The Best Players Remaining At The 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ranked

Table of Contents

If you're looking for an epic Golden Boot race, we've got you. If you want the defending champs and a GOAT trying to outrun Father Time, it's there too. And if you want pure starpower, fear not: the 2026 World Cup has already delivered, and we're not even to the quarterfinals.

An eye-popping 48 players out of our Top 100 are still in action as we wind down the round of 16. The winners of Colombia-Switzerland and Argentina-Egypt will close out the bracket, and as the action tightens up, the best of the best will clash as the stakes get even higher.

France has 13 Top 100 players. Spain has double digits still in action. And Argentina has, well, Messi (along with other superstars of its own). Get caught up with the best of the best as we get closer to seeing who will lift the World Cup trophy.

*The rankings reflected are from our pre-tournament Top 100.

97.

Bradley Barcola | Forward | France

(Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

Age: 23
Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France)

96.

Lisandro Martínez | Defender | Argentina

(Photo by Daniel Jayo/Getty Images)

Age: 28
Club team: Manchester United (England)

93.

Marcus Thuram | Forward | France

(Photo by Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Age: 28
Club team: Inter Milan (Italy)

92.

Mikel Oyarzabal | Forward | Spain

(Photo by Manuel Queimadelos/Quality Sport Images/Getty Images)

Age: 29
Club team: Real Sociedad (Spain)

88.

Eberechi Eze | Forward | England

(Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Arsenal (England)

87.

Mikel Merino | Midfielder | Spain

(Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)

Age: 29
Club team: Arsenal (England)

85.

Fabián Ruiz | Midfielder | Spain

(Photo by Fran Santiago – UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images)

Age: 30
Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France)

84.

Marc Guéhi | Defender | England

(Photo by David Balogh – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Age: 25
Club team: Manchester City (England)

82.

Reece James | Defender | England

(Photo by Jack Thomas – The FA/The FA via Getty Images)

Age: 26
Club team: Chelsea (England)

80.

Jules Koundé | Defender | France

(Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Barcelona (Spain)

Koundé will likely start at right back for the French, who are among the favorites this summer. He has made at least 40 appearances in each of the last four seasons for Barcelona.

76.

Dani Olmo | Forward | Spain

(Photo by Luciano Lima/Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Barcelona (Spain)

72.

Alexis Mac Allister | Midfielder | Argentina

(Photo by Matias Baglietto/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Liverpool (England)

69.

Mike Maignan | Goalkeeper | France

Photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Age: 30
Club team: AC Milan (Italy)

67.

William Saliba | Defender | France

(Photo by Catherine Steenkeste/Getty Images)

Age: 25
Club team: Arsenal (England)

65.

Pau Cubarsí | Defender | Spain

(Photo by Diego Souto/Getty Images)

Age: 19
Club team: Barcelona (Spain)

63.

Ibrahima Konaté | Defender | France

(Photo by Stephen Nadler/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Age: 26
Club team: Liverpool (England)

59.

Mohamed Salah | Forward | Egypt

(Photo by Abdel Majid BZIOUAT / AFP) (Photo by ABDEL MAJID BZIOUAT/AFP via Getty Images)

Age: 33
Club team: Liverpool (England)

55.

Martin Ødegaard | Midfielder | Norway

(Photo by Adam Escada/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Arsenal (England)

54.

Enzo Fernández | Midfielder | Argentina

(Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

Age: 25
Club team: Chelsea (England)

53.

Nico Williams | Forward | Spain

(Photo by Ahmad Mora – UEFA via Getty Images)

Age: 23
Club team: Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain)

52.

Martín Zubimendi | Midfielder | Spain

(Photo by Levan Verdzeuli/Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Arsenal (England)

50.

Marc Cucurella | Defender | Spain

(Photo by David Ramirez/Soccrates/Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Chelsea (England)

48.

Emiliano Martínez | Goalkeeper | Argentina

(Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

Age: 33
Club team: Aston Villa (England)

44.

Thibaut Courtois | Goalkeeper | Belgium

(Photo by James Gill – Danehouse/Getty Images)

Age: 34
Club team: Real Madrid (Spain)

43.

N'Golo Kanté | Midfielder | France

(Photo by Antonio Borga/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Age: 35
Club team: Fenerbahçe (Türkiye)

41.

Rayan Cherki | Forward | France

(Photo by Franco Arland/Getty Images)

Age: 22
Club team: Manchester City (England)

39.

Jérémy Doku | Forward | Belgium

(Photo by Gabriel Calvino Alonso/BSR Agency/Getty Images)

Age: 23
Club team: Manchester City (England)

38.

Désiré Doué | Forward | France

(Photo by Maciej Rogowski/Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)

Age: 20
Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France)

37.

Kevin De Bruyne | Midfielder | Belgium

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Age: 34
Club team: Napoli (Italy)

33.

Cole Palmer | Midfielder | England

(Photo by Visionhaus/Getty Images)

Age: 24
Club team: Chelsea (England)

27.

Bukayo Saka | Forward | England

(Photo by Joe Prior/Visionhaus via Getty Images)

Age: 24
Club team: Arsenal (England)

26.

Lautaro Martínez | Forward | Argentina

(Photo by Juan Manuel Baez/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Age: 28
Club team: Inter Milan (Italy)

25.

Aurélien Tchouaméni | Midfielder | France

(Photo by Andrew Katsampes/ISI Photos via Getty Images)

Age: 26
Club team: Real Madrid (Spain)

23.

Luis Díaz | Forward | Colombia

(Photo by Julio Aguilar/Getty Images)

Age: 29
Club team: Bayern Munich (Germany)

19.

Declan Rice | Midfielder | England

(Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Age: 27
Club team: Arsenal (England)

18.

Jude Bellingham | Midfielder | England

(Photo by Nigel French/Sportsphoto/Allstar via Getty Images)

Age: 22
Club team: Real Madrid (Spain)

16.

Lionel Messi | Forward | Argentina

(Photo by Marcelo Endelli/Getty Images)

Age: 39
Club team: Inter Miami (USA)

14.

Rodri | Midfielder | Spain

(Photo by Gongora/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Age: 29
Club team: Manchester City (England)

13.

Julián Álvarez | Forward | Argentina

(Photo by Roberto Tuero/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images)

Age: 26
Club team: Atlético Madrid (Spain)

10.

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