Ranking the 100 best players of the 2026 FIFA World Cup

The best players in the world will be present this summer at the 2026 World Cup. So, let’s rank them. Ahead of the world’s premier sporting event, our on-air experts — Alexi Lalas, Maurice Edu and Stu Holden — and 50 members of our production team ranked the top 100 stars likely to compete in this summer’s World Cup, hosted by the United States, Mexico and Canada. Jimenez. This week we continue the countdown with issues 75-51 with appearances from the likes of American midfielder Weston McKennie and several heavyweight stars from Spain, France and Brazil. GO TO: 100-76 | 75-51 | 50-26 (May 18) | 25-11 (May 22) | 10-1 (June 1) Without further ado, let’s get started! 2026 FIFA World Cup Top 100 Players: No. 100 to 76 Age: 28 National team appearances: 52 Club team: AC Milan (Italy) Estupiñán thrived in the Premier League for three seasons with Brighton before joining AC Milan last summer. He’s one of the impressive talents that makes Ecuador a potential sleeper this summer. Age: 26 National team appearances: 56 Club team: Liverpool (England) Isak scored 52 goals in his final two seasons at Newcastle before moving to Liverpool last summer. Injuries have limited him to just four goals and 21 games this season, but he’s a constant threat to score every time he’s on the pitch. Age: 29 National team appearances: 77 Club team: Bayern Munich (Germany) Kim won Serie A with Napoli in 2023 before making a big move to Bayern Munich. He hasn’t established himself as a first-choice player for the German giants, but he will be a mainstay of Korea’s defense this summer. Age: 23 National team appearances: 18 Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Barcola is one of the extremely talented French strikers who will compete for a starting place. At 22, Barcola is one of the best young wingers in the world and plays for PSG, winners of the UEFA Champions League last season. Age: 28 National team appearances: 26 Club team: Manchester United (England) Martínez would start at center back for most teams in this tournament, but he will likely start as a third option behind Cristian Romero and Nicolas Otamendi, who started when Argentina won in 2022. He can also fill in at left back and will play a role in one way or another for the champions in title. Age: 25 National team appearances: 49 Club team: Manchester City (England) Foden was the Premier League player of the season in 2023-24, but he hasn’t built on that honor. At 25, he has not yet found his feet and his place in the England team. Age: 28 National team appearances: 31 Club team: Brighton (England) Mitoma is an exciting winger who made his debut two years ago for Brighton. He scored the winner for Japan on March 31 in a friendly against England and will be his country’s key player in attack this summer. Age: 28 National team appearances: 33 Club team: Inter Milan (Italy) Kylian Mbappé will likely be the leader of the French attack at the start of the tournament, but Thuram is a very good alternative. The son of former French star Lilian Thuram, Marcus scored at least 12 Serie A goals in each of his first three seasons at Inter Milan. Age: 29 National team appearances: 52 Club team: Real Sociedad (Spain) A trained winger for Real Sociedad, Oyarzabal has established himself as a striker for the national team in the past. The best example was in the Euro 2024 final, when he scored Spain’s winning goal against England. Age: 24 National team appearances: 24 Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Ramos replaced Cristiano Ronaldo in Portugal’s squad for a round of 16 match against Switzerland at the 2022 World Cup and scored a hat trick. Ronaldo will likely start the tournament for Portugal, but Ramos is one of the best backup strikers you’ll see this summer. Age: 34 National team appearances: 125 Club team: Fulham (England) Jiménez is part of Fulham’s starting XI and will be Mexico’s main man this summer. With 44 goals for El Tri, he is two goals behind former striker Jared Borgetti for second all-time. Age: 20 National team appearances: 28 Club team: Juventus (Italy) Yıldız broke into the Juventus team three years ago and quickly became a focal point of the team’s attack. At the age of 20, he has already played 28 matches for Turkey. Age: 27 National team appearances: 16 Club team: Arsenal (England) Eze made a big move to Arsenal last summer and immediately became an important part of Mikel Arteta’s team. He normally plays an attacking role, but he could push for the England midfield spot that is usually occupied by Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham. Age: 29 National team appearances: 41 Club team: Arsenal (England) Merino is unlikely to start for Spain, but he will probably still play a big role. He scored eight goals in 10 matches last year for the reigning European champions. A trained midfielder, Merino also played as a striker for club and country. Age: 34 National team appearances: 84 Club team: Manchester United (England) Casemiro is a four-time Champions League winner at Real Madrid, but has not maintained his high level of quality since joining Manchester United in 2022. His former Real Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti is now in charge of Brazil and brought the midfielder back to the national team last year. Age: 30 National team appearances: 41 Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Ruiz was part of PSG’s dominant midfield trio last year that propelled the team to Champions League victory. The Spanish midfielder is loaded with talent, so it won’t be as easy for him to find a place in the starting lineup. Age: 25 National team slots: 27 Club team: Manchester City (England) Guéhi captained Crystal Palace last summer when the south London club won the FA Cup. He moved to Manchester City earlier this year and immediately became a fixture in the defending Premier League champions’ defense. Age: 25 National team appearances: 15 Club team: Liverpool (England) Frimpong is listed as a defender, but he is as important to the Dutch attack as he is to their defense. He has impressive pace and is a constant threat on the right wing when on the pitch. Age: 26 National team appearances: 22 Club team: Chelsea (England) James will be an important player for England this summer with the versatility to play at either right back or midfield. Staying healthy has been James’ problem at Chelsea, even though he has played more than two dozen games in the Premier League this season. Age: 33 National team appearances: 143 Club team: LAFC (United States) Son is in the middle of his first full season in Los Angeles after a decade in the Premier League with Tottenham Hotspur. He is South Korea’s all-time leader in national team appearances. Age: 27 National team appearances: 46 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 with Barcelona. Age: 27 National team participation: 84 Club team: AC Milan (Italy) “Captain America” will have all eyes on him this summer. At 27 years old, Pulisic has already made 84 appearances for the US national team. His 32 goals are 25 behind Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey. Pulisic hasn’t scored for the United States since November 2024, so he will need to return to form if the Americans are to advance to the knockout stages. Age: 21 National team appearances: 28 Club team: Real Madrid (Spain) Güler is finishing his third season at Real Madrid and establishing himself as a key player in the team. He will be Turkey’s main man for years to come, starting with this summer’s World Cup. Age: 27 National team appearances: 32 Club team: Arsenal (England) Gyökeres scored a memorable hat-trick against Poland in March’s UEFA World Cup qualifier, including one in the 87th minute to seal a 3-2 victory. He joined Arsenal last summer and has 18 goals in all competitions. Age: 27 National team appearances: 48 Club team: Barcelona (Spain) Olmo became a key player for Spain at Euro 2024. He scored three goals – finishing six for the Golden Boot – including one in the quarter-final and semi-final against Germany and France, respectively. 2026 FIFA World Cup Top 100 Players: No. 75-51 Age: 31 National team appearances: 66 Club team: Barcelona (Spain), on loan from Al-Hilal Few defenders will be important strikers for their country this summer, but Cancelo is one of them. The right-back has impressive pace which makes him a threat on the wing. He has 12 goals in 66 matches for Portugal, which is a very good score for a defender. Age: 24 National team appearances: 22 Club team: Arsenal (England) Martinelli will be a key player for Brazil this summer. He has struggled to secure a starting place on the left wing due to Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, but his pace means he will be a key contributor this summer. He only has one Premier League goal for Arsenal this season, so he is not in his best form at the moment. Age: 27 National team appearances: 64 Club team: Juventus (Italy) McKennie is the highest-rated American player on this list, having established himself as a staple in the Juventus roster. He has played at least 34 matches in the Italian Serie A in each of the last three seasons