Ranked: The 25 Best Players Heading to the 2026 World Cup
The 2026 FIFA World Cup, spread across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico, is fast approaching. With 48 nations competing for the first time in history, the expanded format promises more football, more drama and more opportunities for the sport’s finest players to leave their mark. We have assembled 25 names who could shape the tournament this summer and ranked them draft-style, counting down from a generational talent only just finding his feet at the top level to the teenage phenomenon who could define the entire summer.
An incredible World Cup awaits
Did you know?
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 24, 2026
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will feature a record 48 teams competing across 104 matches. 🤯
More teams. More games. More drama.
The biggest World Cup ever is coming.🏆 pic.twitter.com/BbCnCvzlAt
25. Rayan Cherki | Manchester City | Attacking Midfielder | France
After illuminating Ligue 1 and the Europa League with Lyon, Cherki joined Manchester City in June 2025 for an initial fee of €36.5 million and was handed the number 10 shirt ahead of the new season. In the Premier League since, he has delivered four goals and 10 assists, showing the vision, dribbling and creative instinct that made him one of the most coveted young players in Europe. France’s attacking options are almost embarrassingly rich, but Cherki’s ability to unlock defences from tight areas in late stages of games could earn him a significant role in North America this summer.
24. Desire Doue | Paris Saint-Germain | Winger | France
Doue is 20 years old, has already won the Champions League and the Golden Boy award, and scored the decisive penalty in PSG’s round-of-16 comeback against Liverpool last season. He was central to PSG’s historic continental treble in 2024-25 and has continued developing as one of the most dangerous young forwards in European football. His pace, directness and composure in pressure moments make him precisely the kind of player for whom major tournaments exist. France have extraordinary depth in attack and Doue has already proved he belongs in the company.
23. Declan Rice | Arsenal | Central Midfielder | England
Rice has been one of the standout performers in the Premier League this season as Arsenal push for their first league title since 2004. His evolution from a defensive midfielder into a player who can dictate tempo, press with sustained intensity and drive through the thirds with the ball has been one of English football’s most impressive recent developments. For England, his role is essential: Rice provides the discipline and athleticism that allows Bellingham to function further forward. A fit and firing Rice is England’s best version of themselves.
22. Jude Bellingham | Real Madrid | Attacking Midfielder | England
Bellingham’s 2025-26 campaign has been more complex than his debut year at Real Madrid, as he has adapted to a changed role alongside Mbappe and managed the effects of a shoulder injury that limited him at points. He remains, however, a genuinely transformative player. The drive, box-to-box athleticism and technical intelligence that made him a sensation in his first season at the Bernabeu are undiminished. England’s best-case scenario is a Bellingham who arrives at the World Cup at full fitness. When that version turns up, he has the quality to be the tournament’s dominant individual.
21. Julian Alvarez | Atletico Madrid | Forward | Argentina
Alvarez has contributed eight goals and four assists in La Liga this season, reinforcing his standing as a forward who delivers precisely what his team needs in any given moment. He was the heartbeat of Argentina’s 2022 World Cup triumph, scoring twice in the semi-final against Croatia and becoming the youngest player since Pele to score a World Cup semi-final brace at the age of 22. Now sharpened under Diego Simeone at Atletico Madrid, his pressing relentlessness and tactical intelligence have reached another level entirely.
Julian Alvarez has reached 100 games with Atletico Madrid, scoring 46 goals and providing 16 assists.
— 365Scores (@365Scores) March 21, 2026
How good of a signing was he? pic.twitter.com/NpyfwZPbsU
20. Virgil van Dijk | Liverpool | Centre Back | Netherlands
At 34, Van Dijk remains one of the most commanding defenders in European football. His aerial dominance, composure in possession and leadership have anchored Liverpool’s title challenge throughout the season. For the Netherlands, he is the defensive bedrock without whom their tournament prospects look considerably shakier. International retirement has been raised in conversation, but if he arrives in North America, expect every opponent to study how best to navigate around his zone, and mostly fail to find a solution.
