Who are the best star players to watch at World Cup 2026?
The FIFA World Cup will bring together football stars from across the globe, ranging from legends of the game to emerging talents. Lionel Messi’s magical
The FIFA World Cup will bring together football stars from across the globe, ranging from legends of the game to emerging talents. Lionel Messi’s magical feet, Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrobatic finishes, Lamine Yamal’s exploits on the wing and Kylian Mbappe’s sensational speed. The wait is almost over to witness it all, as the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off on Thursday, June 11. From the legends of the game to emerging stars, Al Jazeera picks out the top 10 players to watch at the tournament Lionel Messi (Argentina) Four years ago, Messi fulfilled a childhood dream when he lifted the elusive World Cup, the missing piece in his vast collection of trophies. Now, aged 38, the star forward returns for a joint-record sixth appearance at the finals, as Argentina look to successfully defend the title won in Qatar. The heartbeat of Argentinian football, Messi’s involvement at this edition could be limited, as age and fitness dictate his role in their title defence. Lamine Yamal (Spain) Yamal may be only 18 years old, but the winger, easily the best of his generation, shows maturity far beyond his years. After playing a key role in guiding Spain to the Euro 2024 title, Yamal heads to his maiden World Cup, with fans and critics eager to see which new tricks he will pull out of his hat. If Yamal continues his flair and goal-scoring exploits, he could become the youngest player to win the Golden Boot for the tournament’s highest scorer. Kylian Mbappe (France) The 2022 World Cup was bittersweet for Mbappe, who narrowly missed out on the title despite scoring a sensational hat-trick in the final, which was eventually decided on penalties.
Yet there was a silver lining to the campaign. Mbappe won the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer, serving opponents another reminder of his devastating attacking calibre. Now, with more experience under his belt, the Frenchman heads to the 2026 World Cup with his eyes firmly on the prize. And there is another milestone within touching distance too: Mbappe is just one goal shy of matching Olivier Giroud’s tally of 57 goals as France’s all-time leading scorer. Giroud achieved that feat at the age of 36, but Mbappe could do that at 27. Erling Haaland (Norway) One of the most lethal strikers in European football, Norway’s Haaland will make his World Cup debut this summer. Leading Norway’s promising “golden generation”, Haaland was the standout performer in UEFA qualifying, finishing as the top scorer with 16 goals – more than double the tally of his nearest challengers. In October, the Manchester City forward became only the sixth footballer in history – and first in 53 years – to reach 50 international goals in fewer than 50 caps. The label “goal machine” is perfect for this 25-year-old. Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal) The 2026 World Cup could be Ronaldo’s last dance. At 41, the forward is in the twilight of his career, though he continues to defy age with his remarkable fitness levels. Having guided Portugal to continental glory, Ronaldo will hope to finally replicate that success on the global stage as he chases his maiden World Cup title. The talismanic forward struggled for minutes at the Qatar 2022 World Cup after a fallout with then-coach Fernando Santos, but he will get plenty of them under Roberto Martinez, as he bids to improve on his best tally of four goals at the tournament.
The BriefWire