We’ll admit we’re no football (soccer) experts, but whenever the World Cup or Euros roll around, we’re all in, and this summer has been no different.
What an incredible tournament it’s been so far, and a final four featuring France-Spain, and England-Argentina should be a phenomenal way to finish it. With a few days off before the semifinals, we’ve had some extra time to gather our thoughts on how many of the biggest names have performed—both good and bad—at this World Cup.
So, let’s start with the good, and those who have impressed us the most and been an absolute joy to watch over the last month.
The Superstars
🇫🇷 Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise
The French trio of Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, and Michael Olise has dominated this tournament, and it’s hard to envision anyone finding a way to stop them.
Mbappé breaks games open with his otherworldly ability to score from anywhere on the pitch. Dembélé impacts every facet of the game on both sides of the ball, while Olise is the conductor, constantly creating brilliant scoring opportunities with his vision and passing.
It’s special watching what some argue could be three of the five best players in the world all playing on the same team.
🇦🇷 Lionel Messi
What else can you say about Lionel Messi? At 38 years old, he’s still carrying Argentina on the biggest stage. He conserves his energy for much of the match before producing moments of magic whenever the ball finds him.
The arguably greatest player of all time has been involved in 10 of Argentina’s 17 goals so far (eight goals, two assists), and he didn’t even play in their 3-1 win over Jordan in the group stage finale.
Like Tom Brady, LeBron James, and Sidney Crosby, Messi continues to age like a fine wine.
🇬🇧 Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane
If England is going to bring it home, it’ll be because of Jude Bellingham and Harry Kane.
Bellingham is just ridiculously talented. Everything runs through him, and his combination of skill, creativity, and composure with the ball. Two goals at the Azteca and another two in the quarterfinals have also shown just how clutch he is, and it wouldn’t be surprising to see him come up with more huge moments before this tournament is over. There’s only one midfielder in the top 10 of the Golden Boot race—Bellingham.
Kane hasn’t been too shabby either. He somehow seems to get better with age and remains one of the most clinical finishers in football. Whether it’s with his left foot, right foot, his head, or from the penalty spot, if Kane gets a chance, it’s almost always ending up in the back of the net.
🇳🇴 Erling Haaland
It didn’t end the way he would have wanted, but Erling Haaland absolutely made his mark on the 2026 World Cup. Seven goals in five matches was simply a continuation of what he’s been doing for years in the Premier League: scoring at will.
There were stretches where you’d barely notice him touching the ball, only for one or two opportunities to suddenly turn into stunning goals. This one was awesome.
Watching a 6-foot-5, 207-pound striker move with that kind of speed is almost unfair. Seeing him chase down defenders and goalkeepers felt like watching a movie character who was simply bigger, faster, and stronger than everyone else on the field. There really isn’t another player like Haaland.
🇧🇷 Vinicius Jr.
Brazil’s tournament ended in disappointing fashion, but Vinicius Jr. was electric throughout.
Had Brazil advanced beyond the Round of 16, he’d still be right in the thick of the Golden Boot race, and despite playing fewer matches than most of the leaders, he remains among the tournament’s top scorers.
Vini showcased everything that makes him one of the world’s best players—his pace, skill, creativity, and explosiveness.
This brilliant run against Japan would have been the goal of the tournament had it found the back of the net.
Some have been critical of his performance against Norway, but he still led Brazil in both goals and total goal contributions. At some point, the rest of the team has to pull its weight as well.
Quick Hits
🇩🇪 Denis Undav
Denis Undav didn’t play all that much, but when he did he was Germany’s most productive and dangerous player.
Seemingly every time Undav came off the bench, he generated offense. Unfortunately, neither he nor the rest of Germany could find the big goal they needed against Paraguay in the Round of 32.
🇳🇴 Martin Ødegaard
Haaland understandably stole the show for Norway, but Martin Ødegaard was the one who held everything together.
The midfielder was their quarterback, constantly on the ball and orchestrating the attack while carrying a massive workload. Norway wouldn’t have made such a great run without him pulling the strings.
🇲🇽 Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez
Mexico was one of the most entertaining teams to watch, especially playing in front of its home fans.