🎉 Happy 34th Birthday to Virgil van Dijk! 🎂🔴🇳🇱
— 365Scores (@365Scores) July 8, 2025
A true defensive titan, Liverpool’s captain has been a rock at the back and a leader on and off the pitch 💪🧱
Premier League, Champions League, and countless battles won — here’s to a legend of the game 🏆✨ pic.twitter.com/dpsZilc4cD
19. Federico Valverde | Real Madrid | Central Midfielder | Uruguay
Valverde delivered one of the individual highlights of this season’s Champions League when he scored a first-half hat-trick against Manchester City in Real Madrid’s 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win, becoming only the second player to achieve that feat against English opposition in the competition’s history after Lionel Messi. His athleticism, stamina and instinct for arriving late in the box make him one of the most difficult midfielders in the world to account for. Uruguay will lean heavily on him as both defensive anchor and goal threat this summer.
18. Nuno Mendes | Paris Saint-Germain | Left Back | Portugal
Nuno Mendes ranked in the Ballon d’Or top ten last year, and the 23-year-old has continued to merit that standing in 2025-26. Eight goal involvements across all competitions, a starring role in PSG’s 7-2 demolition of Bayer Leverkusen and a masterclass performance shutting down Lamine Yamal in PSG’s 2-1 win at Barcelona represent just a fraction of what he has produced this season. His blend of defensive solidity and attacking thrust give Portugal and PSG the same luxury: a full-back who can genuinely swing games.
Our Best Player of 2025 countdown has reached the Top-10, and we start it off with yet another PSG player! The superb left-back, Nuno Mendes! pic.twitter.com/5MSNJpZeJF
— 365Scores (@365Scores) December 24, 2025
17. Joao Neves | Paris Saint-Germain | Central Midfielder | Portugal
At just 21 years old, Joao Neves has already established himself as one of the most important players in what is arguably Europe’s best midfield. Alongside Vitinha and Fabian Ruiz at PSG, he provides the defensive cover and pressing intensity that allows his teammates creative freedom. His reading of the game, recovery speed and passing range suggest a player operating years ahead of his age. Portugal’s ability to go deep at the World Cup likely depends on whether their midfield functions, and Neves is central to that.
We’re getting closer to the Top-10 in our Best Player of 2025 countdown and at number 12 is yet ANOTHER player representing PSG, Joao Neves! pic.twitter.com/hIPMjj6LJn
— 365Scores (@365Scores) December 22, 2025
16. Achraf Hakimi | Paris Saint-Germain | Right Back | Morocco
Hakimi is the most complete attacking full-back in world football. His Champions League assist tally this season puts him among the division’s creative elite, and his surging forward runs have unlocked defences across Europe all campaign. For Morocco, who sensationally reached the semi-finals of the 2022 World Cup, Hakimi represents the totemic leader of a footballing movement with serious momentum. His positional intelligence, pace and delivery are equally devastating on and off the ball.
15. Jamal Musiala | Bayern Munich | Attacking Midfielder | Germany
A fractured fibula and broken ankle sustained during the Club World Cup last July looked as though they might cost Musiala the entire campaign. Instead, he returned to produce seven goal involvements in just 12 appearances, including six in his last five games before Bayern’s semi-final. Germany’s most creative player, his close-control dribbling through congested spaces and instinct for goal are qualities no other German international currently possesses. The 2026 World Cup could be the tournament that defines the generation he leads.
14. Thibaut Courtois | Real Madrid | Goalkeeper | Belgium
Courtois has been outstanding this season: 15 clean sheets, 120 saves and recognition from IFFHS as the world’s best goalkeeper. His nine saves in the 2022 Champions League final against Liverpool remain a competition record since Opta began keeping data, and his continued excellence in big knockout moments is unmatched among top goalkeepers. A quadriceps injury saw him miss Real Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern, but he will arrive at the World Cup as the best goalkeeper in the competition.
13. Raphinha | FC Barcelona | Right Winger | Brazil
After a difficult early period at Barcelona, Raphinha has completely reinvented himself as one of European football’s most dangerous forwards. He was a driving force in Barcelona’s record-breaking 102-goal La Liga campaign of 2024-25 and has maintained his level into 2025-26. His directness, delivery quality and willingness to commit in the final third make him a constant problem for defenders at every level. Brazil have an abundance of attacking options, but Raphinha’s experience and current form make him irreplaceable.
12. Cristiano Ronaldo | Al-Nassr | Forward | Portugal
Ronaldo will be 41 by the time the World Cup concludes. Playing in the Saudi Pro League, his inclusion in Portugal’s squad would be as much a statement of intent as a purely tactical decision. He has continued to score freely in Saudi Arabia, his appetite for football undiminished. For opponents, the psychological weight of planning for Ronaldo still carries genuine meaning. Whether Roberto Martinez selects him remains football’s most intriguing pre-tournament debate.
