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We are almost at the FIFA World Cup year, and with that, everyone is starting to make predictions and set expectations for the tournament. In addition to making predictions about the champion and surprises, another type of list that everyone likes to make is that of the candidates for best player in the competition. After a long period of dominance by Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi in the predictions, we now have a totally diverse list that includes stars from various countries.
It is worth remembering that bets on the best player in the World Cup, as well as the top scorer in the tournament, are available at bookmakers such as 1xBet. With these long-term bets, you can still cash out during the competition and keep a portion of the profit proportional to the moment, which is a valuable strategy.
Kylian Mbappé is the favorite at 1xBet
Even at a very young age, Mbappé has already shone in the last two editions of the World Cup. In 2022, he made history by scoring three goals in the final against Argentina, even though he did not win the title. Now more mature and playing for Real Madrid, with an absurd goal average, he is likely to take France far in the World Cup and be one of the best players in the tournament.
Erling Haaland
Haaland will play his first World Cup with the surprising Norwegian team, which was the only one to have a 100% win rate in the European qualifiers. His goal average was fantastic, with 16 goals in 8 games. That’s why 1xBet mobil indicates that he is the athlete most likely to be the top scorer in the competition, especially considering that, after a long time, he has good teammates by his side. Check out some impressive goal statistics for the athlete throughout his career:
| Team | Goals | Assists | Matches |
| Manchester City | 144 | 24 | 165 |
| Borussia Dortmund | 86 | 23 | 89 |
| RB Salzburg | 29 | 7 | 27 |
| Norway national team | 55 | 7 | 48 |
Lamine Yamal
Lamine Yamal will play in his first World Cup, because even with all the brilliance he has already shown in his career, he is only 18 years old. The youngster made a difference in the last UEFA Euro in favor of Spain. In the last edition of the Ballon d’Or, he was voted the second best player in the world. So, he has everything to shine in the World Cup and continue making history and breaking records.
Vinícius Júnior
Vinícius Júnior was the last winner of FIFA’s Best Player in the World award. However, since then, his performance has dropped slightly. In addition, he has never played for the Brazilian national team with the same level he shows at Real Madrid. Nevertheless, considering all his talent and his ability to rise in big games, he is also one of the favorites to be named the best player of the World Cup, especially if Brazil wins the title. The Brazilian national team has several other players who could surprise us, such as:
- Rodrygo
- Estevão
- Raphinha
Harry Kane
Harry Kane, like Mbappé and Halland, is also performing well above average this European season, with a very high number of goals. Now, the England team has also evolved a lot, and he has several star players alongside him, which will certainly enhance his talent. Therefore, he cannot be left out of any list of candidates for the best player of the World Cup.
Lionel Messi
In 2022, everyone thought Messi was too old to shine at the World Cup. However, he proved to be the same star player as always and led Argentina to the title, making history and establishing himself as one of the best players of all time. Now, the team is even more cohesive and is one of the favorites to win the title. That’s why we can never doubt Messi’s ability to decide games, even at 38 years old. It’s worth remembering that many thought he wouldn’t be in the 2026 World Cup, but the fact that he continues to perform at a high level has proven them wrong.
Cristiano Ronaldo
Another player who seemed to be playing in his last World Cup in 2022 and surprised everyone by reaching a high level for 2026 is Cristiano Ronaldo. This time, he has the best chance of his career to repeat Messi’s feat and lead his team to the title, thanks to the great generation of Portuguese players alongside him – probably the strongest in the country’s history. With extreme physical care and dedication, Cristiano Ronaldo is seeking to reach the 1,000 goal mark, and winning the World Cup would certainly place him in the pantheon of the greatest players in football history.
Ousmane Dembélé
Ousmane Dembélé won the latest edition of the Ballon d’Or award as Paris Saint-Germain’s star player in their UEFA Champions League title. So, the player who was considered the best in the world last season could not be left off the list of candidates for the best in the World Cup. This is even more evident when considering that France tends to go far in the competition, because even without playing good football, it has many individual talents who can easily decide the matches.
Achraf Hakimi
Hakimi is one of the best players in the world today, and undoubtedly the best in his position. In the World Cup, the Moroccan right-back could surprise everyone and establish himself as one of the best players in the tournament, considering the strength of his team. Never before has an African team been as highly rated for the title as Morocco in 2026. After reaching the semifinals in 2022, the country is among the 10 favorites for the next edition.
David Prior
David Prior is the editor of Today News, responsible for the overall editorial strategy. He is an NCTJ-qualified journalist with over 20 years’ experience, and is also editor of the award-winning hyperlocal news title Altrincham Today. His LinkedIn profile is here.
