World Cup 2026, 100 days to go: 100 staff choose the players they’re most excited to watch
There are 100 days until the World Cup, so we asked 100 members of staff at The Athletic to choose the player they are most excited to watch at the tournament.
We didn’t want 51 Lionel Messis and 49 Cristiano Ronaldos, and they were encouraged to choose differently from their colleagues.
Some did, but for others the pull of Messi and (checks notes) Endrick… was just too strong.
Clear themes emerged, though, with plenty of references to Last Dances and rising stars, and players picked from countries making their first appearance at a men’s World Cup.
There are players from Curacao, Cape Verde and Uzbekistan in our list, but sadly, despite three people with the name Jordan taking part in this exercise, not a single member of the heroic Jordan squad…
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami and Argentina)
Apologies for lack of originality, but it’s still him. Even now, after all these years of his precious magic, I’d be cheating myself if I said anyone else held the same appeal.
Daniel Taylor
Antoine Semenyo (Manchester City and Ghana)
Semenyo was a fringe player for Ghana at the last World Cup. He only made two substitute appearances as they crashed out at the group stage. Since then, his star has continued to rise and he has developed into one of the best attacking players in the Premier League.
Jay Harris
Erling Haaland (Manchester City and Norway)
One of the most prolific strikers in the world in recent years, but Haaland is yet to feature in a major tournament for his national team, so what he is — or isn’t — able to do on football’s biggest stage is going to be captivating.
Norway will lean on Erling Haaland’s threat in attack (Ure Makovec/AFP via Getty Images)
Haaland has shown he has the quality to thrive under pressure, and now he has the chance to showcase his quality when the world is watching.
Dan Sheldon
Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest and England)
Nottingham Forest have had four different managers this season and are battling against relegation, but there has been one constant: Anderson and his continued brilliance.
Whether he is still a Forest player next season is a different matter, but supporters can take pride in, hopefully, seeing him shine for England.
Paul Taylor
Joao Neves (Paris Saint-Germain and Portugal)
A 5ft 9in (175cm) technically astute central midfielder with a fondness for regaining possession? There are times when Neves goes about games with the quiet dominance of N’Golo Kante during his Chelsea pomp. Like Kante, Neves has tremendous aerial anticipation. Put the ball in the air, and the 21-year-old will figure out where it’ll land faster than anyone else. The rest of Europe will be in deep trouble if Neves ever gets to work with Pep Guardiola.
Carl Anka
Michael Olise (Bayern Munich and France)
Olise has blossomed into one of the best wingers in the world 18 months after moving from Crystal Palace to Bayern Munich.
With 26 goal involvements in 23 Bundesliga games this season, the silky left-footer is in fantastic form and, despite only having 13 caps for France, is ready to set the tournament alight.
Max Mathews
Craig Gordon (Heart of Midlothian and Scotland)
A 43-year-old goalkeeper as a No 1? Yes please. The veteran goalkeeper made his professional debut before Jude Bellingham was born and has come back from more than one career-threatening injury.
Even though not the first choice for Scottish Premiership leaders Hearts, he has still got it — as this save proves.
Craig Chisnall
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)
Given the impression Yamal made for Spain at Euro 2024 before his 17th birthday — including a tremendous long-range strike in the semi-final victory over France — it is exciting to imagine what he might be capable of this summer.
He turns 19 on July 13 — the day before the World Cup semi-finals begin — by which time he is likely to be an even bigger global superstar.
Dermot Corrigan
Denzel Dumfries (Inter and Netherlands)
I just love watching him play. The confidence with which he bursts down the right, the quality of his delivery, that knack he has of turning games on their head.
Jack Pitt-Brooke
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami and Argentina)
The last dance? The Argentine wizard turns 39 during the tournament and, while the legs have slowed, that footballing brain is as alive as ever.
Can Lionel Messi and Argentina retain the World Cup? (Julian Finney/Getty Images)
Enjoy him while you can.
Adam Hurrey
Luka Modric (Milan and Croatia)
Will he ever stop? I’m quite happy if he doesn’t. Watching him conduct a football match is a beautiful thing, and he is still doing it for Milan at 40. A tiny player who plays with the biggest personality, especially for his country.
I would love to see him drag Croatia into the latter stages once more.
Jordan Campbell
Lennart Karl (Bayern Munich and Germany)
I’m aware that Karl hasn’t been capped by Germany but I’d like him to make the finals because his breakthrough season at Bayern Munich has been a tour de force. Every World Cup needs a young sensation and the 18-year-old is the sort of ballsy prospect who could light it up. He’s what My Chemical Romance meant when they sang about teenagers.