⏳ 51 DAYS UNTIL THE WORLD CUP. 🌍
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 21, 2026
In 2018, Cristiano Ronaldo scored the 51st hat-trick in World Cup history — for Portugal against Spain.
That same hat-trick was also his 51st for club and country.
Numbers don’t lie. Some things are just written. ✍️🐐 pic.twitter.com/3rOEMhamQw
11. Lionel Messi | Inter Miami | Forward | Argentina
At 38 years old and playing in MLS, Messi’s inclusion in any World Cup conversation is as much about legacy and aura as it is about pure output. He arrives as a reigning World Cup champion and the greatest player the game has produced, the figure around whom Argentina has organised its entire footballing identity for almost two decades. Whether he can sustain the physical demands of a summer tournament in North American heat is the only real question. The motivation, however, has never been in doubt.
10. Bruno Fernandes | Manchester United | Attacking Midfielder | Portugal
Portugal’s most consistent creative force at club level, Fernandes delivered 18 goal contributions across 36 appearances last season and has remained United’s most influential attacking player in 2025-26, on track to break the single-season Premier League assist record. His chance creation, set-piece delivery and eye for goal from distance are among the best in the Premier League regardless of team context. For a Portugal side with genuine quality across the pitch, Fernandes in peak form could be the difference between a solid knockout exit and a genuine run deep into the World Cup.
9. Michael Olise | Bayern Munich | Right Winger | France
Olise has been one of the revelations of European football in 2025-26. He sits joint-top for Champions League assists, has broken the French record with 25 assists for Bayern across all competitions and scored eight Champions League goals himself. His combination play with Harry Kane has been one of the most potent attacking partnerships in the tournament, and at 23 he is only now reaching what looks like an extraordinary ceiling. A World Cup with France’s depth of talent around him could be the moment he crosses from emerging star to undeniable superstar.
Harry Kane has named Bayern teammate Michael Olise as the best winger on the planet right now! 💎🔥
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 17, 2026
The duo has been unstoppable this season, but is Olise truly clear of the rest? 📈🔴
Better than Vinícius or Lamine? 👇🏟️ pic.twitter.com/SDzHEtxCt3
8. Erling Haaland | Manchester City | Centre Forward | Norway
Haaland became the fastest player in Champions League history to reach 50 goals in the competition, reaching the mark against Napoli in just 49 games. A hat-trick against Liverpool in the FA Cup and a Carabao Cup medal have punctuated a campaign where his output has been more inconsistent than in previous seasons, partly due to injury disruption. The enduring question for Norway at any major tournament is whether Haaland can translate his club-level dominance to international football. If he does, defences have no answer.
7. Pedri | FC Barcelona | Central Midfielder | Spain
Injuries have tested Pedri’s resilience over recent campaigns, but under Hansi Flick at Barcelona he has rediscovered his best form. He leads La Liga midfielders for passes completed, ranks first for balls played into the final third and sits second for take-ons, remarkable output for a player operating in a deeper role. His spatial awareness and ability to glide through packed midfields remain unique in world football. Spain have extraordinary depth in the middle of the park, and Pedri gives them a creative dimension others simply cannot replicate.
6. Vitinha | Paris Saint-Germain | Central Midfielder | Portugal
Vitinha is one of the most underappreciated players at any elite European club. He leads all Ligue 1 midfielders for successful passes this season with 2,306 completed, ranks first for chances created and tops the expected threat chart for players in his position. He even scored a Champions League hat-trick against Tottenham in November. The engine room of PSG’s title-winning machine, his combination of tempo control, pressing intensity and creativity makes him the quiet architect of everything PSG build in 2025-26.
5. Vinicius Junior | Real Madrid | Left Winger | Brazil
Despite Real Madrid’s quarter-final Champions League exit, Vinicius has produced another outstanding European campaign, scoring in both legs of their round-of-16 win over Benfica and sitting joint-top for assists in the competition alongside Michael Olise and Achraf Hakimi. At his best, he is the most dangerous dribbler in world football, capable of creating something out of nothing in moments when a game is seemingly locked. Brazil’s World Cup ambitions are built around him.
