Players
The stars, breakout candidates, and storylines to watch this summer.
Top 35 Most Exciting Players in the Tournament
From grizzled veterans chasing one last shot at glory to electrifying young talents ready to announce themselves on the biggest stage, these are the 35 players who will make the 2026 World Cup unmissable. A new profile drops daily, counting down to #1.
#1 — Lamine Yamal
There was really only one way this list could end.
#2 — Kylian Mbappé
Mbappé is only 27 and already owns a World Cup trophy, a World Cup Golden Boot, a Best Young Player award, 12 World Cup goals,...
#3 — Pedri
Pedri might be the cleanest answer to the question of why Spain feel like the team to beat. Lamine Yamal is the headline, Rodri is...
#4 — Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland has been one of the best and most exciting players in club football for almost half a decade now. He rapidly rose to...
#5 — Lionel Messi
He was the top player on this list for the 2022 World Cup, and he delivered in every way, leading Argentina to their first World...
#6 — Michael Olise
Michael Olise is an example of the absurd and laughable depth of the French attack. At 24 years old, he is already one of Bayern...
#7 — Harry Kane
Harry Kane has been England’s sure thing for so long that it is easy to forget how rare that is. England have had brilliant attackers,...
#8 — Bruno Fernandes
Bruno Fernandes might be Portugal’s most important player, even in a squad where Cristiano Ronaldo still dominates the storyline and Vitinha may be the midfielder...
#9 — Vitinha
Vitinha is the player who makes Portugal’s immense star power all come together. Cristiano Ronaldo will get the historical spotlight. Bruno Fernandes will produce the...
#10 — Jérémy Doku
Jérémy Doku is the player who makes this version of Belgium feel less like the end of the golden generation and more like the beginning...
#11 — Vinícius Júnior
Another Brazilian star comes in at number 11. Vinícius Júnior is probably the most talented player in Brazil’s squad, which is both the reason he...
#12 — Gabriel
Gabriel is not one of the flashy Brazilian attackers that show up on the highlight reels, but as the backbone of their defense, his performance...
#13 — Declan Rice
Declan Rice is not the most exciting name in England’s squad, which says more about England than it does about Rice. Jude Bellingham has the...
#14 — Nico O'Reilly
Nico O’Reilly is the kind of late-breaking World Cup story that makes England’s squad feel more interesting than it did a year ago. He is...
#15 — Antoine Semenyo
Antoine Semenyo might be the best “how did we get here so fast?” story on this list. A few years ago, he was still building...
#16 — Luis Díaz
Luis Díaz might be the best player in the tournament who has still never played in a World Cup. Colombia missed Qatar 2022, which means...
#17 — Raphinha
Raphinha feels like the perfect symbol of this version of Brazil. He’s not the biggest name in the attack, not the most naturally glamorous player...
#18 — Federico Valverde
Federico Valverde is the kind of player who makes Uruguay feel like Uruguay. He is not the flashiest midfielder in the tournament, but he might...
#19 — Hakan Çalhanoğlu
Hakan Çalhanoğlu is the veteran who makes Türkiye’s exciting young attack feel like something more than just a collection of talent. Arda Güler and Kenan...
#20 — Achraf Hakimi
Achraf Hakimi is the rare fullback who can feel like the main character of a World Cup team. Morocco have plenty of quality now —...
#21 — Désiré Doué
Désiré Doué is the kind of player who makes France feel almost unfair. Most countries would be building an attack around a 20-year-old PSG winger...
#22 — Charles De Ketelaere
Charles De Ketelaere is one of the key men for Belgium at this World Cup. The old Belgian golden generation is mostly gone — Kevin...
#23 — Willian Pacho
Willian Pacho is the anchor at the center of the Ecuadorian defense. The 24-year-old, left-footed, 6-foot-2 regular for Paris Saint-Germain is valued at $82.3m. Pacho...
#24 — Martin Ødegaard
For all the attention Erling Haaland gets, Martin Ødegaard may be the player who really determines how dangerous Norway can be at this World Cup....
#25 — Joshua Kimmich
There are more explosive German stars, but Joshua Kimmich may be the player who best explains whether this team is a real contender. Now 31...
#26 — Bruno Guimarães
Brazil usually bring plenty of attackers to a World Cup, which is exactly why Bruno Guimarães is so interesting. He is the midfielder who helps...
The 10 Best Players Who Won't Be at the 2026 World Cup
Every World Cup has a few stars who miss out. Sometimes it is because of injury. Sometimes it is because a coach makes a controversial...
#27 — Jude Bellingham
At just 22, Bellingham is the kind of midfielder who can change a match in almost any way, carrying the ball through pressure, arriving late...
#28 — Jamal Musiala
If fully healthy, Jamal Musiala may be among the most exciting players to watch at the tournament. Still only 23, the Bayern Munich star is...
#29 — Arda Güler
For a U.S. audience, Arda Güler is probably the first Turkish name to circle in this group. He is only 21, plays for Real Madrid,...
#30 — Alexis Mac Allister
There are more explosive stars on Argentina, but Alexis Mac Allister is one of the players who makes the whole machine work. Still only 27,...
#31 — Virgil van Dijk
There are flashier stars at this World Cup, but few players shape a team more completely than Virgil van Dijk. He is still the captain...
#32 — Rodri
It feels a little strange to have Rodri this low on a list like this, because at his best he is one of the most...
#33 — Weston McKennie
While Christian Pulisic is often seen as the star of the show for the US team and its most prominent attacker, Weston McKennie may be...
#34 — Cristiano Ronaldo
At this point, there is not much left for Cristiano Ronaldo to prove, which is part of what makes him so fascinating to watch. Now...
#35 — Luka Modrić
There are flashier young stars in this tournament, but few players will be more compelling to watch than Luka Modrić. Now 40 years old, the...