Phil Hay
Ayase Ueda (Feyenoord and Japan)
With the usual cast of megastars on show, I enjoy the World Cup for the chance to be captivated by those talents that fall outside my typical viewing habits.
Ueda — who tops the Dutch Eredivisie scoring charts with 18 goals in 23 matches for Feyenoord — fits this bill nicely.
Conor O’Neill
Iliman Ndiaye (Everton and Senegal)
A thrilling dribbler and a throwback.
The forward’s performances have attracted Champions League clubs, especially after helping Senegal win the Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON).
Summer is another chance to show the world what he can do.
Patrick Boyland
Jacob Shaffelburg (Los Angeles FC and Canada)
Born in Nova Scotia and now plying his trade 5,700km away on the west coast, Shaffelburg possesses arguably the best nickname in soccer — ‘The Maritime Messi’.
Two goals for Nashville against Messi’s Inter Miami in March 2024 certainly helped.
Charlie Scott
Brahim Diaz (Real Madrid and Morocco)
The 26-year-old forward found his fabulous feet for Morocco at AFCON, then lost his head with that costly Panenka penalty miss in the final. That is some fuel to add to his fire for the World Cup.
Michael Bailey
Lionel Messi (Inter Miami and Argentina)
The answer, even now, is Messi. He is still the player who makes my heart skip a beat. It might be asking too much for him to repeat what he did in 2022, but the opportunity to see him grace and illuminate the World Cup stage for one last time will be a joy.
Oliver Kay
Rodrigo Aguirre (Tigres and Uruguay)
Uruguay’s attacking talent pool is shallower than normal this year, but the man likely to lead the line has the makings of a cult hero.
A journeyman at club level, Aguirre was 30 by the time he found his way onto the international stage in 2024. When he scored on debut against Colombia, he burst into tears. His style of play — muscular, bustling, old-school — stands in stark opposition to his bleached hair. He is also known to fans as El Bufalo.
What else do you want?
Jack Lang
Neymar (Santos and Brazil)
If Neymar is fit and available, it’s difficult to see head coach Carlo Ancelotti leaving out the face of the national team, even though the 34-year-old has not featured for Brazil since October 2023.
Neymar, right, showed flashes of his talent at the 2022 World Cup (Francois Nel/Getty Images)
Even if it is a leadership or bit-part role as a bench player, the World Cup will be better and richer in star power if Neymar is there.
Elias Burke
Brenden Aaronson (Leeds United and USMNT)
When I was 10, the World Cup was littered with Leeds players. And then came the downfall, the 18 or so years of being rubbish and exile, and the notion that a Leeds player could be seen on the world stage felt a bit ridiculous.
Leeds and Aaronson have enjoyed quite the redemption arc since. Why not get excited about seeing just how good Aaronson reborn can be in a home World Cup?
Amitai Winehouse
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal)
It is a mark of Senegalese power that Mbaye, who had played in France’s youth teams, chose to represent the recently crowned AFCON champions over the country of his birth.
At that tournament, it became very clear that Sadio Mane has an heir. Each time the now-18-year-old touched the ball, the game seemed to come to life.
Simon Hughes
Rayan Cherki (Manchester City and France)
Yeah, I know you’re not likely to play him, Didier Deschamps — not unless it’s 4-0 with 10 minutes remaining.
Even a short Rayan Cherki cameo is worth the admission fee (Franco Arland/Getty Images)
Pep Guardiola doesn’t play him that much either. But I’d enjoy watching Cherki warm up, if nothing else.
Stu James
Dan Burn (Newcastle United and England)
He’s big, he’s from Blyth, he didn’t make his international debut until the age of 32 and he receives nothing like the credit he deserves for the prominent role he has played in Newcastle’s transformation into trophy winners and his own, remarkable late-career blossoming.
What a leader, what a man, what a story. England are lucky to have him (on loan).
George Caulkin
Stopira (Torreense and Cape Verde)
One of the feel-good stories of Cape Verde’s journey. The 37-year-old full-back made his debut in 2008, retired in 2023 but returned in time for their qualification, partly because everyone loves the guy.
Cape Verde have more important players on the pitch, but not many more important off it.
Nick Miller
Abdukodir Khusanov (Manchester City and Uzbekistan)
Khusanov’s straight-faced demeanour defies his all-out approach to defending. Expect to see crunching tackles, stomping recovery runs and heroic blocks from a 22-year-old centre-back who will be a leader for his country at their first World Cup.