🇧🇷 VINÍCIUS JR LEADS THE BRAZILIAN UCL KNOCKOUT ELITE! 👑
— 365Scores (@365Scores) March 18, 2026
Most goals in UCL knockout stages among Brazilians:
🥇 Vinícius Jr — 16
🥈 Neymar — 13
🥉 Kaká — 11
4️⃣ Roberto Firmino — 10
5️⃣ Raphinha — 9 ⬆️
6️⃣ Rodrygo — 8
The new generation is taking over. 🔥 pic.twitter.com/ukjXYWr9PE
4. Ousmane Dembele | Paris Saint-Germain | Right Winger | France
Dembele’s transformation from mercurial wide forward to complete attacking weapon is one of European football’s great recent stories. Last season he scored 35 goals and provided 12 assists across all competitions as PSG claimed a historic continental treble, including their first-ever Champions League title. He has carried that form into 2025-26 and was central to PSG’s 4-0 aggregate demolition of Liverpool in the Champions League quarter-finals. His pressing, directness and clinical finishing make him one of the most fully-formed attacking players in the world.
3. Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | Centre Forward | England
This is Kane’s season. He has averaged a goal every 66 minutes in the Bundesliga, racked up over 31 league goals and reached 12 in the Champions League, becoming the first Englishman in history to score 50 career goals in European competition. Bayern have already secured the Bundesliga title with Kane as the undisputed focal point of everything they do, and the club are now in the Champions League semi-finals. Kane arrives at the World Cup as a complete centre-forward operating at his absolute peak. England fans have been waiting for exactly this.
2. Kylian Mbappe | Real Madrid | Forward | France
Mbappe has been the Champions League’s top scorer this season with 15 goals in just 11 appearances, including two hat-tricks, while maintaining a near-1:1 ratio in La Liga with 24 goals in 28 outings. He also holds the highest expected assists total in Spain, meaning his influence extends well beyond raw goal tallies. Injuries have disrupted his campaign and Real Madrid were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Bayern, but when Mbappe is fit and available, France become one of the most frightening propositions in world football.
1. Lamine Yamal | FC Barcelona | Right Winger | Spain
He will turn 19 during the knockout rounds of this summer’s tournament. That single sentence tells you something truly remarkable is happening. Yamal has been the most electrifying attacker in La Liga this season, recording 16 goals, leading the division in take-ons and generating over 80 shot-creating actions, a figure only Mbappe has bettered across Europe’s five major leagues. His ability to come inside onto his left foot or drive past defenders on the outside makes him essentially undefendable in one-on-one situations. With Spain arriving as reigning European champions, Yamal is the player their World Cup dream is constructed around.
🚨 BREAKING NEWS 🚨
— 365Scores (@365Scores) April 23, 2026
Lamine Yamal is officially out of El Clásico and will miss the remainder of the season ‼️
He is expected to be fit for the World Cup 🏆 pic.twitter.com/xbTJ957eG6
FAQs
When does the 2026 FIFA World Cup start?
The 2026 FIFA World Cup begins on 11 June 2026, with the final scheduled for 19 July. The tournament is hosted across 16 cities in the United States, Canada and Mexico.
How many teams are at the 2026 World Cup?
For the first time, 48 national teams will compete at the World Cup, expanded from the previous 32-team format.
Which country is the favourite for the 2026 World Cup?
France, with their extraordinary depth of attacking talent including Mbappe, Dembele, Olise, Doue and Cherki, are widely regarded among the favourites. Spain, England and Argentina are also considered serious contenders.
Is Lionel Messi playing at the 2026 World Cup?
Messi has not officially confirmed or withdrawn from Argentina’s World Cup plans. At 38, his involvement would depend on fitness and national team selection closer to the tournament.
Is Cristiano Ronaldo playing at the 2026 World Cup?
Ronaldo has continued to express his desire to play at the highest level. His inclusion in Portugal’s squad remains subject to Roberto Martinez’s final decision ahead of the tournament.
Who is the youngest player in this World Cup draft?
Lamine Yamal, who turns 19 on 13 July 2026 during the tournament’s knockout phase, is the youngest player featured.
Which club has the most representatives in this World Cup draft?
Paris Saint-Germain lead the way with five players: Vitinha, Hakimi, Joao Neves, Nuno Mendes and Desire Doue, reflecting the depth of their squad across international lines.
By Nicky Helfgott – NickyHelfgott1 on X (Twitter)
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