The FIFA World Cup Trophy is displayed during the Los Angeles stop of The FIFA World Cup 26 Trophy Tour by Coca-Cola at LA Live in Los Angeles on March 24, 2026. (Photo by Frederic J. Brown / AFP)
Form and fitness concerns are hanging over some of football’s biggest names just three weeks before the World Cup kicks off.
AFP sports looks at five of the stars who must shoulder the burden of their nations’ expectation in the first-ever 48-team finals spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada:
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappe could become the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup history over the next few weeks, but will cross the Atlantic after a troubled time at Real Madrid.
