The 2026 FIFA World Cup had unforgettable moments, astonishing goals and performances that will be etched in memory for years to come. It was a great tournament and Spain rightly lifted the trophy but there were a number of players from different countries that made their mark with world class performances, so we’d be looking at the top 10 best players at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Some were expected to shine, others announced themselves on football’s biggest stage. They scored goals, they made assists, they led the way and they were consistent, but all of them were in the best of the tournament.
Here are our top 10 players from the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
10. Declan Rice (England)
A brilliant goal when standing in for Kane as captain against France in the third place match was a just reward for Rice, who was one of England’s most consistent performers throughout this World Cup and performed at a high level, despite clearly playing injured. His absence when substituted versus Norway and Argentina was felt in the midfield of the field hence him being coined as one of England’s most consistent performers.
9. Michael Olise (France)
Olise missed so many great chances to score his first World Cup goal, even though he was played out of his natural position to accommodate Ousmane Dembele but he goes home with the record for the most assists (seven) in a single campaign of the tournament. His chemistry with Mbappe was one of the highlights of this tournament and can only mean good things for the French team going forward.
8. Harry Kane (England)
Kane faded badly in the knockout rounds, couldn’t step up when he was needed the most for his team, and probably should have been substituted in the semifinal loss against Argentina, but as well as scoring six goals, his interplay with Bellingham and the whole team helped the latter to shine.
7. Aymeric Laporte (Spain)
His partnership with his younger centre-back compatriot, Pau Cubarsi was one of the best and both were honestly flawless through out this competition. Laporte led an almost impenetrable Spanish defence from start to finish as well as providing key value to their possession game with his almost flawless passing out from the back.
6. Erling Haaland (Norway)
Got shut down by quarter-final opponents England as he failed to score for the first time in 21 international appearances. Haaland ran out of steam by that game, but his remarkable feats and joyful swagger at this World Cup will live long in the memory. His goals versus Brazil would not be forgotten in a hurry, and he also ended the tournament with seven goals.
5. Pau Cubarsi (Spain)
The only teenager in our top 10 and arguably the best defender in the tournament, Cubarsi ended a sensational World Cup run by shutting down Julian Alvarez and Messi, and even drawing the red-card foul from Enzo Fernandez, which sealed Argentina’s fate in the final. He was rightfully awarded best young player of the tournament.
4. Jude Bellingham (England)
Bellingham came off the bench to score a sensational solo goal against France and make himself the first Englishman ever to score seven goals at a single World Cup. His sensational back to back braces versus Mexico and Norway were one of his biggest highlights in this tournament. He might already have taken over from Harry Kane as the team’s talisman and most important player.
3. Rodri (Spain)
As well as captaining winners Spain and getting voted this World Cup’s best player, Rodri is the perfect symbol for their collective style of football. It’s been a long, hard road since an ACL knee injury nearly two years ago, but he showed on the biggest stage of all that he is finally back to his best. He was the bane of the midfield and absolutely bossed opponents, dictating the tempo for the spanish side.
2. Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Despite controversially won games, it is hard to see this Argentine side reaching the final without Messi’s influence. Recording eight goals and four assists in this tournament, he was more than instrumental and dominated most stats for his side. It was beyond doubt hat he was the most important player for Argentina.
1. Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappé wrapped up the Golden Boot as the tournament’s top scorer with two brilliant goals against England in the third-place play-off, and is already the World Cup’s record goalscorer, with 22 goals. At 27 years old, he has at least the 2030 edition in him and could put his record beyond reach.
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