Thom Harris
Malik Tillman (Bayer Leverkusen and USMNT)
An elegant midfielder who scores and creates, while holding his own physically. Tillman shone at PSV, has broken through at Leverkusen and his silky skills could propel the U.S. to unprecedented World Cup progress.
Greg O’Keeffe
Raul Jimenez (Fulham and Mexico)
There are flashier names, but Jimenez remains a consistent Premier League goalscorer.
Raul Jimenez is still finding the net at 34 (Patrick T Fallon/AFP via Getty Images)
He has become Mexico’s talisman once again, after recovering from a skull fracture in 2021, and his nation will be hoping to witness him perform on home soil.
Eduardo Tansley
Richard Kone (Queens Park Rangers and Ivory Coast)
Not many players experience both the Homeless World Cup (Cardiff 2019) and the actual World Cup but Kone has the chance to do a rare double.
His rise from that initial appearance in south Wales to signing for Athletic Newham in the Essex Senior League and then Wycombe Wanderers (where he was named League One’s Player and Young Player of the year in 2024-25) and now the Championship with Queens Park Rangers has been remarkable.
He only has a single cap — won against Oman in November — so nothing is guaranteed, but it will be one of the stories of this year’s World Cup if he features.
Duncan Alexander
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid and France)
A man who has regularly done his best stuff on the World Cup stage. It would be remiss to presume anything other than the 2024 Golden Boot winner being a protagonist again this year.
Ed Mackey
Jonathan David (Juventus and Canada)
Looking at this World Cup strictly through a Canadian lens, one thing is clear: in a soccer country on the rise, Canada needs a face for the sport. Grabbing a few goals will elevate a player to that status and David seems primed for the opportunity.
Pressure has never fazed him. He’s rounding into form at Juventus. The likeable forward could catapult to superstardom in Canada this summer.
Joshua Kloke
Cristiano Ronaldo (Al Nassr and Portugal)
A player clearly long past his jaw-dropping best but one, as we saw in the Nations League Finals last summer, who is still capable of having an impact for his country. Ronaldo has the chance to score at a record-extending sixth World Cup and also finally end his drought in the knockout stage of the sport’s biggest competition.
If (and it’s a big if) he is used sensibly, Portugal could still benefit from his presence.
Will Jeanes
Rayan (Bournemouth and Brazil)
Will Carlo Ancelotti include a 19-year-old Bournemouth winger in his 2026 World Cup squad? If ever a question summed up modern football.
Most forwards signed by Premier League clubs this season have struggled to varying degrees. Not Rayan. Where others have toiled, Rayan has instantly flourished under Andoni Iraola. He looks the complete package: physical, capable in the air, fleet of foot, capable of ghosting past players and threatening in front of goal.
Rhodri Cannon
Ritsu Doan (Eintracht Frankfurt and Japan)
Doan’s all-energy approach makes him so much fun to watch, while also creating major potential headaches for the opposition. Even some of the best teams in the world don’t always have an answer for an enterprising forward who runs fearlessly at goal, as evidenced by his crucial equalising strikes as Japan stunned Germany and Spain in Qatar.
The Samurai Blue will have huge support this summer. If Doan is on form, they’ll have plenty to cheer about.
Martin Rogers
Matt Turner (New England Revolution and USMNT)
Turner’s stellar goalkeeping helped the USMNT reach the round of 16 four years ago, conceding just one goal in the group stage. But Turner also lost the starting job in 2025 to Matt Freese, who plays for New York City FC. Turner and Freese will compete for the role throughout 2026, making for an interesting story to monitor as the MLS season gets underway.
(Julian Finney/Getty Images)
When the U.S. has made a run in the World Cup, it’s typically involved strong goalkeeping. It may be the most important position battle to watch.
Chris Vannini
Duckens Nazon (Esteghlal and Haiti)
The much-travelled striker is Haiti’s all-time top scorer with 44 goals in 74 international appearances. When Scotland take on Les Grenadiers in their Group C opener in Boston, could a former St Mirren loanee become the first Haitian to score at a World Cup since Emmanuel Sanon, who did so against Italy and Argentina in 1974? It is written in the stars.
Peter Carline
Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig and Ivory Coast)
A star in the making. In the eight months he has spent in Germany, Diomande has grown into one of the most feared wingers in the league, and has left a trail of beaten full-backs in his wake.
Leipzig rate him in the €100million (£87m; $117m) category. The World Cup will go a long way to justifying that valuation.
