty Free readers to return and vote now that we’ve reached the quarterfinals, asking who they believed would win the World Cup. We also added a question about the Golden Ball winner—the accolade given to the tournament’s best player, regardless of total goals scored. If you recall, the initial poll on World Cup winners had Spain as the clear favorite. But the landscape has shifted. Our readers have spoken, and France has emerged as the leading pick with 61% of the vote.
This is a Premier League blog with a sizable English readership, so it isn’t surprising that about a quarter of respondents expect football’s hosts to win this summer. Is that optimism justified? Perhaps. England have looked impressive in this tournament, with Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham delivering goals and Kieran Trippier and Djed Spence contributing solid defensive performances on the flanks. It seems England could be at least on par with Argentina to reach the final in their half of the bracket, but first they’ll have to navigate a path that could involve Erling Haaland and Norway.
As for the Golden Ball, there isn’t a runaway leader, but Kylian Mbappe of France has established himself clearly as the frontrunner. While I anticipated more votes for Lionel Messi, Mbappe’s impact for France throughout the tournament cannot be denied. It’s worth noting that the Golden Ball honors the best overall player of the tournament, whereas the Golden Boot goes to the top goal scorer; the two awards can overlap, but they don’t have to.
In the poll, a small segment (about 9%) chose the “Other” option, which I take as a reaction to my inclusion of Lamine Yamal in the voting options rather than Harry Kane. Fair point—lesson learned, and I won’t repeat that particular misstep.
So, what do you think? Are you surprised by these results? Do you want a do-over poll? Share your reactions in the comments.