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

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.
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.
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.