Seb Stafford-Bloor
Jhon Duran (Zenit Saint Petersburg and Colombia)
U.S.-based fans will remember the maverick striker’s time in MLS before moves to England, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and now Russia.
James Rodriguez and Luis Diaz will provide the service, and Duran’s finishing could help Colombia regain its place as a neutral’s favorite after missing out entirely in 2022.
A few goals in the summer could kickstart his next big transfer – but where?
Sam Maidenberg
Finn Surman (Portland Timbers and New Zealand)
Like I wasn’t gonna shout out one of my Timbers here.
Surman, a promising 6ft 3in central defender, will have his hands full in group play when he matches up against Egypt’s Mohamed Salah and Belgium’s litany of stars, and I’ll get to see just how big the gap is between MLS and the highest levels of Europe.
John Hollinger
Rangelo Janga (FC Eindhoven and Curacao)
What are World Cups for if not having your breath taken away by some eclectic, romantic story of footballing madness?
Janga is Curacao’s all-time top scorer, a veteran who has played for 14 clubs from all manner of outposts representing the tiniest nation at the tournament. May he write his name in the history books for all the planet to see.
Amy Lawrence
Ryan Mendes (Igdir and Cape Verde)
Did I have to Google Cape Verde’s captain? I can neither confirm nor deny. But Ryan Mendes, a journeyman currently plying his trade in Turkey’s second division, will be the man who leads out the second smallest nation to feature in a World Cup finals when Cape Verde play European heavyweights Spain in their opening game.
That’s surely a story worth following on June 15.
Philip Buckingham
Gabriel (Arsenal and Brazil)
One of the game’s most dominant and consistent centre-backs. Gabriel is always willing to put his body on the line to defend his team, while being heavily involved in set pieces at both ends.
Watching him play for his country in the summer will be a delight!
Rachael Tinde
Bukayo Saka (Arsenal and England)
With the ghosts of Euro 2020 firmly exorcised, there’s no question ‘Little Chilli’ will bring the heat. Saka’s signature byline cut inside and cross will feature heavily across global coverage.
Steve Proud
Richarlison (Tottenham Hotspur and Brazil)
Despite the injuries, Richarlison is still a legitimate goal threat in the air and a disruptive box presence capable of getting under opponents’ skin.
Despite his erratic club form, Richarlison could be a crucial player for Brazil this summer (Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
An agent of chaos with a penchant for overhead kicks. It also helps that he sometimes looks like a different player for the national team.
Sam Joseph
Tyler Adams (Bournemouth and USMNT)
Adams was the breakout star for the U.S. in the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, surprisingly getting the captain’s armband for the tournament instead of Christian Pulisic. But his career has been sidetracked by injuries.
The big question, as always, is about his health and how that affects his form come June.
Austin Green
Pedri (Spain and Barcelona)
Though not a graduate of Barcelona’s La Masia academy, Pedri plays like he grew up on Las Ramblas. His stats will never do him justice but he passes the eye test with flying colours. The 23-year-old’s ability to elicit sharp intakes of breath from deft touches and subtle body movements reminds you why we watch football in the first place.
Luke Bosher
Harry Kane (Bayern Munich and England)
England’s talisman is at the peak of his powers and putting together another historic season in Germany. Tuchel’s system has given Kane willing runners, so expect assists as well as goals from the captain as he aims to take his nation all the way.
Elliot Jordan
Othmane Maamma (Watford and Morocco)
The Golden Ball winner at the recent Under-20 World Cup, judging by the fearless nature of his Championship performances, Maamma will bring tricks, flicks and flair to the senior tournament.
Seth Nobes
Micky van de Ven (Spurs and Netherlands)
Like Erling Haaland, at his best, Van de Ven is freakish and impossible to stop. It will be fascinating to see him feature in a more functional team than Spurs, even if he is likely to be deployed at left-back for the Netherlands.
Dan Kilpatrick
Vinicius Junior (Real Madrid and Brazil)
The man oozes box office.
Whenever there is a dramatic Champions League night involving Real Madrid, he is there, front and centre. His dribbling, direct running style and finishing frighten defenders and light up the biggest stages. And there is no bigger than the World Cup.
Vinicius Junior will look to shine on the biggest stage (Wagner Meier/Getty Images)
Playing for Brazil only adds to that aura and excitement.
Alex Brodie
Endrick (Lyon and Brazil)
It feels almost now or never for the 19-year-old starboy who was supposed to rival the ascent of Yamal. Endrick lit up the Brazilian league as a kid, invoking comparisons to the country’s most famous product in Pele. He signed for Madrid as Yamal was tiptoeing into world stardom for Barcelona.
