Who are the best star players to watch at World Cup 2026?

Lionel Messi’s magical feet, Cristiano Ronaldo’s acrobatic finishes, Lamine Yamal’s exploits connected the helping and Kylian Mbappe’s sensational speed.

The hold is astir implicit to witnesser it all, arsenic the FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks disconnected connected Thursday, June 11.

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From the legends of the crippled to emerging stars, Al Jazeera picks retired the apical 10 players to ticker astatine the tournament:

Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Argentina’s Lionel Messi guided them to their 3rd satellite rubric successful Qatar 2022 [Gustavo Garello/AP]

Four years ago, Messi fulfilled a puerility imagination erstwhile helium lifted the elusive World Cup, the missing portion successful his immense postulation of trophies.

Now, aged 38, the prima guardant returns for a joint-record sixth quality astatine the finals, arsenic Argentina look to successfully support the rubric won successful Qatar.

The heartbeat of Argentinian football, Messi’s engagement astatine this variation could beryllium limited, arsenic property and fittingness dictate his relation successful their rubric defence.

Lamine Yamal (Spain)

Spain’s Lamine Yamal heads to the World Cup 2 years aft helping Spain triumph Euro 2024 [Justin Setterfield/Getty Images]

Yamal whitethorn beryllium lone 18 years old, but the winger, easy the champion of his generation, shows maturity acold beyond his years.

After playing a key relation successful guiding Spain to the Euro 2024 title, Yamal heads to his maiden World Cup, with fans and critics anxious to spot which caller tricks helium volition propulsion retired of his hat.

If Yamal continues his flair and goal-scoring exploits, helium could go the youngest subordinate to triumph the Golden Boot for the tournament’s highest scorer.

Kylian Mbappe (France)

After narrowly missing retired connected the 2022 World Cup, Kylian Mbappe volition beryllium aiming to repetition the occurrence helium had with France successful 2018 [Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images]

The 2022 World Cup was bittersweet for Mbappe, who narrowly missed retired connected the rubric contempt scoring a sensational hat-trick successful the final, which was yet decided connected penalties.

Yet determination was a metallic lining to the campaign. Mbappe won the Golden Boot arsenic the tournament’s apical scorer, serving opponents different reminder of his devastating attacking calibre.

Now, with much acquisition nether his belt, the Frenchman heads to the 2026 World Cup with his eyes firmly connected the prize.

And determination is different milestone wrong touching region too: Mbappe is conscionable 1 extremity shy of matching Olivier Giroud’s tally of 57 goals arsenic France’s all-time starring scorer. Giroud achieved that feat astatine the property of 36, but Mbappe could bash that astatine 27.

Erling Haaland (Norway)

Norway’s skipper Erling Haaland led the squad to World Cup qualification aft a 28-year lack [Alberto Pizzoli/AFP]

One of the astir lethal strikers successful European football, Norway’s Haaland volition marque his World Cup debut this summer.

Leading Norway’s promising “golden generation”, Haaland was the standout performer successful UEFA qualifying, finishing arsenic the apical scorer with 16 goals – much than treble the tally of his nearest challengers.

In October, the Manchester City guardant became lone the sixth footballer successful past – and archetypal successful 53 years – to scope 50 planetary goals successful less than 50 caps. The statement “goal machine” is cleanable for this 25-year-old.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)

Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo is acceptable for his sixth quality astatine a World Cup [Armando Franca/AP]

The 2026 World Cup could beryllium Ronaldo’s last dance.

At 41, the guardant is successful the twilight of his career, though helium continues to defy property with his singular fittingness levels.

Having guided Portugal to continental glory, Ronaldo volition anticipation to yet replicate that occurrence connected the planetary signifier arsenic helium chases his maiden World Cup title.

The talismanic guardant struggled for minutes astatine the Qatar 2022 World Cup aft a fallout with then-coach Fernando Santos, but helium volition get plenty of them nether Roberto Martinez, arsenic helium bids to amended connected his champion tally of 4 goals astatine the tournament.

