The 2026 FIFA World Cup will ultimately come to life because of its constellation of stars, and this summers tournament will be full of them. From living legends like Argentinas Lionel Messi and Portugals Cristiano Ronaldo to goal machines Kylian Mbapp of France and Erling Haaland of Norway these are the names wholl take center stage starting in June. Heres one player from each of the 48 World Cup squads worth keeping a close eye on. JUMP TO:Group A | Group B | Group C | Group D | Group E | Group F | Group G | Group H | Group I | Group J | Group K | Group L 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP A Ral Jimnez | Forward | Mexico Age: 34National team appearances: 123Club: Fulham (England) Jimnez is part of Mexicos veteran core. He scored nine of El Tris 22 goals in 2025, including a brace in both the Nations League semifinal and final. Jimenez also netted the winning goal in the Gold Cup semifinal and added another in the win over the U.S. in the tournament final. Jimenez, who has already played in three World Cups, has also scored nine goals for Fulham across all competitions this season and is in ideal form entering an important summer with a World Cup on home soil. Notable stat:Jimnez has scored 44 goals for Mexico, which is three shy of moving into second all time and nine shy of breaking the record held by Javier "Chicharito" Hernndez. Jimenez's European club career includes stops at Atltico Madrid, Benfica, Wolverhampton and Fulham. Lyle Foster | Forward | South Africa Age: 25National team appearances: 30Club: Burnley (England) Fosterbrings a strong attacking presence to the Bafana Bafana. Hes fast and can be dangerous in the buildup, but his teammates need to find ways to get him the ball. The 25-year-old striker plays for Burnley in the Premier League, where he has scored three goals this season. Foster netted two goals and had two assists in the Africa Cup of Nations as South Africa made it to the round of 16. Notable stat: Foster has made nearly 100 appearances for Burnley since joining the club in 2022 and has scored 10 goals for South Africa in 30 appearances. Son Heung-min | Forward | South Korea Age: 33National team appearances: 142Club: LAFC (United States) Known as "Sonny," South Korea's undisputed star and captain will be a fan favorite. Son is South Koreas most-capped player and is close to becoming the programs all-time leading goal-scorer perhaps hell break that record over the summer. At the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, he led the TaegeukWarriors to a dramatic group-stage win over Portugal, but they fell in the Round of 16 when they lost to Brazil. The winger is in good form for LAFC and leads MLS this season in assists. Notable stat: Before his move to LAFC in 2024, Son spent 10 seasons at Tottenham, where he scored 173 goals in 454 appearances. Tom Souek | Midfielder | Czechia Age: 32National team appearances: 89Club: West Ham United (England) Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick will likely score goals this summer, but Souek will provide reliability in the midfield for Czechia. Souek has been the team's longtime captain, and he led the squad to qualify for the World Cup by beating both Ireland and Denmark on penalties during the UEFA playoffs in March. Souek was also nominated as the Czech Footballer of the Year in 2025. Notable stat:Souek has made more than 270 appearances for West Ham United since 2019. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP B Alphonso Davies | Forward | Canada Age: 25National team appearances: 58Club: Bayern Munich (Germany) Davies will wear the armband for the co-hosts this summer and is looking to bounce back after what's been an injury-marred season for his club. The Bayern Munich standout, UEFA Champions League winner and former FIFA Best XI selection scored the first World Cup goal in Canadas history in 2022 at Qatar. His main attribute is his versatility. He often plays left back for Bayern but takes a more attacking position for Canada. In Bayern's Bundesliga-clinching win on April 19, he scored his first goal of the season. Notable stat: Davies has made more than 240 appearances for Bayern Munich since joining the team in 2018. Esmir Bajraktarevi | Forward | Bosnia and Herzegovina Age: 21National team appearances: 14Club: PSV Eindhoven (Netherlands) It's easy to pick 40-year-old talisman strikerEdin Deko, but let's go with surprise star Bajraktarevi. The 21-year-old MLS academy product he was born and raised in Appleton, Wisconsin, after