It seemed a future budding rivalry but he failed to break into the first team with Real. He is now on loan, finding form in France.
Devon Henderson
Alphonso Davies (Canada and Bayern Munich)
I love a player with pace, star quality and a compelling backstory. I’ve probably spent too much time listening to our Canada men’s national team reporter Joshua Kloke but I’m keeping my fingers crossed Davies will be fit and firing for co-hosts Canada this summer.
Laura Williamson
Mehdi Taremi (Olympiacos and Iran)
Taremi’s missed sitter at the death against Portugal in the 2018 World Cup ranks atop my list of personal sports heartbreaks. In what is likely his last World Cup as the face of Team Melli, I’m hoping he has a chance to rectify that miss and get Iran out of the group stage.
Christopher Kamrani
Nestory Irankunda (Watford and Australia)
Lightning quick, full of tricks and can bang a free kick in from distance, the 20-year-old is a lot of fun to watch. The Aussie — snapped up by Watford from Bayern Munich — will already be known to Football Manager fans as a wonderkid and he could have an impact at the World Cup.
Adam Leventhal
Frantzdy Pierrot (Caykur Rizespor Kulubu and Haiti)
The little country that could! I’m beyond excited to see Haiti back on the world stage 50 years later.
As someone of Haitian background, this moment hits especially close to home. I’ve been following these players and this journey for a long time. I’m particularly excited to watch Pierrot, a true goal machine for the national team with 33 goals in 47 appearances.
Valerie Remy
Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United and Portugal)
I’m looking forward to his creativity coming to light in a team full of exciting forwards. A lot of his service at Manchester United has seen disappointing results, which have frustrated the midfielder in recent outings.
Bruno Fernandes’ playmaking ability is crucial to Portugal (Alex Livesey/Getty Images)
Paired with clinical, confident forwards, his passing and vision could really change the game for Portugal.
Dhruv Popat
Son Heung-min (LAFC and South Korea)
Son joined LAFC in the summer and has been on an absolute tear: 12 goals in his first 15 MLS matches. He will look to continue that form as he captains South Korea on the same shores where he now plays his club football.
As Tottenham fans know well (and surely miss), his pace, passing, and finishing can cause problems for any team.
Isaiah Holquist
Lamine Yamal (Barcelona and Spain)
A player of incredible talent, an adjective that is used advisedly: you watch, you re-watch, and you still can’t quite figure out how he does it.
Can he make this tournament his own?
Duncan White
Emiliano “Dibu” Martinez (Aston Villa and Argentina)
He may very well be the best goalkeeper in the world. He’s certainly the most entertaining. Martinez’s theatrics and play are a large part of what makes the reigning champions so compelling, and his sequel could be primed for another deep, entertaining run.
Fabian Ardaya
James Rodriguez (Minnesota United and Colombia)
Desire, not reason, governs here. Twelve years after lighting up the 2014 World Cup, does the 34-year-old Colombia captain have some final magic in his laces?
Probably not. But we can dream.
Jacob Whitehead
Harry Wilson (Fulham and Wales)
Spare me any petty gripes about Wales having ‘not qualified yet’, please. If they do get there, Wilson’s capacity for stunning goals could be the quality that squeezes them through the group stage.
Cerys Jones
Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid and England)
It feels as though Bellingham will either be a big story for lighting up the World Cup or for being sidelined to make way for one of England’s many other attacking midfielders.
Who else? (Shaun Botterill/Getty Images)
However it plays out, it’s unlikely to be dull. And for a ‘moments player’ such as Bellingham, this could be the event he goes stratospheric.
Charlie Eccleshare
Troy Parrott (AZ and Republic of Ireland)
Will Parrott be at the World Cup? I don’t know, to be honest. Maybe not.
But I know I don’t want his five goals in Ireland’s final two qualifiers and that incredible ending in Budapest to be for nothing.
Mark Critchley
Amad (Manchester United and Ivory Coast)
A clutch player for his club, Amad’s bursts down the wing and his quick footwork always make him an exciting watch. He can star for Ivory Coast at his first World Cup.
Luke Smith
Luis Suarez (Sporting CP and Colombia)
No, not that Luis Suarez. The Colombian striker has filled the void left by Viktor Gyokeres at Portuguese club Sporting with 29 goals and counting since his summer switch from Spanish second division side Almeria.
Suarez is a natural goalscorer, finding the net four times in September’s 6-3 win over Venezuela. Aged 28, Suarez is in his prime and could be decisive this summer.