and has been present on all pitches: in defense, in midfield and as a striker. McKennie can do it all, which is something the U.S. might need from him this summer if they make it past the round of 16. If the Americans play, expect to see a lot of McKennie. Age: 27 National team appearances: 44 Club team: Liverpool (England) Mac Allister will be a key part of Argentina’s midfield this summer, as he was in 2022 en route to World Cup glory. He has since moved to Liverpool and won the Premier League last season. Mac Allister is able to pop up and score a huge goal while dictating play with the ball. He is one of the best central midfielders in the world. Age: 26 National team appearances: 43 Club team: AC Milan (Italy) When Leão is fit and healthy, few strikers in the world are better. Consistency has been the problem for the Portuguese striker, who has scored just five goals in 43 appearances for the national team. If fit, Leão could be an X-factor capable of propelling Portugal to the top this summer. Age: 28 National team appearances: 82 Club team: Crystal Palace (England) Sarr played all 38 Premier League games for Crystal Palace last season, during which the south London club also won the FA Cup. Sarr has made 83 appearances for Senegal and will be one of his country’s key players this summer, alongside teammate Sadio Mané. Age: 30 National team appearances: 38 Club team: AC Milan (Italy) Hugo Lloris retired internationally after the 2022 World Cup, and Maignan stepped in and didn’t did not abandon his post. Maignan is one of the best goalkeepers in the world and is firmly established as a starter for AC Milan. He will be one of the best last lines of defense for a French team that will be one of the most talented in World Cup history. Age: 24 National team appearances: 8 Club team: Chelsea (England) Brazil have been looking for a definitive number 9 in their squad for years, and Pedro could be the answer. After two impressive seasons at Brighton, he has 14 Premier League goals for Chelsea this season. He will likely be the focal point of Brazil’s attack this summer, which puts a lot of weight on the perennial contender’s shoulders. Age: 25 National team appearances: 31 Club team: Arsenal (England) Since starting his career at Arsenal in 2022, Saliba has become one of the best defenders in the world. He is an impressive athlete who was part of the France squad that reached the 2022 World Cup final. He will be one of the first names on the Blues team sheet this summer. Age: 31 National team appearances: 104 Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) At 31, Marquinhos has already played 104 times for his country. He is widely regarded as one of the best defenders in the world over the past decade, having made over 500 appearances for PSG since joining in 2013. The 31-year-old is still playing at a high level and will wear the Brazil captain’s armband this summer. Age: 19 National team appearances: 11 Club team: Barcelona (Spain) Cubarsí turned 19 in January and has already played 125 times for Barcelona. He is less established in Spain, having only made 11 appearances for the national team. There is a lot of competition for places in Spain’s defense, and it would surprise no one if Cubarsí was in the lineup for the World Cup opener against Cape Verde on June 15. Age: 33 National team appearance Arances: 76 Club team: Liverpool Part of what makes Alisson one of the best goalkeepers in the world is his ability with his feet. He is perhaps the best passer in his position in world football. His problem in recent years has been staying on the pitch, as he has missed at least 10 Premier League games in each of the last three seasons. However, when he is between the posts, he remains one of the best in the world, both for club and country. Age: 26 National team appearances: 27 Club team: Liverpool (England) Konaté ranks just above Saliba, who will likely partner him in the middle of the French defense this summer. He is one of the most physically imposing defenders in the world at 6-foot-4, and he also has the pace to keep up with any striker in the tournament. Age: 24 National team appearances: 46 Club team: Manchester City (England) Gvardiol is the most expensive defender in soccer history, having cost Manchester City $105 million in 2023. He has been injured for much of this season, but he is one of the best pass defenders in the world. While Luka Modrić will lead the Croatian midfield, Gvardiol will command the defense. Age: 26 National team appearances: 48 Club team: Liverpool (England) Gakpo will be the key player in the Netherlands’ attack