Enzo Fernandez beats off competition from Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and team-mate Julian Alvarez to claim the Young Player of the Tournament award as Argentina sweep personal gongs alongside World Cup final win
- Argentina midfielder crowned Young Player of the Tournament after triumph
- Enzo Fernandez picked up a personal gong alongside his Argentina team-mates
- Emiliano Martinez was handed the Golden Glove award for his performances
- Lionel Messi was crowned Player of the Tournament for second time in career
- Argentina claim their third World Cup triumph – their first since 1986
- Click here for the latest World Cup 2022 news, fixtures, live action and results
Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez has been crowned Young Player of the Tournament after his country’s triumph over France on penalties.
Lionel Messi finally claimed the prize he has craved the most as Argentina overcame the disappointment of twice leading and twice being pegged back by winning from 12 yards – their sixth World Cup penalty shootout victory in all.
The Benfica midfielder beat off competition from the likes of Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni and team-mate Julian Alvarez to claim the gong.
Enzo Fernandez was crowned Young Player of the Tournament after Argentina’s triumph
Fernandez’s team-mates, Emiliano Martinez and Messi, also won personal gongs in claiming the Golden Glove and Golden Ball awards, respectively.
Kylian Mbappe, who became the first player to score a World Cup final hat-trick since Geoff Hurst in 1966, won the Golden Boot.
Argentina ended 36 years of pain by ending their World Cup drought – rather poetically their last came in 1986.
Fernandez, who only joined Benfica this summer from River Plate, is already being touted for a big move. Former Argentina international Pablo Zabaleta tipped the midfielder to move to a ‘better league’ this summer.
Argentina not only claimed the main prize – but they also swept up the individual gongs
Argentina’s players celebrated wildly as they finally realised their dream of lifting the World Cup
‘He showed his personality, class on the ball. I think maybe next summer, he will go to better league,’ he said on the BBC.
He added: ‘A very complete midfielder. He can put tackles in, good on the ball and can pass it effectively.’
With various Premier League clubs said to be interested, Alan Shearer joked: ‘Let’s see if he would like to play against Bournemouth [for Newcastle] on Tuesday night.’
Lionel Messi – who was crowned Player of the Tournament – thought he had won the game
Fernandez put in a series of impressive performances at the base of Argentina’s midfield – while he also scored against Mexico in the group stages.
Rio Ferdinand, meanwhile, said: ‘There will be top, top clubs sniffing around him, he was so composed for a kid playing at that level.’
The midfielder has been linked with Liverpool, Manchester City and Real Madrid – while it is also believed a host of other European clubs will be chasing his signature.
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