Colin Millar
Morgan Rogers (Aston Villa and England)
England’s No 10 is among football’s most competitive positions. Rogers may be first choice. An intoxicating dribbler with power and directness, what he could do on a global platform is compelling.
Jacob Tanswell
Kylian Mbappe (Real Madrid and France)
In his last World Cup appearance, Mbappe scored a hat-trick but still ended up on the losing side in a final for the ages.
Kyliann Mbappe’s World Cup greatness is already assured (Sergei Gapon/AFP via Getty Images)
Mbappe’s relationship with the national team has not always been straightforward — and he had a disappointing Euro 2024 after fracturing his nose — but he has been in electric form for France, with seven goals in his past six matches.
Tom Burrows
Endrick (Real Madrid and Brazil)
As a child, I was inspired by the Brazil side at the 1982 World Cup, and winger Eder in particular. Brazilian football has since lost that mystery factor, as so many play in Europe and are on our TV screens every week, but there is still an element of seeing something fresh.
Endrick isn’t an unknown — he has already scored against England at Wembley — but the teenager is an exciting prospect. He is left-footed and renowned for a fierce shot, just like Eder.
Rob Tanner
Nestory Irankunda (Watford and Australia)
Is there anything more thrilling than a young talent announcing himself to a nation?
That’s exactly what Irankunda, then 19, did last year, scoring in consecutive friendly wins against New Zealand and Canada. Quick, creative and dangerous from free kicks, showing more of the same at the World Cup would turn Irankunda into a global star.
Justin Guthrie
Riyad Mahrez (Al Ahli and Algeria)
Mahrez is the best player I’ve ever seen for Leicester City and the Algeria winger deserves to showcase his talents on the biggest stage of all.
At 35, he may not be at the peak of his powers, but he has won everything domestically and has an AFCON winners’ medal to boot.
I can’t wait to see that first touch and his slaloming runs, just for old time’s sake.
Jordan Halford
Moises Caicedo (Chelsea and Ecuador)
Ecuador have something of a golden generation brewing, with Piero Hincapie, Willian Pacho and Kendry Paez.
Caicedo is their best and most well-known player. I’m excited to see how he guides his country through this summer.
El Tri have got a relatively kind draw in the group stages and they could be a surprise package. Caicedo will be the key to that.
Kaya Kaynak
Guillermo Ochoa (AEL and Mexico)
Is there any player who brings their ‘A-game’ to a World Cup like Guillermo Ochoa?
The 40-year-old goalkeeper has featured for an eclectic bunch of European teams — including Ajaccio, Malaga, Salernitana and now AEL in Cyprus — but he inevitably shows up for his country when it matters most.
If the pressure is on, Guillermo Ochoa rises to the occasion (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
If selected by Mexico coach Javier Aguirre, he would be in the squad for his sixth World Cup.
Tomas Hill Lopez-Menchero
Nicolo Barella (Inter and Italy)
An effortlessly classy midfielder who combines flair and poise with dynamism — all while being a sweet, sweet striker of the ball. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves; Italy must first navigate a qualifying play-off against Northern Ireland if Barella is to make his World Cup bow.
Ali Rampling
Declan Rice (Arsenal and England)
My prediction is that the swashbuckling midfielder will follow up his player-of-the-season-worthy campaign at Arsenal with a fantastic World Cup.
In what could prove to be Harry Kane’s last World Cup, Rice’s sparkling displays this summer will prove why he will eventually replace the striker as England captain and further cement himself as the heartbeat of the Three Lions team.
Nnamdi Onyeagwara
John McGinn (Aston Villa and Scotland)
No one is better equipped to handle the terrifying scale of Scotland’s World Cup return. McGinn is the only man with the load-bearing thighs necessary to hoist a nation’s entire collective anxiety onto his back and lug it up the road.
At Villa, he turns in shifts that go largely unheralded — his style of football too physical and soot-stained for TikTok compilations. It feels entirely right to see a player so unassuming getting to stand on the world’s biggest stage.
Adam Park
Antonee Robinson (Fulham and United States)
I can’t wait to see Robinson’s speed and passing on the World Cup stage. And to do it here on the home turf in the States? That sounds like a must-see combination.
Daniel Shirley
Kevin De Bruyne (Napoli and Belgium)
OK, it’s cool to pick up-and-comers, but there could be a little magic left if he’s healthy enough for what would likely be his final World Cup.
Sometimes, the classics are the best (Paul Ellis/AFP via Getty Images)
It would be pretty incredible to see him thread one more improbable pass or score off a set piece on a huge stage in the sunset of his brilliant career.
