First Things First’s Top 26 Players Who Will Define the 2026 World Cup

Is Lionel Messi still the best soccer player in the world at 38 years old? It’s debatable.

However, what is undeniable is that Messi will be one of the focal points of the 2026 FIFA World Cup should he choose to participate in a record-setting sixth World Cup, which is why the “First Things First” crew ranked Messi the No. 1 player in their top 26 players that could define the 2026 World Cup.

But what does the rest of the list look like? Let’s dive in with Nick Wright, Chris Broussard and Kevin Wildes:

Wright: A sixth World Cup that would be the most ever, tied with Cristiano Ronaldo. He already has the World Cup record for games and minutes. He’s already the only person to ever score goals in the World Cup as a teenager, in his 20s and in his 30s. He already has multiple Golden Ball awards for most goals in the World Cup and, in the last World Cup, he scored in every. Single. Round.

Argentina, as I mentioned earlier, is trying to become just the second country ever, joining Italy in the 30’s and Brazil with Pele to win consecutive World Cups. Argentina winning this would put Messi in Gretzky territory as far as GOAT conversation. Uncatchable. I don’t know if they could do it, but no one thought he would be playing in this World Cup and he’s going to. 

Broussard: Can he go down as the best ever without winning the World Cup? That’s what we want to know. I think probably not, but can he lead Portugal on a great run and get to the final and win it? He locks it up if that happens.

Wildes: He’s 18, he debuted at 15. If anyone’s star is going to go to the stratosphere, I think it’s Yamal. I think he’s an electric player. He’s dynamic the way he crosses through. He has one sort of signature move that everyone knows is coming and can’t stop it.

He was runner-up to Dembele for the Ballon D’Or, but to see a teenager assert himself as the best player in the world would just be fascinating if he could pull it off with Spain.

Broussard: I told you guys I picked France to win it all. He is the main reason why. Now, if they do win this, is he already the best ever? I think he’s playing that well. He’s become a legend. He’s only 27.

Can he become the second player ever to appear in three straight World Cup finals? That would be and that’s what I’m talking about, maybe the best that we’ve ever seen. Kylian Mbappe. It gets no better than him.

Wright: The single most intimidating force in professional soccer. Norway might not make it out of the group stage. They’re in the same group as France and Senegal Just making it into the knockout round is an accomplishment for this country which only four times, has even qualified for the World Cup. Only twice made it to the knockout round.

What you know is if Norway’s playing, he’s scoring. In their eight World Cup qualifiers this year, he scored 16 goals. He averages more than a goal a game for his International Career. But again, this is not a country with a rich soccer history. If they go on a deep run, he will be in the running for the Golden Boot, which is the most goals scored in the tournament. Even if they only make it to the quarterfinals, it might take 10 goals for him. 
 

Broussard: Well, look, he may be the greatest American soccer player of all time. 

Certainly, most people aren’t thinking we have a chance to win it. Obviously if he can lead us to that he probably definitely goes down with that title. He’s already got 30 career goals for USA. That’s in the top five for our nation. He’s only 27 years old. And the good thing is, he’s been productive in big games on the big stage. 2022 World Cup, 2024 Copa America, he’s got 2 goals, 3 assists. I think this guy is going to play well. It’s just a matter of how well. Can he lead us to a surprisingly high finish?

Wildes: He’s the face of Brazilian soccer. The 25-year old forward for Real Madrid. In my lifetime, it has gone from Ronaldo to Ronaldinho to Neymar, to this young man as the face of, in my humble opinion, the most beautiful style of soccer for the greatest soccer country in world history, Brazil. 

With that said, they’ve only made it past the quarters once since their last win in 2002. I believe he should have won the Ballon D’Or in 2024. They are really going to need his scoring. As loaded as Brazill is, Rodrygo, his fellow forward, is out with a torn ACL. They’re going to need my guy Raphina to be great. He’s going to have to be great if Brazil is finally going to get back where they belong.

Wildes: England’s all-time leading goal-scorer. Eight goals in the World Cup. Missed a penalty in 2022. It wasn’t great. England goes home. He’s 32. Had a renaissance at Bayern. This would obviously be the crowning achievement of his career. I loved him at Tottenham, he was playing with Son. I’m rooting for Harry Kane. I think its one of the best stories, I know people like to root against England, it would be great for Harry Kane to win one time.

Broussard: Last time we saw him in the World Cup. Tough outing for him. He had the penalty against Argentina, the foul led to their penalty kick and opened the scoring for them. Then got substituted for in the first half. That game went down as one of the best ever. 

But since then? He has been on a tear. You mentioned the Ballon D’Or, he’s the reigning winner of the Ballon D’Or award. He’s an amazing player and will he continue his rise? Because he’s on a historic run and if he caps it off with a World Cup win this surge will go down as one of the best we’ve seen.

Wright: He’s the oldest player on our list by a mile, he’s 40-years old. And because of his playing style, which relies so little on athleticism, it feels like he could play forever. He also has been the reason that Croatia has been one of the biggest stories of each of the last two World Cups. There are only two teams to make back-to-back World Cup semifinals in each of the last two. France, a perennial favorite and Croatia, led by Luka Modric.

He’s teammates with Christian Pulisic on the club side and here is my favorite stat from our entire list: From 2008 to 2021 the 14 Ballon D’Or Trophies that were given out. One didn’t go to Messi or Ronaldo. 2018: It went to this man, Luka Modric. He’s an all-time legend, see if he can get Croatia on its third consecutive deep run in this tournament.

