The 2026 World Cup is in the history books.
Hosted in the United States, Mexico, and Canada, the biggest edition of the global tournament was a smashing success, bringing in record viewership numbers and captivating the imagination of a global audience.
Just because the tournament's over doesn't mean the soccer is done, though. Here's how to follow the players you've fallen in love with at the World Cup as they play for their club teams throughout the year.
Lionel Messi
There’s no way you can talk about the 2026 World Cup without mentioning Lionel Messi, the greatest player to ever do it.
Messi scored or assisted in every game Argentina played, except for the final. In the knockout stage, Messi played every minute. This would be unequivocally elite production for any player, let alone a 39-year-old.
Messi's eight goals finished behind only France's Kylian Mbappé. He also had 4 assists, putting him at 12 goal contributions, and finished with the highest average rating at the tournament per Futi at 99.
Where he plays: Inter Miami (MLS | United States)
How to watch: Apple TV
Erling Haaland
Erling Haaland captured the hearts of many fans during the World Cup, playing for the Norway national team.
A superstar for Manchester City, he finally got his chance to announce his name on the World Cup stage, and he absolutely delivered. Haaland scored seven goals in five appearances, powering Norway to an unlikely run to the Quarterfinals. He finished third in FotMob average match ratings at 8.24, as well as third in goal contributions at the 2026 World Cup.
Off the field, his Instagram follower count grew to 25 million, capturing the global audience with his personality.
It followed me home 🦝🤣 pic.twitter.com/IwMhgv0CAb
— Erling Haaland (@Erling) July 13, 2026
Where he plays: Manchester City (Premier League | England)
How to watch: NBC, Peacock
Kylian Mbappé
Kylian Mbappé had another stunning World Cup campaign. The 27-year-old once again led the Golden Boot race, bagging 10 goals in this edition of the World Cup and leading France to a semifinal appearance.
Mbappé is arguably the greatest World Cup player in history. In 22 World Cup matches, he's scored 22 goals and added six assists, with a stunning eight multi-goal games in his World Cup career.
This summer, Mbappé set the all-time record for World Cup goals (ahead of Lionel Messi) with 22 goals. With France continuing to look like one of the most talented teams in the world, and Mbappé quite possibly not even in his prime, it's feasible to see him play at another two tournaments and continue to add to an already stellar international career.
Where he plays: Real Madrid (La Liga | Spain)
How to watch: ESPN+
LALIGA
Michael Olise
Michael Olise is one of France’s many star attackers. Olise is the chance creator, leading the tournament with assists. He also created seven big chances, second most to Lionel Messi.
A native of London, Olise has one of the more improbable rises to superstardom in recent memory. After starting at Reading, he broke out in the Premier League with Crystal Palace, scoring 16 goals in 90 appearances before making the move to German giants Bayern Munich in 2024, where he's truly emerged as one of the game's elite players.
Last season, Olise racked up an incredible 25 goals and 28 assists in 57 appearances for the Bundesliga champions, unquestionably taking his place as one of the most exciting and must-watch stars in the modern game.
Michael Olise plays for Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga where he also orchestrates their attack and dictates the flow of the match.
Where he plays: Bayern Munich (Bundesliga | Germany)
How to watch: USA Network, Fandango
Andrew Marchand and Sebastian Stafford-Bloor
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Vozinha
Vozinha and Cape Verde were one of the great stories of the 2026 World Cup.
The 40-year-old goalkeeper led Cape Verde into the knockout rounds, advancing through a loaded group that included Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia.
Vozinha’s most notable performance was against Spain, when he announced his name on the biggest of stages, holding the European Champions to a shutout and making an impressive seven saves.
On Instagram, his popularity skyrocketed. Entering the tournament, he had roughly 50,000 followers. After his performance against Spain, it ballooned to over 18 million followers. Today he is at 29.3 million followers.