Julián Quiñones and Raúl Jiménez scored some beautiful goals throughout the tournament and did everything they could to complete the comeback against England. Jiménez, in particular, deserves recognition after overcoming the scary head injury he suffered back in 2020.
Shoutout to Roberto Alvarado as well, who seemed to make an impact every time he took the field.
🇲🇦 Ismael Saibari and Brahim Díaz
Achraf Hakimi receives most of the attention when people talk about Morocco, but Ismael Saibari and Brahim Díaz may have been even more influential this time around.
Saibari’s absence was immediately felt after suffering an injury in the Round of 16. He seemed to be finding the scoresheet every match and helped Morocco knock off the Netherlands in the penalty shootout.
Meanwhile, Díaz was the orchestrator, recording four assists while consistently making the right decision with the ball. Always composed and in control.
🇳🇱 Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville
The Netherlands was another fun team to watch, and Cody Gakpo and Crysencio Summerville were at the center of it all.
Gakpo was the clinical finisher, while Summerville brought energy every time he touched the ball, creating chances for both himself and his teammates.
It was fitting that Gakpo found the back of the net after he and his wife recently shared the heartbreaking loss of their child.
🇵🇹 Rafael Leão
Portugal never looked like the powerhouse many expected, but their best moments almost always came when Rafael Leão was involved.
His pace immediately stood out on a team that often lacked any juice offensively. Perhaps he should have played a little more.
🇺🇸 Folarin Balogun
Controversial red card and suspension reversal aside, it was a terrific tournament for Folarin Balogun.
He emerged as the star attacking threat Team USA needed while Christian Pulisic battled injuries and inconsistent form. This feels like a tournament Balogun can build on as he looks to become one of the faces of the USMNT heading into 2030.
🇪🇸 Mikel Oyarzabal
Can’t lie, wasn’t too famailiar with Mikel Oyarzabal before this World Cup, but that has certainly changed in a good way.
His game is certainly not going to wow you, but Oyarzabal has proven to be a smart, savy attacker who finds ways to get open and then makes the most of his chances. A great and necessary breakout story for Spain, especially since they haven’t exactly been firing on all cylinders offensively this tournament.
🇳🇿 Elijah Just and Chris Wood
New Zealand was surprisingly entertaining throughout the group stage, and much of that was thanks to Elijah Just and Chris Wood.
Just’s pace constantly put opposing defenses under pressure, while Wood’s size, and smarts made him a great complement up front.
Squint hard enough, and you might even see a little Harry Kane in Wood.
🇪🇸 🇫🇷 Powerhouse Back Lines
They aren’t the flashiest players on the pitch, but France and Spain’s defenses deserve plenty of recognition.
Spain’s back four of Pau Cubarsí, Marc Cucurella, Aymeric Laporte, and Pedro Porro has conceded just one goal in six matches, while William Saliba and the French defense have surrendered only two.
Not to mention the duo of Dani Olmo and Rodri, who have controlled everything for Spain, and Manu Koné, who has been an absolute force in the midfield for France.
Alright, now onto some of the big names who have left us disappointed or underwhelmed at this year’s World Cup.
Big Names
🇪🇸 Lamine Yamal
Hate to harp on an 18-year-old, but Lamine Yamal hasn’t quite lived up to the billing at his first World Cup.
A hamstring injury suffered in April can certainly explain some of that, though he’s healthy now and playing full matches, so he’s not beyond criticism.
Yamal’s pace, quick feet, and ability to glide through defenders are obvious, but he just hasn’t been able to put the finishing touch on many of his runs. His reluctance to use his right foot has been noticeable as well.
You can see that frustration has crept in at times.
He still looks dynamic and every bit like a future star, but he hasn’t performed anywhere close to the top-five player in the world many viewed him as entering the tournament. Fortunately, he still has the opportunity to put his stamp on things over the final two matches.
🇵🇹 Bruno Fernandes
Portugal’s midfield, led by Bruno Fernandes, was supposed to be their biggest strength and the engine that drove them forward. Unfortunately, that didn’t really come to fruition.
