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Discover which players will be expected to make a difference for their respective nations at the World Cup.
It finally feels like the 2026 FIFA World Cup is just around the corner. And with that, people are already trying to work out who the runners and riders will be. While there are a handful of nations expected to be serious contenders, they will still be reliant on their key players showing up and doing the business.
Rodri – Spain
A lot of people will likely expect Lamine Yamal to be the player Spain turn to this summer, but Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, remains their talisman. World Cup betting online has Spain installed as the favourites to win the tournament, and while others can help them wreak havoc in an attacking sense, Rodri will be the boss in the middle of the park, providing presence and balance. The Manchester City man is also a serial winner at the top level, and will be the player others turn to when things go against Spain.
Ousmane Dembele – France
Ousmane Dembele is the second Ballon d’Or winner on this list so far, with the Paris Saint-Germain forward claiming the award in 2025. For the last couple of seasons, Dembele has taken his game to a whole new level, firing PSG to multiple big trophies. If he can take his current form into the World Cup, he will be key for France, who are expected to go all the way. Dembele, like Kylian Mbappe and Michael Olise, will make up arguably the most feared forward line in international football.
Harry Kane – England
Harry Kane may be approaching his mid-thirties, but the Bayern Munich man is undoubtedly the finest goalscorer on the planet right now. The 32-year-old, who was named top scorer at the 2018 World Cup, will lead England as captain and lead the attack for the Three Lions. England have been nearly men in several major competitions now, but when you have a goal-getter like Kane in your ranks, you’ve got a chance of beating anyone on your day.
Igor Thiago – Brazil
At the start of the 2025/26 season, nobody would have expected Brentford striker Igor Thiago to be in pole position to start as Brazil’s number nine at the World Cup. But after a phenomenal campaign in the Premier League, where the former Club Brugge man has scored over twenty goals in the top-flight and counting, he’ll be on the plane to North America and is expected to be Carlo Ancelotti’s main marksman. And with confidence brimming, he could announce himself on the world stage.
Emiliano Martinez – Argentina
It’s quite uncommon for a goalkeeper to be such a key player for a team, but Emiliano Martinez is a man that Argentina rely on in a big way. The Aston Villa keeper came up big for his country at the 2022 Qatar World Cup, producing multiple crucial saves in the final. While there’s a lot of quality throughout the Argentina squad, especially towards the top end of the pitch, they will need Martinez to come good in big moments, something he has a history of doing.
Conclusion
The stage is set for the top players in the world to show they mean business at the upcoming World Cup. The footballers mentioned above can and likely will make a huge impact for their respective nations, and this can be the difference between success and failure at such a major tournament.
