World Cup Round of 16 Preview: One Player For Every Team You Need To Know

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We're down to the round of 16 at the 2026 World Cup, and it's star-studded.

There are a few underdogs in the hunt, but the biggest names and teams are still alive. That includes the stars of yesteryear who are still going strong, as well as the players who will define the next decade of the beautiful game.

Here's the one player you need to know from the 16 remaining teams at the World Cup before the next round begins on Saturday morning.

Canada vs. Morocco

Alphonso Davies

Defender

Canada

Canada has made it this far without him, but a healthy and fit Davies takes Canada to another level. The Bayern Munich standout has elite speed and strength on the left wing, but injuries have derailed him in recent years.

Davies made his first appearance of the World Cup in the second half against South Africa, coming on for a 20-minute cameo. The next milestone would seemingly be playing one half, but it remains to be seen whether he’ll be able to do more than that when Canada is back in action on Saturday afternoon.

Achraf Hakimi

Defender

Morocco

Morocco’s do-it-all star on the right wing is a defender by name, but he might be the team’s best attacking threat.

The 27-year-old is at Paris Saint-Germain, with which he has won the last two UEFA Champions Leagues. He’s one of the fastest players in the tournament but is also strong enough to hold his own on the ball.

Ismael Saibari has scored twice in Morocco’s first four games and is reportedly on the way to Bayern Munich this summer, but Hakimi is still the player who makes Morocco tick.

Paraguay vs. France

Gustavo Gómez

Defender

Paraguay

The main thing to know about Paraguay is that it is a difficult team to break down. Since its 4-1 defeat to the United States, Paraguay has only allowed one goal in three matches against Türkiye, Australia and Germany.

The key man in defense for Paraguay is Gómez. The center back is the team captain and personifies the team with his toughness and physicality.

Gómez is also the captain at Palmeiras in Brazil, having played more than 400 games for the club since joining it in 2018. He also converted a penalty in the shootout win over Germany.

Kylian Mbappé

Forward

France

At just 27 years old, Mbappé is already one of the best players in World Cup history. He has 18 goals, which is just one behind Lionel Messi for the most ever. With his two goals against Sweden, he became the all-time leader with 10 goals in knockout-stage matches.

The French captain is coming off a disappointing season with Real Madrid, but he has six goals already at this World Cup and has shown why he’s one of the best players in the world. France has a plethora of attacking talent that includes Michael Olise, who already has five assists, and Paris Saint-Germain star Ousmane Dembélé. The headliner, though, is Mbappé.

Brazil vs. Norway

Vinicius Junior

Forward

Brazil

"Vini" has been the star man for Brazil so far with three goals and an assist through four games. He was kept off the scoresheet against Japan, but he was Brazil’s driving force as it came back to win and advance to the round of 16.

The Real Madrid star has scored at least 21 goals in each of the last five seasons for Los Blancos. He plays on the left wing and is the go-to guy for Brazil. If this team is going to make a deep run in this tournament, it will be because Vini is playing well.

Erling Haaland

Striker

Norway

No player in the tournament has a more prolific international goalscoring record than Haaland, who has scored 60 goals in 54 games for Norway. The Manchester City star is averaging more than 40 goals per season since making the move to the Premier League.

Haaland doesn’t need to see much of the ball to make an impact. Against Iraq, he had 20 touches but still managed to score twice. In Norway’s next game against Senegal, he scored twice on 22 touches. Haaland now has five goals in three matches at the World Cup after scoring the winner against the Ivory Coast in the round of 32.

Erling Haaland has thrived so far at this World Cup. (Rico Brouwer/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Mexico vs. England

Raúl Jiménez

Striker

Mexico

Jiménez has been ever present for Mexico over the past nine years. He’s up to 127 appearances for El Tri and has 46 goals, which makes him the second-highest-scoring player in the team’s history.

Jiménez and fellow striker Julián Quiñones have been the keys to Mexico’s attack. Quiñones opened the scoring against Ecuador before Jiménez popped up moments later and scored the game’s second goal.

If Mexico is going to knock out England, chances are it will be thanks to a goal from Jiménez.

Harry Kane

Striker

England

England’s all-time-leading goalscorer is showing no signs of slowing down at this World Cup. Kane is up to 84 goals for England in his career, and he passed Gary Lineker to become the Three Lions’ all-time-leading scorer at the World Cup.

Kane has a pair of two-goal performances, including in England’s last game against DR Congo. His second goal, which put his sharpness and striking ability on full display, won the game in the 86th minute.

England faces a tough test in Mexico City against the host nation, but it would shock no one if Kane stepped up and found a goal in the most difficult conditions.