Dave Niinemets
Estevao (Chelsea and Brazil)
His talent under Ancelotti is a match made in heaven. Brazil has insane talent, especially in attack, so he’ll have competition for a spot, which I think will bring the best out of the 18-year-old.
Matt Schad
Virgil van Dijk (Liverpool and Netherlands)
Beloved by his club but Van Dijk remains a more divisive figure in his home country. His achievements with the Netherlands national football team have not matched the heights he has reached at Liverpool. Now 34, he is beginning to show signs of slowing down, and Liverpool have faced more adversity than at any other point during his tenure as captain. How will he cope with the pressure of what could be his final World Cup at the highest level?
Brian Hoang
Christian Pulisic (Milan and USMNT)
After a Winter Olympics that created iconic figures out of U.S. men’s and women’s hockey stars, I’m looking forward to seeing if U.S. men’s soccer will follow suit with a hero of its own in its turn as a host nation for the World Cup.
Pulisic has the skill and seasoning to blossom on the ultimate stage and will be essential to the USMNT’s contention hopes.
John Riker
Luka Modric (Milan and Croatia)
Messi will get more World Cup swansong attention, but that’s fitting for Modric, one of the greatest midfield metronomes. I picked Tottenham as my team in high school, just in time for Modric’s brief run at White Hart Lane – that hair-banded engine, that midfield maestro. He’s 40 and still threading passes through gaps that don’t exist yet. It will be a pleasure to finally watch him in Arlington, my backyard, after all these years.
Patrick Iversen
Florian Wirtz (Liverpool and Germany)
After making his big-money move to Liverpool this season, he has been one of the few bright spots in a disappointing campaign as he has grown into a new system and physicality in the Premier League. He has the rare ability to influence matches by ghosting into tight spaces and has a vision for the game that few in the world have.
Ian Gillette
Alphonso Davies (Bayern Munich and Canada)
I know Davies was just coming off an anterior cruciate ligament tear and then suffered a hamstring strain, so I don’t know what version of him to expect, but I love watching him play.
At full fitness, Alphonso Davies can illuminate this World Cup (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
His speed, skill and strength are special.
Dan Santaromita
Bradley Barcola (Paris Saint-Germain and France)
This is probably going to be as an impact sub — good luck displacing Kylian Mbappe, Rayan Cherki or Desire Doue in the starting XI — but Barcola’s time in the national team is coming. The 23-year-old has serious pace, an eye for goal and a penchant for a cutback assist. He won Olympic silver at the home Games in Paris last summer, just after winning the Champions League.
Liam Tharme
Jens Petter Hauge (Bodo/Glimt and Norway)
Always catches the eye in the Champions League highlights. World Cup memories are built on talismanic playmakers dismantling defences and sticking the ball in the top corner. This guy’s already doing it to Europe’s best.
Beren Cross
Mohamed Salah (Liverpool and Egypt)
It hasn’t been the easiest club season for the celebrated Liverpool forward. But after missing out on the 2022 World Cup, this summer offers Salah a chance to burnish his legend on the world stage.
In a group with Belgium, New Zealand and Iran, Salah can lead his team to the knockout stage, and from there, who knows?
Dan Barbarisi
Lee Kang-In (Paris Saint-Germain and South Korea)
Son Heung-min has been the face of South Korean football for several years, but he is getting older and the team will be looking for new inspiration.
Apprentice and master (Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)
Step forward Lee Kang-in, the PSG attacker who is a technically gifted footballer with a lovely left foot, capable of whipping in precise crosses or top-corner bangers.
Denny Min
Bazoumana Toure (Hoffenheim and Ivory Coast)
An exciting left-winger who already has a breakout tournament under his belt this season, having impressed at AFCON. He had to wait until their third group game to get his chance, coming on as a sub and grabbing a late winner. He then showed off his rapid pace in the last-16 match against Burkina Faso, running 88 metres with the ball before again scoring late. At just 19, he’ll be fun to watch in this lively Ivory Coast team.
Andrew Pigott
Sadio Mane (Al Nassr and Senegal)
Injury cruelly denied the former Liverpool winger the opportunity to grace the World Cup in Qatar four years ago. I’m really looking forward to watching him on the biggest stage this time around.
At 33, Mane might be in the twilight of his career but Senegal’s recent AFCON triumph proved that he’s still a class act — both in terms of ability and how he conducts himself. He’s not finished yet.
James Pearce
Christian Pulisic (Milan and USMNT)
The World Cup is where legacies are made in international football. Pulisic is pushing Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey to be considered the best American player in history, but he can’t do it without a memorable performance at the World Cup.