his parents fled the war-torn Baltic state in the 1990s converted the decisive penalty attempt against Italy in March's World Cup playoffs. Cut from the U.S. Olympic team in 2024 before switching international allegiances, the player who has been affectionately nicknamed the "Milwaukee Messi" now returns to his native country for this summer's World Cup. Notable stat: Bajraktarevi has made nearly 40 appearances for Dutch club PSV Eindhoven since joining that team in 2025 from MLS club New England Revolution. Almoez Ali | Forward | Qatar Age: 29National team appearances: 125Club: Al-Duhail (Qatar) Though hes not yet even 30, Ali has already made well more than 100 appearances for Qatar and is the Maroons' all-time top scorer with 60 international goals. The Sudan-born striker was also part of the 2022 World Cup squad for Qatar, which hosted the tournament. Notable stat: Ali led Qatar to two AFC Cup titles and was the top scorer in the 2019 edition. Manuel Akanji | Defender | Switzerland Age: 30National team appearances:79Club: Inter Milan (Italy) Although defensive midfielder Granit Xhaka is the captain, look for Akanji to also take on a big responsibility. The Manchester City man, whos on loan at Inter Milan this season, has helped get the Italian club on the verge of two domestic trophies. For Switzerland, he's been an anchor for a defense that conceded just two goals in six games in the final round of UEFAs 2026 World Cup qualifying tournament. Notable stat: Since 2017, Akanji has made more than 330 appearances for Borussia Dortmund, Manchester City and Inter Milan. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP C Raphinha | Forward | Brazil Age: 29National team appearances: 37Club: Barcelona (Spain) On a star-studded roster, who do you pick? Let's lean onRaphinha. While Real Madrid winger Vincius Jnior gets most of the plaudits, the Barcelona attacking midfielder has arguably been the better player over the last year, despite some hamstring injuries. Raphinha was the lone Brazilian to earn a Ballon dOr nomination in 2025, and his ability to also play on the wings will keep opponents on their toes this summer. Notable stat:Raphinha has made more than 170 appearances for Barcelona since joining the club in 2022 from Leeds United, totaling more than 130 goal contributions. Brahim Daz | Forward | Morocco Age: 26National team appearances: 24Club: Real Madrid (Spain) Paris Saint-Germain defender Archaf Hakimi is seen as a top-10 player in the world,butBrahim Daz could be a breakout star for Morocco at this World Cup. The Real Madrid midfielder scored five goals for the Atlas Lions in the Africa Cup of Nations, and fans are hoping that was just the jumping off point. Daz played for the Spanish youth national team before committing to Morocco and is a rising star who former manager Walid Regragui said could be "the best player in the world." The 26-year-old was not part of Morocco's 2022 World Cup team, which made it to the semifinal, but he could be a reason why the squad makes another deep run in 2026. Notable stat: The 26-year-old has made nearly 300 appearances in his time with Manchester City, AC Milan and Real Madrid; he appeared in 12 Champions League games this season as well. Johny Placide | Goalkeeper | Haiti Age: 38National team appearances: 79Club: Bastia (France) Placide could be very busy this summer. The 38-year-old French-born goalkeeper has been Haitis captain for the last 15 years and will backstop the team's effort this summer in a group that includes five-time champion Brazil and 2022 semifinalist Morocco. Notable stat: Placide has been a part of Haiti's two bronze-medal finishes at the Caribbean Cup, coming in 2012 and 2014. Scott McTominay | Midfielder | Scotland Age: 29National team appearances: 69Club: Napoli (Italy) McTominay has had a renaissance over the past year. The 6-foot-3 attacking midfielder led Napoli to the Italian title last season, earning a Ballon dOr nomination along the way. It was his spectacular bicycle kick that opened the scoring in Scotlands World Cup qualifying clincher over Denmark. A former Manchester United player, McTominay will be the focal point for the Tartan Army. Notable stat: McTominay was named the 2024-25 Serie A Footballer of the Year, becoming the first Scottish player to win the Italian award. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP D Weston McKennie | Midfielder | United States Age: 27National team appearances: 64Club: Juventus (Italy) HasMcKennienow surpassed AC Milans Christian Pulisic who struggled mightily in early 2026 as the Americans' most influential player? The all-action Juventus midfielder is having a career season (four goals during Champions League competition) in which hes been the best player for Italys most successful club. It was promising that he scored for the USA in the March friendly against Belgium, despite the 5-2 loss in Atlanta. Now a veteran presence for the Stars and Stripes, McKennie can further solidify his stardom on home soil this summer. Notable stat: McKennie has made more than 220 appearances for Juventus since joining the club in 2020, with more than 50 goal contributions in that span. His 64 caps are third-most among active players behind Pulisic's 84 and Tim Ream's 80. Miguel Almirn | Midfielder | Paraguay Age: 32National team appearances: 75Club: Atlanta United (United States) Almirn is familiar to fans on three continents, having moved from Cerro Porteo in his native country to Argentine club Lans to MLS side Atlanta United to Premier League mainstay Newcastle United before returning to Atlanta last year. With Paraguay being the USA's opening match opponent, Almirn could also help spoil the Americans party during group stage action. Notable stat: Almirn made 223 appearances for Newcastle United from 2018 to 2025, scoring 30 goals and 12 assists. Jordan Bos | Defender | Australia Age: 23National team appearances: 25Club: Feyenoord (Netherlands) The 23-year-old Feyenoord left back is a quicking turning heads in European club soccer. Bos has experience scoring against the USA, and he could do so again when the Socceroos take on the co-hosting team in Seattle in group-stage play. Last October, he had the Aussies lone goal in a 2-1 loss to the U.S. in an exhibition match in Denver. He scored in his next two appearances, too, including a game-winner over Cameroon in March. Notable stat: Bos made 46 appearances in two seasons for Westerlo (Belgian Pro League) before making his move to the Dutch Eredivisie. Kenan Yldz | Forward | Trkiye Age: 20National team appearances: 28Club: Juventus (Italy) Expect a tough matchup for the USA when it takes on Yldz and Trkiye in what could be the Group D decider this summer. Real Madrid forward Arda Gler is continuing to shine this season (despite suffering an injury on April 23), but 20-year-old Juventus playmaker Yldzhas already established himself as one of the game's most gifted youngsters in global soccer. In 2024-25, the Juventus winger scored Serie As "Goal of the Season." Notable stat: In 42 appearances for Juventus this season, Yildiz has scored 11 goals and recorded 10 assists. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP E Florian Wirtz | Midfielder | Germany Age: 22National team appearances: 39Club: Liverpool (England) Wirtz may be struggling this season with Liverpool, but he'll give Germany a shot at making a deep run at the World Cup. The 22-year-old midfielder helped Bayer Leverkusen go undefeated en route to winning the German title two seasons ago before being named Bundesliga Player of the Year in 2025. He then moved to Liverpool later that year on a blockbuster $156 million transfer deal but continues to adjust to life in the Premier League. In March, Wirtz scored his 10th goal in just 39 games for his country. Notable stat: Before moving to Liverpool this season, Wirtz scored 57 goals and 65 assists in 197 appearances for Bayer Leverkusen from 2019 to 2025. Eloy Room | Goalkeeper | Curaao Age: 37National team appearances: 70Club: Miami FC (United States) With debut team Curaao facing some stiff competition in this group, Room figures to be plenty busy for the Blue Wave this summer. Tied for the most caps (with former Aston Villa striker Leandro Bacuna) inCuraaos history, Room's journeyman career has taken him across several clubs in the Netherlands and Belgium. He did have a notable stint in MLS as he helped the Columbus Crew win the 2020 MLS Cup. Room now plays for Miami FC in the USAs second-tier USL Championship. Notable stat: Room recorded a clean sheet for the Columbus Crew in the 3-0 victory in the2020 MLS Cup final over the Seattle Sounders. Franck Kessi | Midfielder | Ivory Coast Age: 29National team appearances: 102Club: Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) Kessi is not just Ivory Coasts heart-and-soul central midfielder, but he is also the Elephants captain. Now playing his club ball in Saudi Arabia, the 29-year-olds resume includes stints with European juggernauts Barcelona and AC Milan. A good showing this