Messi! Mbappé! Ronaldo? The 10 World Cup Stars Who’ll Define The Tournament

From living legends to rising youngsters to non-stop goal machines. The 2026 FIFA World Cup is often defined by incredible individual performances, and we shouldn’t expect this summer to be any different. 

The 48-team World Cup will feature plenty of stars, and many more will emerge. But these are 10 players who we expect to take top billing.

2026 FIFA World Cup: How To Watch

The World Cup will run from June 11–July 19, 2026. Spread across three countries, the tournament will culminate with the final on July 19 at New York New Jersey Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey. All 104 tournament matches will air live across FOX (70) and FS1 (34) with every match streaming live and on-demand within both the FOX One and the FOX Sports apps. A record 40 matches, more than one-third of the tournament, will air in prime time across FOX (21) and FS1 (19).

[WHEN AND WHERE: Full Schedule for 2026 FIFA World Cup]

Lamine Yamal, Forward, Spain
Age: 18
Club: Barcelona

Out of all the stars that will light up soccer’s grandest stage this summer, perhaps there’s no more intriguing or exciting player than the 18-year-old Spanish winger. It’s Yamal’s first World Cup (of many more to come) and he has a chance to score a lot of goals and help La Roja win it all. — Laken Litman

Cristiano Ronaldo, Striker, Portugal
Age: 41
Club: Al-Nassr FC

This has to be Ronaldo’s last World Cup, right? We thought maybe the 2022 tournament in Qatar would be, but then he walked off the field in tears following Portugal’s quarterfinal loss to Morocco. So here we are: the 41-year-old superstar forward has already won everything he possibly can in this sport, except a World Cup trophy, and that’s his goal this summer. — Litman

Kylian Mbappé, Striker, France
Age: 27
Club: Real Madrid

Mbappé scored a hat trick in the 2022 World Cup final and France still lost to Leo Messi and Argentina in the most epic finish. Mbappé already has a World Cup trophy, winning it all in 2018, but Les Bleus’ captain is hungry and motivated for another. — Litman

Ousmane Dembélé, Forward, France
Age: 28
Club: Paris Saint-Germain

2025 was a big year for Dembélé. The 28-year-old forward won a Champions League title with PSG and then took home the Ballon d’Or as the world’s best player. While he has a World Cup trophy on his resume (2018), like Mbappe, he wants another after coming so close four years ago in Qatar. — Litman

Erling Haaland, Striker, Norway
Age: 25
Club: Manchester City

Despite his goal-scoring prowess and overall domination in the Premier League, we’ve never seen Haaland in an environment like the one he’ll be in this summer. The 2026 World Cup will not only be Haaland’s debut World Cup, but his first-ever major tournament. How far he’ll take Norway will be one of the more interesting storylines to follow. — Litman

Lionel Messi, Forward, Argentina
Age: 38
Club: Inter Miami CF

The GOAT hasn’t yet confirmed that he’ll lead Argentina’s World Cup title defense in the country he now plays his club soccer, but let’s be real: Although he’ll turn 39 three days before the Albicleleste’s group stage finale against Jordan in Arlington, Texas, Messi will be there. Barring serious injury, there’s no way the living legend won’t try to repeat as champs – something no team has done since Pele’s Brazil in 1962. — Doug McIntyre
 

Harry Kane, Striker, England
Age: 32 
Club: Bayern Munich

England’s all-time top scorer led the 2018 World Cup in goals despite England’s semifinal elimination to Croatia. In 2022, the Three Lions captain missed a late penalty kick in the quarterfinals against France, ensuring that the country that invented the sport’s long World Cup drought would continue for at least another four years. Can Kane, now 32, finally help England’s men win their  first major title since 1966 this summer? — McIntyre

Christian Pulisic, Forward/Winger, USA
Age: 27
Club: AC Milan

Already considered the most gifted attacking player the U.S. has ever produced, Pulisic’s legacy will depend largely on how he performs at this World Cup on home soil this summer. At 27, the AC Milan star is just now entering his prime. He already has one tournament under his belt; in 2022, Pulisic scored the goal that beat Iran and sent the Americans to the round of 16. If the Americans are to last a little longer this summer, Puisic must lead the way. — McIntyre

Vinícius Júnior, Forward, Brazil
Age: 25
Club: Real Madrid

With Neymar Jr. having just come back from injury and no lock to make Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti’s squad, the polarizing Real Madrid star will be the face of the Seleção at this World Cup. Vini is more than capable of manning the role; the pacy winger remains one of the most electrifying forwards on Earth. — McIntyre

Alphonso Davies, Fullback/Winger, Canada
Age: 25
Club: Bayern Munich

Still just 25, the best player in Canadian history will lead the co-hosts’ effort this summer. Davies is a legit star. The Vancouver Whitecaps product made FIFA’s year-ending Best XI as a teenager in 2020. He’s won the Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup and five Bundesliga titles, and he scored Les Rouges’ first ever World Cup goal at Qatar 2022. He’ll be looking for another first in Toronto and Vancouver this summer: Canada’s maiden World Cup win. — McIntyre