USA vs. Belgium

Christian Pulisic

Forward

United States

Pulisic has looked very sharp so far at the World Cup. Despite missing the second half of the USA’s win over Paraguay and the entirety of the win over Australia, Pulisic returned for a cameo against Türkiye and started against Bosnia and Herzegovina. The USA’s attack will go through him on the left wing whenever he’s on the field.

The big name for the USA against Belgium will be striker Ricardo Pepi, who it is assumed will enter the starting lineup in place of the suspended Folarin Balogun. At just 23 years old, Pepi has already made 41 appearances with 13 goals for the national team. As far as backup strikers go, he’s one of the best.

United States vs Bosnia and Herzegovina Extended Highlights 🌎🏆 2026 FIFA World Cup™ | Round of 32

Kevin De Bruyne

Midfielder

Belgium

For the majority of the past decade, there has not been a better midfield playmaker than Kevin De Bruyne. The Manchester City legend won everything there is in the club game and led Belgium to a third-place finish in 2018.

Now, De Bruyne is 35 and just finished his first season at Napoli, with which he only played 21 games. He was also substituted out of Belgium’s win over Senegal in the 56th minute. He is not the player he was, but De Bruyne is still capable of changing the game with a killer pass or strike from outside the box.

Portugal vs. Spain

Cristiano Ronaldo

Striker

Portugal

The 41-year-old striker scored his first-ever goal in the World Cup knockout stage with a penalty against Croatia. He has three goals in four games, with the other two coming against Uzbekistan.

Ronaldo has made 232 appearances for Portugal, which is the most national-team caps of any player at this World Cup. He is one of the best players of this generation and is the only one who is consistently listed alongside Lionel Messi. In what will likely be his last World Cup, Ronaldo now faces the reigning European champions, who are led in attack by a budding superstar.

Lamine Yamal

Forward

Spain

The 18-year-old Spanish winger took the world by storm at Euro 2024, when he starred in Spain’s run to the title. The Barcelona star starts on the right wing and attacks defenders with the ball better than any player in the tournament.

A special shoutout to striker Mikel Oyarzabal, who scored twice against Austria and has been a hugely important player for La Roja. In the Euro 2024 final, it was Oyarzabal who scored the winner. Also, midfielder Rodri won the Ballon d’Or as the best player in the world in 2024 after Spain’s triumph.

Argentina vs. Egypt

Lionel Messi

Forward

Argentina

The greatest of all time is still going strong. Messi leads the tournament with seven goals, including one in the thriller against Cape Verde on Friday night in Miami. That goal gives him 20 in his career at World Cups, extending his all-time lead entering the round of 16.

Argentina still goes through Messi. The 38-year-old is looking to become the first World Cup captain ever to lift the trophy in two straight tournaments (Italy in 1934 and 1938 and Brazil in 1958 and 1962 had different captains in both tournaments). He's doing his part so far.

Mohamed Salah

Forward

Egypt

Salah is no longer at the peak of his powers, but this is the best Egypt has done at a World Cup with him. In 2018, Egypt lost all three games with the former Liverpool star coming off a 44-goal season for the English club.

Now, Salah is 34 years old and looking for a new club after nine seasons with Liverpool. Egypt has had multiple players step up this tournament and hasn't had to rely solely on Salah, but he's still the captain and most recognizable name for a team that has the majority of its players play their club soccer in Egypt.

Switzerland vs. Colombia

Johan Manzambi

Midfielder

Switzerland

Switzerland has consistently been competitive but unspectacular at major tournaments. The Swiss are never an easy team to beat, but they usually come up short against the best teams. Part of that is because of a lack of spark in attack despite resolute defending.

If Switzerland breaks through to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time since 1954, it might be because of Manzambi, its new attacking star.

The 20-year-old plays his club soccer for SC Freiburg in the German Bundesliga, but he has been linked with a move to the English Premier League. It’s clear why at this tournament. In four games (only two starts), he has three goals and two assists. He is thriving in attack next to veteran striker Breel Embolo and will be a key player for Colombia to stop in the round of 16.

Luis Díaz

Forward

Colombia

Díaz was already known as a quality winger at Liverpool, but he took his game to another level this past season for Bayern Munich. With the German giants, the 29-year-old had 26 goals and 19 assists in 51 games.

Díaz hasn't gotten going at this World Cup yet with just one goal and one assist in four games; both came against Uzbekistan in the group stage. Díaz and captain James Rodriguez will need to be at their best if Colombia is going to make it to the quarterfinals for the second time ever.

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