A home tournament gives him a platform bigger than Donovan or Dempsey ever had. His goal against Iran in 2022 was memorable, but what he does here in 2026 at his peak is more important.
A player who loves big stages, let’s see what he does with this one.
Paul Tenorio
Marc Guehi (Manchester City and England)
He won’t be the most exciting player to watch this summer but as a Crystal Palace fan, there will be a sense of pride in seeing Guehi forming the cornerstone of what should be — in theory — a plausible England challenge for the World Cup.
Palace fans have been raving about Guehi’s qualities for years; now he’s performing equally capably at Manchester City, everyone else seems to have realised it as well.
Andrew Fifield
Hossam Abdelmaguid (El Zamalek and Egypt)
By now, the world of football knows Mohamed Salah and Omar Marmoush.
Abdelmaguid, a 24-year old centre-back, impressed during the last AFCON and showed why he is one of the hottest prospects in Egyptian football.
It’s interesting to see how he performs at the World Cup.
Ahmed Walid
Nico O’Reilly (Manchester City and England)
O’Reilly has been the breakout star of Manchester City’s squad over the past couple of seasons and his versatility will be extremely valuable to Thomas Tuchel this summer.
He will likely start at left-back, but the thought of him and Reece James drifting into the midfield at will is a tantalising prospect.
Joseph Bentley
Rodri (Manchester City and Spain)
Rodri has returned just in time.
The defensive midfielder was the guiding force for Spain when they were crowned Euro 2024 champions and this helped him win the Ballon d’Or.
Rodri is still an important cog in Spain’s midfield, even after his injuries (Stu Forster/Getty Images)
After suffering an ACL injury to his right knee at the end of 2024, Rodri has spent almost two seasons on the sidelines, but he has shown that he can still change games in recent matches with Manchester City.
With several key Spanish midfielders injured, such as Mikel Merino, Fabian Ruiz and Pablo Barrios, Rodri is still untouchable.
Guillermo Rai
Franck Kessie (Al Ahli and Ivory Coast)
You probably think I have picked Kessie to sound clever, which is partly true.
But Ivory Coast vs Ecuador is the first game I am scheduled to cover this summer, so I am really excited to watch all the players who are likely to line up in Philadelphia on June 14. But Kessie is Ivory Coast’s captain. He is also a lovely player and I am intrigued to see what impact, if any, three seasons in Saudi Arabia have had on him.
Matt Slater
Pau Cubarsi (Barcelona and Spain)
He’s from the tiniest of tiny villages in rural Catalonia. He can break lines better than the most brilliant quarterback. And he’s a decent carpenter, too.
What’s not to like?
Patrick Jennings
Darwin Nunez (Al Hilal and Uruguay)
After leaving Liverpool last summer, I’ve not seen him kick a ball — or through an opposition player. I miss his chaos. We all miss his chaos. There aren’t many players who can miss an open goal and then score a world-beating winner in the same game. But Nunez can. He is scrappy, boisterous and at times, a true genius.
This king of antics, who turns 27, is capable of anything — but that is also his biggest problem. I can’t wait to see what he has in store for us.
Caoimhe O’Neill
Alexander Sorloth (Atletico Madrid and Norway)
All eyes will be on a certain Mr E. Haaland when Norway arrive at their first World Cup in 26 years, but do not ignore Alexander Sorloth.
A return of 52 La Liga goals since 2023-24 shows the 30-year-old knows where the back of the net is, with Sorloth often using his 6ft 5in frame to rise high and meet a cross fed into him — with 14 headed league goals being the third-most across Europe’s top five leagues across the past three seasons.
Mark Carey
Cole Palmer (Chelsea and England)
Will he even get in the team/squad?
England have an embarrassment of riches in attacking midfield but few players are as fun to watch as Palmer when he is at his carefree, instinctive and game-changing best.
John Stanton
Ousmane Dembele (PSG and France)
Dembele did not win the 2025 Ballon d’Or for nothing.
The 28-year-old earned the honor after a stellar 2024-25 season, leading Paris Saint-Germain to a treble that included the club’s first Champions League title. A few weeks later, I watched him help PSG beat Real Madrid in the semi-finals of the FIFA Club World Cup.
An ambidextrous attacker, Dembele is as unpredictable as he is explosive. Now, I’m eager to see what he does against Senegal — his mother’s homeland — in France’s opening group-stage match, a game that could set the tone for the rest of the tournament.
Asli Pelit