Vozinha is a free agent, linked to clubs like Colo Colo in Chile and Inter Miami in MLS. Stay tuned for his next move!
Jude Bellingham
England midfielder Jude Bellingham is another player who had a stellar tournament.
The 23-year-old took over for England, particularly in the knockout stage. Against Mexico, he came up clutch with two goals in the Azteca, sealing a 3-2 win in one of the most memorable matches of the tournament. It was the same story against Norway, scoring a brace in a tightly contested affair that ended with a 2-1 win for the Three Lions.
Jude Bellingham scored seven goals total in the competition, the most ever by a midfielder at a World Cup. After scoring a brace against Norway, Bellingham became the second-youngest player to score two or more goals in back-to-back knockout stage games, behind only Brazil legend Pele in 1958.
Bellingham’s off-the-ball work is equally impressive. Heading into their semifinal loss to Argentina, he had made 43 runs into the final third and 29 runs in behind before.
Bellingham has emerged as both the talisman and the engine for England. With his seven goals at this tournament, he overtakes Harry Kane and Gary Lineker for most goals at a major tournament in an England shirt. As a midfielder, historically, this is unheard of.
Where he plays: Real Madrid (La Liga | Spain)
How to watch: ESPN+
LALIGAEnzo Fernández
Enzo Fernández is Argentina’s engine, playing every minute of every match he’s started this tournament. In the knockout stage, he played a big role in both of Argentina’s comebacks, scoring the winner against Egypt and the equalizer against England.
His passing is another area in which he’s excelled at this tournament. He has a pass accuracy of 94%, allowing Argentina to control the game and put them in a position to attack with 19 accurate long balls. Enzo will be a key piece in this Argentine midfield as time goes by, especially as they move into a post-Messi era.
Where he plays: Manchester City (Premier League | England)
How to watch: NBC, Peacock
Lamine Yamal
19-year-old Lamine Yamal is the next great player.
Coming off an injury, Yamal didn’t have the type of electric tournament he had in Euro 2024, but was still a positive for the eventual champions, Spain.
Yamal plays out wide, cutting inside onto his preferred left foot to shoot or create chances for his teammates. He had six accurate long balls and a quality 84% pass success rate. Lamine Yamal also has 27 successful dribbles, the second-most at the tournament and behind only Messi.
Yamal turned 19 just one week before the final, which he won. He's already won a World Cup, European Championship, three La Liga titles, and a Copa Del Rey. While the future is unknown, he's firmly on pace to be one of the greatest players the game has ever seen.
Where he plays: FC Barcelona (La Liga | Spain)
How to watch: ESPN+
LALIGAHarry Kane
Harry Kane entered the World Cup after an all-timer of a season at the club level.
The English striker scored a staggering 64 goals for Bayern Munich in the 2025-26 season, just the third player in history to score 60+ goals for their club. The other two? Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
Kane continued his impressive form with six goals at the World Cup, including a brace in a 2-1 win over DR Congo in the Round of 32, and adding one assist. Kane is one of the favorites for the Balon D'or.
Where he plays: Bayern Munich (Bundesliga | Germany)
How to watch: USA Network, Fandango
Andrew Marchand and Sebastian Stafford-BloorLautaro Martínez
Lautaro Martínez finished the tournament with three goals, the second-highest scorer for Argentina in their run to the final. The Inter Milan attacker started every match in the group stage, but only started once in the knockout rounds, a thrilling 3-2 win over Cape Verde in the Round of 32.
Most memorably, Martínez scored the winning goal in Argentina's 2-1 comeback win over England in the semifinal, rising above the defenders in the 92nd minute to head home a pinpoint cross from Lionel Messi.
At 28 years old, he's in his prime, and is coming off an impressive 24-goal season with Inter Milan. His scoring record in Italy is elite, logging 175 goals in 376 career appearances for I Nerazzurri.
Where he plays: Inter Milan (Serie A | Italy)
How to watch: Paramount+
