Twitter played a huge part in this year’s World Cup, and the social media site has now handed out the award for the best tweets of the tournament.
The inaugural Golden Tweet award was given to the best performing tweets of the tournament, based on Twitter analytics looking at how a post performed in the UK.
The fan version of the prize has been handed to Twitter user @elmulino for his take on the phenomenon that was the idea that football was “coming home”.
I don’t think people outside of England understand that the “it’s coming home” thing was a joke at first because we had no hope but it actually might be coming home and now we don’t know what to do with ourselves
— Ayms (@elmulino) July 7, 2018
While the player post with the most retweets was England’s Kyle Walker having some fun at the expense of teammate Harry Maguire after the latter’s headed goal against Sweden.
With Walker’s England colleague Harry Kane winning the Golden Boot, the two can now argue over which award is the more prestigious.
Yeah so a good header doesn’t hurt. I mean the moment you head it proper, you feel it’s a good one. Know what I mean love? pic.twitter.com/a5b8UqDjv2
— Kyle Walker (@kylewalker2) July 7, 2018
Other categories in the awards also included the best team tweet, which perhaps unsurprisingly went to England for a post thanking supporters in the wake of the semi-final exit to Croatia.
To everyone who supported us.
To everyone who believed this time was different.
To everyone who wasn't afraid to dream.
To everyone who knows this is only the beginning.
Thank you. We hope we made you proud. #threelions pic.twitter.com/jH8lYMB2E0
— England (@England) July 11, 2018
According to the social media site, that tweet was also the most retweeted post around the World Cup within the UK.
Twitter UK’s managing director Dara Nasr said: “The England team played a blinder on and off the pitch.
“Across the squad, their Tweets gave fans a genuine insight into the highs, lows and humour from England’s most successful World Cup campaign in a generation. How brilliant that the most popular Player Tweet is Kyle Walker having a laugh with teammate Harry Maguire!”
There were also Golden Tweet awards for Gary Lineker and his video of England fans singing Don’t Look Back In Anger after the Croatia defeat.
England fans right now. 👏👏 pic.twitter.com/jjtmMz0maF
— Gary Lineker (@GaryLineker) July 11, 2018
And new waistcoat fashion icon Gareth Southgate was the subject of another winning tweet from ITV, who posted footage of the England manager as he conducted fans through a song dedicated to him.
Gareth Southgate orchestrates the crowd to a chorus of… come on you know the words!@England are into a #WorldCup semi-final! pic.twitter.com/mZmhwSR2LO
— ITV Football (@itvfootball) July 7, 2018
The top 10 list of most retweeted World Cup posts also included tweets from England’s Jesse Lingard and Belgium striker Michy Batshuayi reacting to his now infamous run-in with the ball and a post while celebrating one of his country’s goals during the tournament.