summer at the World Cup could land him a return to a European club. Notable stat: During his time at AC Milan and Barcelona, Kessie totaled 266 appearances, scoring 40 goals and 19 assists. Moiss Caicedo | Midfielder | Ecuador Age: 24National team appearances: 60Club: Chelsea (England) Regarded as perhaps the finest defensive midfielder in the game, Caicedo will lead a stacked Ecuador side that also features 36-year-old all-time scoring leader Enner Valencia and young Paris Saint-Germain defender Willian Pacho.La Triis seen as a dark-horse side, but Caicedo helped Chelsea win the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup and is the linchpin in Ecuador's lineup. Notable stat: Caicedo's transfer from Brighton Hove & Albion to Chelsea in 2023 was the fourth-most expensive for a central midfielder in the world at $129.5 million, according to Transfermarkt. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP F Virgil van Dijk | Defender | Netherlands Age: 34National team appearances: 90Club: Liverpool (England) Van Dijkis the best center back in the world. The main thing about the 6-foot-5 stalwart defender is his leadership. He captains both his Liverpool club and his country, and his energy and tone trickle down to his teammates. Hes literally and figuratively the quarterback of his back line. Hes composed on the ball, rarely makes mistakes, wins one-on-one battles and is a bully in the air. Hell turn 35 during the World Cup, but his age doesnt matter van Dijk is a reason why the Oranje are automatically contenders against any opponent. Notable stat: One of the most decorated Dutch players of all time, van Dijk is a former English Premier League Player of the Season and five-time Team of the Season selection. Takefusa Kubo | Forward | Japan Age: 24National team appearances: 48Club: Real Sociedad (Spain) Liverpool midfielder Wataru Endo is a key player for Japan, but will he be able to come back in time for the World Cup after ankle surgery in February? Regardless, the Samurai Blue will need players like Kubo to step up. The Real Sociedad winger, who was once dubbed the "Japanese Messi," has looked good following his return from a hamstring injury in January. He's been a key contributor for Real Sociedad, which won the Spanish Copa del Rey in April. Notable stat:Kubo played for Barcelonas youth academy and was acquired by Real Madrid in 2019, never making an appearance for the team but totaling more than 200 appearances in La Liga play for Mallorca, Villarreal, Getafe and Real Sociedad. Viktor Gykeres | Forward | Sweden Age: 27National team appearances: 32Club: Arsenal (England) Sweden will have two elite strikers in Liverpool's Alexander Isak and Arsenal's Gykeres, but the latter has been a bit more prolific this season. The Arsenal star scored four goals in Swedens two playoff games against Ukraine and Poland. Isak is working his way back from surgery on a fibula fracture last December, which means Gykeres is the most in form at the moment to lead the Swedish attack this summer. Notable stat: Before moving to Arsenal this season, Gykeres scored 97 goals and 28 assists in 102 appearances for Sporting Lisbon. Mohamed Ali Ben Romdhane | Midfielder | Tunisia Age: 26National team appearances: 54Club: Al-Ahly (Egypt) Tunisias bread and butter may be its defense, but Romdhane is known for his proficiency on the ball and has a nose for goal. The 26-year-old plays for Al Ahly in Egypt, and he scored a goal against Portuguese powerhouse Porto at the 2025 Club World Cup. He also scored the goal that booked Tunisia's spot at the World Cup in a 1-0 qualifier win overEquatorial Guinea in September.The Eagles of Carthage will likely be over-matched by their group opponents, but any foe certainly has to account for Romdhane and his propensity to impact the game. Notable stat: Romdhane spent eight seasons playing at clubs in Tunisia and Hungary before moving to Al Ahly in the Egyptian Premier League in 2024. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP G Jrmy Doku | Forward | Belgium Age: 23National team appearances: 41Club: Manchester City (England) Napoli midfielder Kevin De Bruyne? Real Madrid keeper Thibaut Courtois? We're going with standout winger Jrmy Doku. Belgium boasts elite players up and down its lineup, including veteran defender Thomas Meunier and captain Youri Tielemans, but the 23-year-old Manchester City dangerman a key threat is its undisputed game-breaker. He scored against the USA in the March friendly, and the Red Devils will go as far as he takes them. Notable stat: Since signing with Manchester City in 2023, Doku has made more than 120 appearances for the team, with 20 coming in the Champions League. Mohamed Salah | Forward | Egypt Age: 33National team appearances: 115Club: Liverpool (England) Mohamed Salah is easily the greatest player in the countrys history with 67 goals. The Pharaohs captain and Liverpool icon, who'll leave the club this summer, could overtake current national team coach Hossam Hassans Egyptian record of 69 goals in what could be his final World Cup. Notable stat: Salah is a two-time African Footballer of the Year winner and a two-time English Premier League Player of the Season. He's won nine major trophies with Liverpool including two league titles and the Champions League. Mehdi Taremi | Forward | Iran Age: 33National team appearances: 103Club: Olimpiacos (Greece) Taremi stands out for Team Melli. The talented striker is Iran's captain and best player, having played across several prominent European teams. A key factor for Greek power Olimpiacos, Taremi was a UEFA Champions League runner-up with Inter Milan last season. Notable stat: In 225 combined appearances with Porto and Inter Milan, Taremi scored 94 goals and added 65 assists. Chris Wood | Forward | New Zealand Age: 34National team appearances: 88Club: Nottingham Forest (England) If New Zealand score any goals this summer, it'll likely be by Chris Wood. The 34-year-old Premier Leaguer has more goals and caps than any player in the countrys history. The 6-foot-3 Nottingham Forest striker also wears the armband for the Kiwis under English coach Darren Bazeley. Notable stat: Woods career includes stops all around the English Premier League, having played at Leicester City, Leeds United, Burnley and Newcastle United before making the move to Nottingham Forest in 2023. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP H Lamine Yamal | Forward | Spain Age: 18National team appearances: 25Club: Barcelona (Spain) World Cup fans will be relieved that Yamal is expected to be in action this summer for Spain, despite a hamstring injury that will keep him out of Barcelonas final stretch. This will be the 18-year-olds first World Cup, and he will be an absolute delight for fans. Hes creative and unafraid on the ball and is a force in the attack, when healthy, be it for Spain or his club Barcelona. While this will be his debut on the global stage, Yamal has already won a Euros medal, and his unique talent already has soccer fans wondering if hes the best player in the world already or if it's only a matter of time. Notable stat: He is the most expensive player in the world at $235.5 million, according to Transfermarkt. At age 17, he became the first player ever to score or assist in the quarterfinals, semifinals and final of a single European Championship during the 2024 edition. Dailon Livramento | Forward | Cape Verde Age: 24National team appearances: 20Club: Casa Pia (Portugal) Livramento carries the hopes and dreams of this island nation off the coast of Africa. The 24-year-old plays in Portugal and has scored the two most important goals in his nations history: the opener in a 3-0 win over Eswatini during World Cup qualifying and then the game-winner against Cameroon, clinching a spot for this summer's tournament. Notable stat: Livramento spent the early part of his career playing in the Netherlands before making the move to Italy for Hellas Verona in 2024 and made 31 appearances. Salem Al-Dawsari | Forward | Saudi Arabia Age: 34National team appearances: 107Club: Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia) Al-Dawsari is one of the best players in Saudi football history and has made more than 100 appearances for his country. The 34-year-old midfielder plays for Al-Hilal and captains his national team. He scored a stunning goal in the win over Argentina at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. With a team like Spain looming in the group stage, perhaps hell have more heroics up his sleeve this summer. Notable stat: Al-Dawsari is a two-time Asian Football Confederation (AFC) Player of the Year winner (2022, 2025) who has scored more than 140 goals for Al-Hilal while leading the team to six Saudi Pro League titles. Federico Valverde | Midfielder | Uruguay Age: 27National team appearances: 73Club: Real Madrid (Spain) Valverde is one of Uruguays more familiar and established players. He has experience and has Champions League, La Liga and FIFA Club World Cup titles to his name. Valverde has more than 70 caps forLa Celeste and was on Uruguay's rosters for both the 2018 and 2022 World Cups. Notable stat: Considered one of the best midfielders in the world, Valverde has made more than 360 appearances for Real Madrid since joining the team in 2018. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP I Kylian Mbapp | Forward | France Age: 27National team appearances: 96Club: Real Madrid (Spain) Mbapp was the leading scorer at the last World Cup with eight goals including a hat trick in the final and hes arguably still the worlds best player when at the height of his powers. Since 2022, he has made the move from Paris Saint-Germain to Real Madrid, where he continues to shine. Already a World Cup winner from the 2018 tournament, a second one would further solidify his case of being among the best of all time. Notable stat: Mbapp is just one of two players ever to record a hat trick in a World Cup final, joining England's Geoff Hurst. He is also five goals away from breaking the all-time record of 16 set by Germany's Miroslav Klose. Idrissa Gueye | Midfielder | Senegal Age: 36National team appearances: 131Club: Everton (England) Sadio Man was a mainstay for clubs like Liverpool and Bayern Munich, but don't overlook Gueye, who is Senegals captain and most capped player. The current Everton and former Paris Saint-Germain midfielder remains a key player for his country even at age 36. Notable stat: Gueye has made more than 380 combined appearances for Aston Villa, Paris Saint-Germain and Everton. Ali Al-Hamadi | Forward | Iraq Age: 24National team appearances: 17Club: Luton Town (England) Al-Hamadi has carved out a respectable club career in England, where he moved with his family as a child. His opening goal against Bolivia in March's intercontinental playoff led to Iraq clinching its first World Cup appearance since 1986. Notable stat: Al-Hamadi made 11 appearances in the English Premier League for Ipswich Town in the 2024-25 season. Erling Haaland | Forward | Norway Age: 25National team appearances: 49Club: Manchester City (England) Haaland is the sports most prolific scorer with an astonishing 55 goals in just 48 games for Norway. Still only 25, no player in international soccer history hit the half-century mark in fewer matches than it took the 6-foot-5 striker. He's already won every major club trophy with Manchester City, including the 2025 Champions League, and now he'll want to make his mark on the international level. Notable stat: Haaland holds the records for the fastest player to reach 100 Premier League goals, in addition to being the fastest player to reach 50 Champions League goals. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP J Lionel Messi | Forward | Argentina Age: 38National team appearances: 198Club: Inter Miami (United States) The 2026 World Cup is also known as Messis Last Dance. He led Argentina to a thrilling victory over France to win the 2022 World Cup in Qatar and has helpedLa Abicelestewin the last two Copa Amrica crowns. Messi will turn 39 during the World Cup, but his place and status on the team is as strong as ever. Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni has said Messi can and will be part of the national team for as long as he wants. Now playing at Inter Miami in MLS, winning a World Cup on American soil could be a fitting end to a legendary career. Notable stat: No player has won the Ballon dOr more times than Messi with eight, and he also holds the record for most matches played in World Cup history, along with being tied for the fourth-most goals ever with 13. Riyad Mahrez | Forward | Algeria Age: 35National team appearances: 113Club: Al-Ahli (Saudi Arabia) Mahrez is considered Algeria's best player, winning multiple club trophies with Manchester City and being part of Leicester City's improbable 2015-16 Premier League title team. Now playing club ball in Saudi Arabia, Mahrez will take part in his first World Cup after having led Les Verts to the 2019 Africa Cup of Nations title. Another notable name on Algeria's roster is Granada goalkeeper Luca Zidane, the son of France legend Zinedine Zidane, who switched international allegiances in 2025. Notable stat:Mahrez spent 10 seasons in the English Premier League, where he scored 82 goals and 63 assists in 284 appearances for Leicester City and Manchester City. Marcel Sabitzer | Midfielder | Austria Age: 32National team appearances: 97Club: Borussia Dortmund (Germany) Sabitzer scored the winning goal to beat the Netherlands in the group stage