this summer, especially with the news that Oranje teammate Xavi Simons tore his ACL at the end of the season for Tottenham. Gakpo has become a key playmaker for Liverpool and can play anywhere in attack. He will have to be at his best wherever he plays if the Dutch are to compete this summer. Age: 22 National team appearances: 7 Club team: Barcelona (Spain) López is the perfect example of Spain’s impressive depth in midfield. He has made over 120 appearances for Barcelona over the past three seasons, but he may not be close to breaking into the starting lineup. López is more than capable of scoring and creating goals and will be a key player for Spain this summer, whether he starts games or not. Age: 33 National team appearances: 113 Club team: Liverpool (England) Salah is lower on this list than he would have been a few years ago. He’s no longer in the discussion as one of the best players in the world, but he will still be the benchmark for Egypt this summer. Salah’s future after the World Cup is up in the air as he will leave Liverpool, but he is Egypt’s main hope to make some noise this summer. Age: 23 National team appearances: 25 Club team: Liverpool (England) Gravenberch joined Liverpool in 2023 after an uneventful season at Bayern Munich and established himself as an elite defensive midfielder. He was a key player last season as Liverpool won the Premier League and has remained a fixture in the Reds’ midfield. Age: 29 National team appearances: 69 Club team: Napoli (Italy) McTominay went from Manchester United outcast to Napoli legend in his first season in Italy. He was the Serie A player of the season, with Napoli winning the championship in 2025. McTominay has also scored some big goals for his country and will be Scotland’s key man in the middle this summer. If the Scots score a big goal or get a big result, there’s a good chance McTominay will be a big reason why. Age: 24 National team appearances: 34 Club team: Paris Saint-Germain (France) Pacho had a blast last season for PSG, cementing his place in the middle of the French champions’ defence. From there, he played a major role en route to Champions League glory. He will be alongside Arsenal’s Piero Hincapíe in the middle of the Ecuadorian defence, who on paper could be one of the strongest units in the group. Age: 27 National team appearances: 67 Club team: Arsenal (England) Two years ago, Ødegaard was considered one of the best midfielders in the world. His last two seasons at Arsenal were ravaged by injuries, so he was unable to regain that form. He will be Norway’s key playmaker this summer with the aim of feeding forwards Erling Haaland and Alexander Sørloth. Age: 25 National team appearances: 40 Club team: Chelsea (England) Fernández broke out during Argentina’s run to World Cup glory in 2022 and moved to Chelsea a month after lifting the trophy. He is a versatile midfielder who can cover every blade of grass and is capable of scoring a big goal when necessary. He will be the key man in Argentina’s midfield this summer. Age: 23 National team appearances: 30 Club team: Athletic Club Bilbao (Spain) Williams was a star during Spain’s run to the Euros two years ago, but he has not progressed through the club ranks since then. He has unlimited potential and will be a key attacking option for Spain this summer. It remains to be seen whether he starts or does so off the bench. Age: 27 National team appearances: 25 Club team: Arsenal (England) When Rodri was injured in the first half of the Euro 2024 final against England, Zubimendi came on at half-time and helped Spain to victory. If healthy, Rodri is likely to replace Zubimendi, but the Arsenal midfielder provides plenty of stability off the bench when needed. Age: 34 National team appearances: 124 Club team: Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) Mané has just turned 34, his best days may be behind him, but he could certainly still be an impact player this summer. He is Senegal’s all-time top scorer, and he is five appearances behind teammate Idrissa Gueye’s 131 for the most goals in national team history. We will continue to reveal FOX Sports’ Top 100 FIFA World Cup Player Rankings each week. The next matches will be numbers 50 to 26 on May 18. 2026 FIFA World Cup: How to watch The World Cup will take place from June 11 to 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 games will be broadcast live on FOX (70) and FS1 (34), with each game streamed live and on-demand in the FOX One and FOX Sports apps. A record 40 games, more than a third of the tournament, will be broadcast in prime time on FOX (21) and FS1 (19).