Fernandes never seemed to develop much chemistry with Cristiano Ronaldo, and while the 41-year-old was likely given more opportunities than he should have gotten because of his legendary status, players closer to their prime—like Fernandes—needed to elevate their play.
If anything we saw the opposite, as Fernandes appeared very conservative and slow at times, and Portgual’s offense was far from potent as a result outside of a 5-0 drubbing over Uzbekistan.
🇦🇷 Julián Álvarez
His place on this list softened after scoring that brilliant winner against Switzerland, but Julián Álvarez still deserves a mention.
After scoring four goals at the 2022 World Cup, he looked like Argentina’s clear No. 2 star behind Messi. Instead, he had been largely invisible for long stretches of this tournament in 2026.
Álvarez didn’t record a goal or an assist until the quarterfinals, though that strike reminded everyone just how dangerous he can be.
A world class shot. Argentina will need more moments like that from Álvarez if it wants to defend its World Cup title.
🇺🇾 Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez
What a disastrous tournament it was for Uruguay.
From locker-room drama to disappointing performances on the pitch, almost nothing went right.
Federico Valverde and Darwin Núñez were expected to lead the way, but instead they combined to produce next to nothing offensively as Uruguay crashed out in the group stage.
🇧🇪 Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne looked his age (35) at this World Cup.
He’s been one of the premier midfielders of his generation and the face of Belgian football for years, but it feels like his best days are now behind him.
It wasn’t all terrible, but it certainly wasn’t the De Bruyne we’ve become accustomed to watching over the last decade.
🇪🇬 Omar Marmoush
Egypt put together a nice little run that included giving the reigning world champions a scare.
Unfortunately, they got almost nothing from Omar Marmoush, who was expected to be their top striker and biggest secondary scoring threat behind Mohamed Salah.
He was eventually relegated to the bench in the Round of 16, and the limited minutes he did play in that match weren’t particularly encouraging either.
🇨🇴 Luis Díaz and Luis Suárez
Luis Díaz and Luis Suárez both looked dangerous and generated plenty of chances throughout the tournament.
The problem was neither could consistently finish them.
Colombia looked capable of making a deep run, but it’s incredibly difficult to do that when your top two forwards combine for just one goal.
🇰🇷 Heung-Min Son
Heung-Min Son is now 34 years old, and he did in fact look a step slower at this World Cup.
South Korea struggled to generate consistent offense throughout the tournament, leading to a disappointing group-stage exit.
Son will be the first to tell you that they needed more from their captain.
Injury Plagued
🇧🇷 Neymar Jr.
It was a sad way to see Neymar Jr.’s international career come to an end.
He played just 37 minutes all tournament while battling a calf injury before Brazil was eliminated in the Round of 16.
Neymar Jr. has always been one of our favorite players to watch. Few players in the history of the game have possessed his combination of raw talent, flair, and creativity, but injuries repeatedly got in the way of what could have been an even greater career.
He’s only 34 years old, so you’d like to think there’s still something left in the tank. Maybe watching players like Messi continue performing at the highest level into their late 30s convinces Neymar Jr. to give it one more shot in 2030. That might be wishful thinking at this point, though.
🇺🇸 Christian Pulisic
Yikes. Christian Pulisic has taken a ton of heat in the aftermath of Team USA bowing out in the Round of 16. Several injuries clearly affected his form throughout the tournament, but that hasn’t stopped American fans from expecting more from the perceived face of the program.
His comments about needing some rest after the elimination only added to fans’ frustrations, and Pulisic will now have to do some work to get back into their good books moving forward.
Perhaps a step back from being viewed as the savior of American soccer could actually benefit him heading into 2030.
🇨🇦 Alphonso Davies
The 2026 World Cup was historic for Canada, but it’s fair to wonder how much further they could have gone with a healthy Alphonso Davies.
The face of Canadian soccer flashed his world-class ability during a brief 15-minute appearance against South Africa, and even while clearly rusty, his explosiveness was obvious.
It was exactly the type of game-breaking talent Canada needed and was missing against a top nation like Morocco.
His health became one of the biggest storylines of the tournament, and many were surprised to see him spend the entire Round of 16 on the bench.
Unfortunately, that image will likely become the lasting memory of Davies’ 2026 World Cup.
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