The World Cup semifinal stage has a way of concentrating the world’s attention, and The Athletic is doing its part to frame the conversation. The outlet released its updated top-50 player rankings on July 9, 2026, with Lionel Messi of Argentina holding the top spot, Kylian Mbappé of France in second, and Harry Kane of England rounding out the top three.
The list reflects performances through the knockout rounds, where a single bad game can crater a player’s standing and a single brilliant one can launch them into the conversation for tournament best.
The list, and why it matters
The Athletic’s approach ties individual standings directly to match outcomes in the knockout phase, which means the numbers you see on July 9 look different from anything published before the round of 16.
Messi at No. 1 is hardly a surprise, but it carries weight. Messi has scored his 20th World Cup goal, solidifying his spot as the tournament’s best player.