of the 2024 Euros. The 32-year-old midfielder has made 95 appearances for his national team and has scored 23 goals, and he's an integral piece of this squad. Notable stat: Sabitzer has been playing top flight European football since 2014, making more than 330 appearances for clubs like RB Leipzig, Bayern Munich, Manchester United and Borussia Dortmund. Musa Al-Taamari | Forward | Jordan Age: 28National team appearances: 90Club: Stade Rennais (France) There are a few players on this World Cup debut team who are based in Europe, and Al-Taamari is one of them. He predominantly plays right wing for French side Stade Rennais FC, where hes scored three goals and had five assists in Ligue 1 this season. He will be one of the most important parts of Jordans attack. Notable stat: Al-Taamari has made more than 80 appearances in Frances Ligue 1 since 2023, playing for Rennes and Montpellier. With 23 international goals, he is 11 shy of breaking the all-time record for Jordan. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP K Cristiano Ronaldo | Forward | Portugal Age: 41National team appearances: 226Club: Al-Nassr (Saudi Arabia) Just like Messi, this is expected to be Ronaldos last World Cup. But unlike Messi, Ronaldo has yet to lift the sport's most prestigious trophy. Its truly the only accolade thats eluded him in his career, and theres nothing the 41-year-old forward wants more. Now, Ronaldo isnt the most important player for Portugal anymore, but hes still captain and the face of the team. He would give anything to ride off into the retirement sunset on top of the football world. Notable stat: On pace to be the first player to officiallyeclipse 1,000 career goals scored, Ronaldo is the only player in World Cup history to have scored in five different editions of the tournament. Aaron Wan-Bissaka | Defender | Congo DR Age: 28National team appearances: 9Club: West Ham United (England) Wan-Bissaka is a household name among Premier League fans. With more than 200 appearances for Crystal Palace, Manchester United and West Ham United, the 28-year-old fullback has carved a solid club career in England. Had he not gotten injured before two of Englands Euro 2020 qualifiers seven years ago, hed likely be permanently cap-tied to the Three Lions under FIFA rules. Instead, he switched to the country of his roots last year. Now hell represent the Leopards on the biggest stage of all. Notable stat: Wan-Bissaka was named the West Ham United Player of the Season in 2024-25 and the Crystal Palace Player of the Season in 2018-19. Abdukodir Khusanov | Defender | Uzbekistan Age: 22National team appearances: 25Club: Manchester City (England) Football fans should be somewhat familiar with this City center back. The 22-year-old defender has had a quick rise from playing youth soccer in Uzbekistan to now thriving as the first player from his country to feature regularly in the Premier League. He was a standout defender in the Carabao Cup final win against Arsenal. Notable stat:Khusanov has made more than 40 appearances for Manchester City this season, including six in the Champions League. James Rodriguez | Midfielder | Colombia Age: 34National team appearances: 124Club: Minnesota United (United States) The main scoring threat for Los Cafeteros will be winger Luis Diaz, but James Rodriguez will serve as captain for Colombia. The 2014 Golden Boot winner will turn 35 during the World Cup, and while the former Real Madrid and Bayern Munich strikers club fortunes have changed his short-term deal with MLS side Minnesota United hasn't gone as planned due to a brief hospitalization in March with dehydration he remains an important player for Colombia. Notable stat: Rodriguez is six appearances and six goals shy of breaking the Colombia national team record in both categories. 2026 FIFA WORLD CUP GROUP L Harry Kane | Forward | England Age: 32National team appearances: 112Club: Bayern Munich (Germany) England is going to need Kane to score some goals this summer. The 32-year-old star striker is the Three Lions' all-time record holder with 78 goals in 112 appearances, and he has 52 this season for his club Bayern Munich. However, this was an area where Kane struggled four years ago in Qatar, only scoring two goals at the 2022 World Cup. Kane will be motivated to do everything to finally bring an international title home. Notable stat:Kane is the English Premier Leagues second all-time leading scorer with 213 goals to his name. Luka Modri | Midfielder | Croatia Age: 40National team appearances: 