10 Star Soccer Players to Watch in the 2026 FIFA World Cup
Keep an eye out for these 10 players in soccer’s biggest event this summer!
Key Takeaways
- Several global stars, including Pulisic, Messi, Ronaldo, and Kane, are poised to play pivotal roles for their national teams, with some potentially making their final World Cup appRead More
- Several global stars, including Pulisic, Messi, Ronaldo, and Kane, are poised to play pivotal roles for their national teams, with some potentially making their final World Cup appearances.
- Young breakout talents such as Lamine Yamal, Vinicius Jr., Doku, and Díaz are expected to significantly influence their teams' success and attract worldwide attention.
- Injury concerns surround key players like Yamal and Mbappé, but both are anticipated to recover in time to make major impacts at the tournament.
With the 2025/26 club soccer season all wrapped up, all eyes are on the 2026 FIFA World Cup, starting June 11 and co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada.
With the tournament now expanded to feature 48 teams, there will be plenty of soccer’s best players on display at the world’s biggest stage. With so many to choose from, it might be overwhelming. But we've got you covered; here are 10 World Cup players you need to watch out for this summer.
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Players to watch at the 2026 World Cup
Christian Pulisic - United States
As the captain of Team USA, a lot rests on Christian Pulisic’s shoulders this summer. The United States Men’s National Team has not reached the World Cup quarterfinals since 2002. And now on home soil, the expectation will be for the Stars and Stripes to progress well into the knockout rounds. To do that, Pulisic will need to be at the top of his game.
Lionel Messi - Argentina
This will likely be the final World Cup of Messi's incredible career. Now in the MLS with Inter Miami, Messi has been on fire since taking his talents to the United States. This season, he became the fastest player to reach 100 goal contributions in the MLS, taking only 64 games to do it. All soccer fans are happy to see Messi competing at the World Cup this summer, and all eyes will be on the Argentine.
Cristiano Ronaldo - Portugal
Speaking of all-time greats who are likely to play their final World Cup this summer, Cristiano Ronaldo has to be on this list. It’s no secret that the coveted World Cup trophy is the only piece of hardware that has eluded Ronaldo in his very successful career. Despite his age at 41 years old, Ronaldo will still play a vital role for the Portuguese national team, even if it means coming off the bench.
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Lamine Yamal - Spain
Having taken the soccer world by storm in the past few years, 18-year-old Lamine Yamal is an early candidate for player of the tournament this summer. His quality off the right wing has proven to be a nightmare for all defenders he faces and his presence makes Spain serious contenders for the trophy this summer.
Kylian Mbappe - France
Mbappe is arguably one of the best players in the world, and he has been phenomenal at his two previous World Cups. With 12 goals in 14 games through two tournaments, he is only four goals behind Miroslav Klose’s 16-goal record for most goals scored at the World Cup. It will be exciting to see if he can break the record this summer.
Harry Kane - England
As England’s all time top-scorer, Kane will be crucial for the Three Lions this summer. Off the back of another impressive season with Bayern Munich, he will be in good form ahead of the World Cup. England’s squad is full of talent for the upcoming tournament, which will give Kane plenty of opportunities to score goals. If he can hit the ground running, there’s no telling how far England can go this summer.
Erling Haaland - Norway
Despite his ascension to one of the best strikers in the world, this will actually be Haaland’s first ever World Cup. Norway has a difficult group featuring France and Senegal, so Haaland will need to be at the top of his game to help his country progress to the knockout rounds. If he is, Norway very well may be a dark horse to watch out for.
Vinicius Jr. - Brazil
Even with Neymar a part of the final Brazilian World Cup squad this summer, all eyes will be on Vinicius Jr. to lead the team. With plenty of experience as one of Real Madrid’s most influential players, it will be interesting to see if his performances can translate to the international stage. Brazil fans will have high expectations for their team this summer and Vinicius Jr. will be crucial to the team meeting them.
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Jeremy Doku - Belgium
Doku was on fire for Manchester City to end the Premier League season, and he'll look to provide the same sort of spark to a Belgium team that failed to make it out of the group stage in the 2022 World Cup. At just 23 years of age, Doku has solidified himself as one of the most exciting players to watch in the Premier League. If he can bring those same performances to the World Cup this summer, his reputation will begin to spread on a much more global scale.
Luis Díaz -Colombia
After moving to Bayern Munich last year, Díaz impressed with 15 goals and 14 assists in the Bundesliga last season. He has dazzled in the Champions League as well and leads a Colombia team that will be difficult to beat this summer. Díaz's combination of technical ability, speed, and aggression makes him difficult for any defender to contend with, and good luck stopping him when he gets going.
