Every four years we are treated to the best tournament in soccer, and it’s always filled with star names who reach their fullest potential when the lights are the brightest. This year’s tournament will be no different, and it’s as much of a star-studded affair as we could hope for. Below I will break down the five biggest stars set to play in this summer’s tournament in the United States, Mexico and Canada.

Erling Haaland

Norway’s Erling Haaland is a goalscoring machine. It’s all he does for club and country, but this will be the first time we get to see him at a World Cup. It’s Norway’s first appearance in the competition since 1998, and the expectations are high surrounding the team after their successful qualifying campaign. Haaland was a big part of that as you would expect, as he scored twice as many goals than any other European player. The Man City forward netted 16 times in eight matches, with the second-highest total in Europe coming in at eight goals.

Kylian Mbappé

Kylian Mbappé is only 27 years old, but he has one of the more impressive World Cup resumes out of anyone playing in this tournament. He led France to a World Cup victory in the 2018 tournament, and almost followed it up in the 2022 final, where he scored a hat-trick before his team ultimately lost on a penalty shootout to Argentina. Mbappé now has four goals in the last two World Cup finals, and who’s to say he can’t add to that tally in 2026? Mbappé didn’t win the World Cup last time out, but he did win the Golden Boot with eight goals.

Lionel Messi

You can’t write an article about the stars of a World Cup without mentioning arguably the best player of all time. Messi finally got his hands on the World Cup in 2022, and will be looking to add one more in what is likely his last time playing on the biggest stage. Messi has taken a step back in his club career with Inter Miami in the MLS, but always seems to show up when he wears the light blue and white kit. He led all scorers in CONMEBOL qualifying with eight, and it’s no surprise that he’s still performing at the highest level at 38 years old.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Ronaldo is in a similar situation to Messi, where this is likely his last dance at the World Cup. He’s now 41 years old, and it would be shocking to see him again in 2030. Unlike Messi, Ronaldo is still chasing his first World Cup and Portugal’s first-ever World Cup victory. They have the team to do it, as they do most years, but it’s never fallen into place for Cristiano and company. Ronaldo played five games in the UEFA qualifying campaign, leading his country with five goals. Despite being past the peak of his career, Ronaldo is still one of the best finishers on the planet. Let’s see if he can capture that elusive title this summer.

Harry Kane

I was tempted to put Lamine Yamal here, but recent injury concerns have put his availability in doubt. He very well could still play, but this injury will be lingering. Harry Kane however, is fully fit and doing what he usually does, scoring goals. Only Erling Haaland scored more goals than Kane in European qualifying, and the Englishman has continued to deliver goals this season both with club and country. Although we will likely see him again in 2030, Kane is running out of opportunities to bring football home. Kane had a disappointing 2022 tournament for his standards, only scoring twice in Qatar.