196Club: AC Milan (Italy) Of course, its the 40-year-old midfielder, who will be playing in his fifth World Cup. Like peers Messi and Ronaldo, we are expecting this to be his last one. Hes become a footballing icon with flair on the pitch with his technical ability and overall presence, as well as off of it as his long hair and headband make him impossible to miss. He figures to reach the 200-game mark during this summers tournament. Notable stat: The greatest Croatian player of all time, he is the overall leader in appearances with 196 and, most notably, won the Ballon dOr in 2018. Antoine Semenyo | Forward | Ghana Age: 26National team appearances: 34Club: Manchester City (England) Semenyo has been a revelation for Manchester City this season (11 goal contributions in 19 appearances), and that bodes well for the Black Stars. And with Tottenham forward Mohammed Kudos still recovering from a hamstring injury sustained in January, there's further responsibility on Semenyo's shoulders this summer. Notable stat: The 26-year-old scored 32 goals and 13 assists in 110 appearances for Bournemouth before being acquired by Manchester City in January of this year. Adalberto Carrasquilla | Midfielder | Panama Age: 27National team appearances: 73Club: Pumas UNAM (Mexico) Carrasquilla is a dynamic and impactful midfielder for Panama. He received a red card in a 2024 Copa Amrica group stage match against the U.S. that forced his team to play down a man though the Panamanians still managed to pull off the victory and eliminate the Americans. Hes a veteran for his national team with 70 appearances and will play an important role for his side as it prepares to face a challenging group. Notable stat: Carrasquilla won the Golden Ball at the 2023 Gold Cup, where Panama finished as runners-up to Mexico. How To Watch The 2026 FIFA World Cup The World Cup will run 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 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).

Mumbai Indians batter Tilak Varma and Chennai Super Kings all-rounder Jamie Overton were at loggerheads during their IPL 2026 game on Thursday.

Makai Lemon was literally on the phone with the Steelers when the Eagles traded up to grab him

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Tensions flared at the Wankhede Stadium as the IPL 2026 clash between Mumbai Indians and Chennai Super Kings witnessed a heated on-field altercation involving Tilak Varma and Jamie Overton, with skipper Suryakumar Yadav also stepping into the confrontation.The flashpoint occurred on the final ball of the 10th over during Mumbai Indians chase. Tilak nudged a slower delivery from Overton towards mid-wicket and initially called for two. However, Suryakumar turned it down, forcing the batter to settle for a single. What followed was an intense verbal exchange that quickly caught the attention of players and officials alike.Heated mid-pitch exchange sparks dramaAs Overton moved across after his follow-through, Tilak appeared irritated, claiming his vision had been obstructed. I cant see the fielder, the stump mic picked up the young batter saying, clearly unhappy with the bowlers movement in his line of sight.Overton did not hold back, responding immediately, and the situation escalated within seconds. Suryakumar, known for his calm demeanour, surprisingly joined the exchange, defending his teammate as the confrontation grew more animated.Sensing the tension, on-field umpires rushed in and separated the players before matters could spiral further. Play resumed shortly after, but the incident added a fiery edge to an already high-stakes encounter between the two five-time champions.WATCH: StarSportsIndia (@StarSportsIndia) Handshake heals as CSK dominateDespite the mid-game flare-up, cooler heads prevailed after the match. During the customary post-match handshakes, Tilak and Overton were seen sharing a brief hug, putting the incident behind them in the true spirit of the game. FantasycricPro (@FantasycricPro) On the field, however, it was a one-sided contest. CSK rode on a sensational unbeaten century from Sanju Samson, who smashed 101 off just 54 balls to power his side to 207/6.MIs chase never took off as Akeal Hosein starred with a four-wicket haul, bundling the hosts out for just 104 and sealing a massive 103-run win. Contributions from bowlers including Overton ensured CSK stayed in control throughout.The victory propelled CSK up to fifth in the standings, while MI slipped to eighth, their campaign taking another hit.