Harry Kane (England)

Harry Kane is England’s all-time apical goalscorer, having led the squad arsenic skipper successful the 2018 and 2022 World Cups [Richard Pelham/Getty Images] (Getty Images)

Fresh disconnected the precocious of lifting his 2nd Bundesliga rubric with Bayern Munich, striker Kane heads to the World Cup successful immoderate of the champion signifier of his career.

After finishing arsenic the league’s apical scorer successful consecutive campaigns, the England skipper volition bring sublime attacking firepower to the Three Lions, 1 of the pre-tournament favourites.

The Golden Boot victor astatine the 2018 World Cup with six goals, Kane volition beryllium expected to situation for the honour erstwhile again arsenic helium leads England’s charge.

If helium succeeds successful doing so, Kane volition go the archetypal antheral successful past to triumph the Golden Boot twice.

Vinicius Jr (Brazil)

In the lack of respective injured players, Vinicius Jr volition enarthrosis the attacking responsibilities successful the Brazil squad [Winslow Townson-Imagn Images]

What a quality 4 years tin marque is champion reflected successful Vinicius Jr’s singular journey. At the 2022 World Cup, helium had lone conscionable breached into the side. Now, Vinicius arrives arsenic 1 of the biggest stars successful satellite football.

As Brazil effort to rediscover their title-winning pedigree, Vinicius – known for his pace, dribbling and method – volition beryllium astatine the forefront of the Selecao’s star-studded attack, which besides features all-time starring scorer Neymar Jr, a astonishment inclusion successful their squad.

In manager Carlo Ancelotti, Vinicius Jr has a trusted guide, nether whom helium flourished during the Italian’s reign astatine Real Madrid, arsenic helium was voted The Best FIFA Men’s Player for 2024.

Antoine Semenyo (Ghana)

Ghana’s Antoine Semenyo is heading to his archetypal World Cup [Lisa Leutner/Reuters]

After joining Manchester City astatine the opening of the year, winger Semenyo has rapidly impressed with his playmaking ability. While his 10 goals played a important relation successful City’s rubric challenge, the 26-year-old volition retrieve the play fondly for his remarkable back-heel finish, which handed the nine its eighth FA Cup trophy.

At the World Cup, Semenyo could physique connected that signifier and adjacent look arsenic the poster lad of the Ghana team, stepping up successful the lack of injured midfielder Mohammed Kudus.

In a Ghana squad undergoing transition, Semenyo stands gangly arsenic their talisman.

Arda Guler (Turkiye) 

Buoyed by young guns including Arda Guler, Turkiye volition beryllium aiming for a heavy tally successful North America [Tolga Bozoglu/EPA]

The Crescent Stars volition emergence again astatine a World Cup aft much than 2 decades, and Turkish fans volition remainder each their hopes connected a promising squad, headlined by prima winger Arda Guler.

Having already established himself arsenic 1 of the champion youngsters successful Europe, Guler is acceptable for the adjacent step: announcing himself connected the world’s biggest stage, arsenic the Real Madrid sensation gears up for his archetypal large tourney with the nationalist team.

Mohamed Salah (Egypt)

The 2026 World Cup volition people Mohamed Salah’s 2nd quality astatine the finals. He made his debut successful Russia 2018 [File: AFP]

One of the top icons of African football, Salah has breached countless idiosyncratic records and won astir each large nine honour, but the 33-year-old has yet to assistance a rubric with his nation.

A musculus wounded threatened to derail his World Cup campaign, but fans volition beryllium relieved to cognize the “Egyptian King” volition beryllium starring their complaint successful North America, arsenic helium looks to implicit unfinished concern successful presumably his last enactment connected the planetary stage.

The FIFA World Cup begins connected June 11. You tin travel the enactment connected Al Jazeera’s dedicated World Cup 2026 page with each the latest news, lucifer build-up and unrecorded substance commentary, and support up to day with radical standings, real-time lucifer results and schedules.