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When the World Cup gets underway on Thursday, June 11, it will lack star power. On the first two days of the tournament, the biggest names in action will be players such as South Korea’s Heung-Min Son and the U.S. team's Christian Pulisic.
But by the weekend, the sport’s top stars will begin taking the field as the tournament hits its stride. For the impact that will have, look no further than this past weekend, when 91,000 fans turned out for a friendly between Argentina and Nicaragua in College Station, Texas.
So with the World Cup on the horizon, here’s a look at the top 10 players in this year’s tournament.
Yamal hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring strain on April 22, but he should be ready to return at some point during the group stage. And when he does, there’s no more electrifying player in the world. We may never see another player like peak Lionel Messi, but Yamal is the closest thing the modern game has to offer, with the ability to make dazzling solo runs through opposing defenses.
Kane enters the World Cup as the frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or, the award given to the best player in world soccer in a given season. At age 32, he scored 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich this season and will aim to take that form into what could be his last World Cup.
Mbappe has dominated his first two World Cups like few other players in history, scoring 12 goals in 14 games. He’s led France to a title in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2022, while becoming just the second player ever to score a hat trick in a World Cup final. But he arrives at the World Cup off a rocky club season at Real Madrid, during which he was criticized for not fitting into the team's structure. On a hyper-talented France team, it will be crucial for Mbappe to find his role.
Speaking of France’s attacking talent: Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d’Or and is fresh off back-to-back Champions League titles with Paris Saint-Germain. His goalscoring form dipped slightly this season, but he was at his best when it mattered most, with seven goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
Olise might not score at the same rate as those above him on this list, but he’s a weapon any time he cuts in from the right wing onto his left foot. Born and raised in London, he plays for his mother’s country, France, a blow to England, which could use his threat alongside Kane.
Fernandes will spend the next month enraging global audiences with his on-field theatrics. If a referee’s whistle blows in the same ZIP code, you can count on him to sprint toward the incident and offer his protestations. At the same time, he’s arguably the best playmaker in the world, pulling the strings from the middle of the field. His 21 assists this season at Manchester United set a Premier League record.
Haaland is a freakish goalscorer, but can disappear for long stretches at a time in between big chances. The challenge for Norway will be securing those opportunities for him. That wasn’t a problem in qualifying, when he scored a ridiculous 16 goals in eight games, helping Norway to reach its first World Cup since 1998.
If Spain follows its 2024 Euro title with glory at the World Cup, it will be because of its midfield, led by Pedri, Rodri and Fabian Ruiz. Pedri is the most important player in that group, with the ability to both wriggle out of tight spaces and pick out probing passes.
The same, in essence, goes for Vitinha and Portugal. Alongside Fernandes and Joao Neves, it’s the midfield trio — not Cristiano Ronaldo — that will determine how far Portugal can go this summer. Because of Fernandes’ presence in the attacking midfield, Vitinha will play a deeper role for Portugal than he does for Paris Saint-Germain, but his passing ability makes this team tick.
A new generation is here, but that’s not an invitation to forget about the greatest player of all time. Even at age 38, Messi scored eight goals and assisted on three more in 12 World Cup qualifiers. And while MLS is not on the same level as the top European leagues, Messi has dominated the league since signing with Inter Miami in 2023. These will likely be his last games against elite competition, so sit back and enjoy the show before it’s gone forever.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Yamal, Mbappe lead our top 10 player rankings at 2026 World Cup
Continue reading...
But by the weekend, the sport’s top stars will begin taking the field as the tournament hits its stride. For the impact that will have, look no further than this past weekend, when 91,000 fans turned out for a friendly between Argentina and Nicaragua in College Station, Texas.
So with the World Cup on the horizon, here’s a look at the top 10 players in this year’s tournament.
1. Lamine Yamal, Spain
Yamal hasn’t played since suffering a hamstring strain on April 22, but he should be ready to return at some point during the group stage. And when he does, there’s no more electrifying player in the world. We may never see another player like peak Lionel Messi, but Yamal is the closest thing the modern game has to offer, with the ability to make dazzling solo runs through opposing defenses.
2. Harry Kane, England
Kane enters the World Cup as the frontrunner for the Ballon d’Or, the award given to the best player in world soccer in a given season. At age 32, he scored 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich this season and will aim to take that form into what could be his last World Cup.
3. Kylian Mbappe, France
Mbappe has dominated his first two World Cups like few other players in history, scoring 12 goals in 14 games. He’s led France to a title in 2018 and a runner-up finish in 2022, while becoming just the second player ever to score a hat trick in a World Cup final. But he arrives at the World Cup off a rocky club season at Real Madrid, during which he was criticized for not fitting into the team's structure. On a hyper-talented France team, it will be crucial for Mbappe to find his role.
4. Ousmane Dembele, France
Speaking of France’s attacking talent: Dembele won the 2025 Ballon d’Or and is fresh off back-to-back Champions League titles with Paris Saint-Germain. His goalscoring form dipped slightly this season, but he was at his best when it mattered most, with seven goals in the knockout stages of the Champions League.
5. Michael Olise, France
Olise might not score at the same rate as those above him on this list, but he’s a weapon any time he cuts in from the right wing onto his left foot. Born and raised in London, he plays for his mother’s country, France, a blow to England, which could use his threat alongside Kane.
6. Bruno Fernandes, Portugal
Fernandes will spend the next month enraging global audiences with his on-field theatrics. If a referee’s whistle blows in the same ZIP code, you can count on him to sprint toward the incident and offer his protestations. At the same time, he’s arguably the best playmaker in the world, pulling the strings from the middle of the field. His 21 assists this season at Manchester United set a Premier League record.
7. Erling Haaland, Norway
Haaland is a freakish goalscorer, but can disappear for long stretches at a time in between big chances. The challenge for Norway will be securing those opportunities for him. That wasn’t a problem in qualifying, when he scored a ridiculous 16 goals in eight games, helping Norway to reach its first World Cup since 1998.
8. Pedri, Spain
If Spain follows its 2024 Euro title with glory at the World Cup, it will be because of its midfield, led by Pedri, Rodri and Fabian Ruiz. Pedri is the most important player in that group, with the ability to both wriggle out of tight spaces and pick out probing passes.
9. Vitinha, Portugal
The same, in essence, goes for Vitinha and Portugal. Alongside Fernandes and Joao Neves, it’s the midfield trio — not Cristiano Ronaldo — that will determine how far Portugal can go this summer. Because of Fernandes’ presence in the attacking midfield, Vitinha will play a deeper role for Portugal than he does for Paris Saint-Germain, but his passing ability makes this team tick.
10. Lionel Messi, Argentina
A new generation is here, but that’s not an invitation to forget about the greatest player of all time. Even at age 38, Messi scored eight goals and assisted on three more in 12 World Cup qualifiers. And while MLS is not on the same level as the top European leagues, Messi has dominated the league since signing with Inter Miami in 2023. These will likely be his last games against elite competition, so sit back and enjoy the show before it’s gone forever.
This article originally appeared on Arizona Republic: Yamal, Mbappe lead our top 10 player rankings at 2026 World Cup
Continue reading...