Wright: Quite simply, I think, certainly arguably, maybe in-arguably, the greatest center back in the world of this century. He’s 34 years old, he plays for Liverpool. Also, the last World Cup for his country, the Netherlands, ended in utter heartbreak. They played Argentina, obviously the eventual champs. They’re down 2 late, they get it even, they get to penalties, they lose on penalties, including a missed penalty by Virgil Van Djik. His country Netherlands is one of six countries to ever play in three World Cup finals. They are the only one of those six to never win a World Cup. If they’re finally going to do it, he’ll be the player of the tournament.

Broussard: He’s one of the most beloved players in the world because he grew the game in Asia in a way that goals and assists can’t measure. He’s one of the greatest Asian players ever, if not, the greatest. 10-time Best Footballer in Asia award-winner. 10-times.  He’s lost some of his top-end speed but still can be dynamic on the counter-attack which has always been one of his signature traits. He also played 4 ½ years for Mauricio Pochettino, the Team USA coach, they won a championship back in 2019 together so that’s a storyline to look at as well.

Wildes: Torn loyalties here for me because Germany is in Group E with Curacao, my squad. He had some setbacks with his ankle. Seems to be OK. Playing for Bayern. Electric player, great ball control. Germany, looking for their fifth World Cup, open up with Curacao in Houston, June 14.

Wright: Last World Cup, as a teenager, he started every World Cup match for England, but now he’s a team leader and some believe he’s the best player on the team. He scored one of the best goals of the decade in the 2024 Euros against Slovakia. If England is finally going to break through, this young man, who finished third in Ballon d’Or voting in 2024, is going to have to be brilliant.

Broussard: He’s going to have to be huge for Senegal. He’s 34 years old, he’s kind of past his prime, but he’s one of the best African players of all time, and in 2025, he was the AFCON Player of the Tournament. He still has a lot left and we’ll see if he can turn back the clock and lead Senegal to another great run.

Wildes: A friend of the show and anchor of the United States’ defense. He talks a little bit of trash. He had some choice words for Paraguay when we got into it in a friendly. He grew up in Alabama and ended our interview with “Roll Tide.” 2025 U.S. Men’s Player of the Year. I think his star is going to shine brightly.

Wright: I watched him in person, in Milan, score and assist on a goal in their first game as the defending Serie A champions. He’s an electric player for what flatly is a historically great Argentina squad. They won the Copa in ‘21 and ’24, and in the middle of that, they won the World Cup. In that 2024 Copa run, he scored five goals as Argentina went on a historic run of international dominance.

Broussard: I love this guy. He’s making his World Cup debut. He is one of the most exciting and entertaining players in the world and might have the fastest feet in the world when he has the ball. He tries the audacious moves and plays during the game — you’re almost shocked that he tries them, but then he actually completes a lot of them. I can’t wait to see what this guy does in his first time on the big stage.

Wildes: Is he the best player in the world? Some people say yes. He reminds me a little bit of Kyrie Irving the way that he handles the ball. It’s classic Spanish possession football. Spain, of course, is always a powerhouse but hasn’t made it past the Round of 16 in the last three World Cups.

Wright: 27-year-old defender for PSG. Fresh off of carrying Morocco to the semis of the 2022 World Cup. He’s the reigning African Player of the Year. His defense was the story of their run in 2022. In the five games before their semifinal loss, they allowed one total goal. However, despite being a defender, he is a legitimate goal-scoring threat.

Broussard: This guy lives under a microscope as the captain of Manchester United. He’s one of the great leaders in the post. He’s really passionate and it comes out. Everyone will love him because of that. But can he get Portugal a World Cup win? That’s what this is all about. He’s creative, his passing range is limitless, he covers all types of ground on the field. It’s almost like having two guys in one body. He’s fun to watch.

Wildes: Born in Brooklyn, “First Things First” mainstay when he went on that scoring tear in the Champions League, five goals in 10 games. At the Copa America, he had two goals in three games. We’re going to have a lot of eyes on Pulisic as our goalscorer, but Balogun can put the ball in the back of the net as well. I’m expecting a quality tournament from Flo Balogun.

Wright: 29-year-old Brazilian midfielder. The very rare late bloomer for Brazil. He gets overshadowed with his club team because of Lamine Yamal; he gets overshadowed for Brazil sometimes because of Vini Jr., but he’s fresh off of a top-five Ballon d’Or finish. He is my pick for the Golden Ball, and Brazil will return to its birthright, winning the World Cup for the first time since 2002.

Broussard: Can he return to form that he showed a year or so ago when he led Egypt to the knockout rounds? He’s one of the greatest African players of all time, a two-time African Footballer of the Year; last year, he was phenomenal for Liverpool, leading them to the Premier League championship, but he’s kind of gone into a slump since then. But, here comes to African Cup of Nations, he turns it around and plays tremendously. He seems to be rounding back into form at just the right time.

Wildes: Only 24 years old and already in his second World Cup. He has three goals for England in 2022 and he’s already one of the best passers in the world. He plays with a joy, he’s fun to watch. I have England to win it, or at least go further than usual.

Wright: Listen, he’s 27 years old, he plays for Juventus, he can play literally any position but keeper. He’s in the midst of his best club league season, including scoring four goals in the Champions League. If the United States is finally going to make it past their glass ceiling of the round of 16 and return to the quarterfinals, he might be the single most influential player. He might be the X-Factor for the United States.