The list comes from The New York Times and writer Liam Twomey, who rolled out various rankings throughout the World Cup. Messi held onto the top spot from the semifinals onward, with Twomey calling him one of the most individually impactful players in the entire tournament.

Mbappé surprisingly takes second place despite France missing the final and dropping the third-place match to Bellingham’s England, who claimed fourth in the Times rankings.

The top 10 World Cup players by The New York Times

Messi is the lone Argentine to make the top 10 in Twomey’s 50-player list. Spain and France dominate the upper tier, combining for six of the top 10 spots. It proves that even on a roster without heavy top-end representation, Messi still stands completely in a league of his own.

1. Lionel Messi
2. Kylian Mbappé
3. Rodri
4. Jude Bellingham
5. Pau Cubarsí
6. Aymeric Laporte
7. Erling Haaland
8. Harry Kane
9. Michael Olise
10. Ousmane Dembélé

Players didn’t make the list on goal-scoring alone; overall contribution mattered just as much. Olise, for instance, earned his spot after dishing out seven assists during the tournament. And as Twomey noted, even though players like Dembélé had inexplicable off-games, like his poor performance against Spain, their complete body of work was enough to keep them among the elite.

Spain’s presence in the top tier is particularly impressive. They landed three players in the top 10, including Laporte, who was outstanding in defense, and Cubarsí, who ranked surprisingly high. Meanwhile, Rodri remained a mainstay near the top throughout the tournament thanks to his consistently dominant play.

Why do rankings like this matter to a player’s career?

Much like the FIFA Power Rankings released after the final, lists from prestigious outlets like The New York Times carry real weight. They keep a player’s profile high, maintain momentum in their career, and put them squarely on the radar of top clubs looking to offer lucrative new deals.

FIFA takes these rankings seriously. Up first are the attacking stats, where Mbappé posted a 9.12 rating and snagged the Golden Boot, even without playing in the World Cup Final. Messi finished third in those standings, trailing Jude Bellingham.

Creativity is another key category in the rankings. Olise grabbed top honors with an 8.29 rating, edging out Messi’s 8.26. The top 10 is dominated by French, Spanish, and English players, alongside Jeremy Doku and Mexico‘s Roberto Alvarado sitting at number 10.

The post-world cup FIFA power rankings

Messi’s overall position isn’t bad for a veteran nearing retirement. Players like Bellingham surpassed him in attacking thanks to strong tournament runs; England playing in the third-place match gave Bellingham an extra game to pad his numbers.

What pushed Olise to the top spot in creativity was his assist total, helping propel France through the bracket. He racked up seven assists during the World Cup, placing him ahead of both Messi and Mbappe.

Rodri also deserves a nod. He isn’t a flashy attacker like Messi or Mbappe, but he was vital to Spain’s backline alongside four of his teammates. He leads the defensive rankings with an 8.23 rating, with Pau Cubarsi, Pedro Porro, and Aymeric Laporte joining him in the top four.

While fans use post-World Cup FIFA power rankings for debate, the industry views them as a data-driven snapshot of tournament performance. Beyond individual prestige, a standout placement in these rankings can directly influence a player’s transfer value, contract negotiations, and career trajectory.

“Tomorrow, Messi is going to score a goal for sure. Messi always scores,” Mbappe commented with total confidence after the match. Mbappe remains certain that Messi will catch him in the all-time World Cup scoring record, sending this message for him to score against Spain.

Messi sits just one goal away from catching Mbappe and at least sharing the first place of top scorers for the next four years. Nevertheless, for Mbappe, the most important thing was to play in the final rather than hold the goal record. “I would like to not be the top scorer and play tomorrow’s match,” Mbappe added, knowing that, for the first time in his career, he will not play in the World Cup final.

A bitter-sweet finish

Mbappe departs the World Cup with a new brace, his seventh multi-goal game in World Cups, but it serves for nothing after receiving six goals from the English side, an outcome that ultimately relegates them to fourth place in the tournament—marking the worst statistical team finish in Mbappe’s career.

With 10 goals in this tournament with France, he surpasses Lionel Messi as the top scorer in World Cup history, reaching 22 total goals (one more than the Argentine). The Real Madrid forward scored in the 48th minute of the third-place match with a cross-shot, and added his second in the 66th minute, both thanks to assists from Michael Olise.

Mbappe was one of four French players who repeated as a starter after playing the semifinal match against Spain, aiming to surpass Messi, who has eight goals but had delivered one more assist than the Frenchman in the race for the Golden Boot.

Messi and a mission

Argentina face Spain in their second consecutive final on July 19, where Lionel Messi has the mission—though now without a heavy burden on his hands—to become back-to-back world champions. Along the way, he will fight and try to secure the Golden Boot to close out a legendary participation in the World Cup in a great way.

Mbappe is an incredible talent born for the big stage. He shines in every aspect of the game. From scoring, take-ons, assisting, and beating opponents with blistering pace, Mbappe can do it all.

France is a team with lots of history, but also with lots of talent, yet Mbappe is always shining above the rest. For almost a decade, the Parisian-born forward has gotten milestone after milestone for the national team.

List of records Kylian Mbappe broke at the 2026 World Cup

Kylian Mbappe might as well be called ‘Mr. World Cup‘ for France as he has gone to two finals and one semifinal in three World Cup appearances. In all three, he has been the absolute leader of the team.

• Most career World Cup knockout stage goals (14 goals)
• First player with 8+ goals in two separate World Cups
• Most multi-goal games in World Cup history (8 games)
• First player with 10+ goals in a single tournament since 1970
• Most goal involvements since 1970 (17 goals)
• Most capped French World Cup player (22 appearances)
• All-Time France scoring leader (60 goals)
• Most World Cup matches with a goal and an assist (6 matches)
• Youngest player to reach 15 and 20 career World Cup goals
• Most goals scored in a single World Cup edition for France since 1958 (10 goals)

Mbappe will still be in his prime by the 2030 World Cup

Mbappe is just 27 years old. Hence, by the 2030 World Cup, he’ll be 31, which is still a prime age for playing soccer. Hence, he is still very much on pace to break many more records, and make the gap bigger between him and players in pursuit.

Mbappe made his FIFA World Cup debut as a 19-year-old in Russia 2018, helping France lift the trophy while announcing himself as one of the game’s brightest young stars. Since then, he has remained one of the world’s premier forwards and a central figure for the French national team.

Although France’s 2026 World Cup campaign ended with a semifinal defeat to Spain, the team will now begin looking ahead to the 2030 tournament, which is scheduled to be hosted across Spain, Portugal, Morocco, Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay.

Which France stars could join Mbappe in 2030?

While Mbappe is expected to remain one of France’s leaders, several members of the current squad will be approaching the latter stages of their international careers by 2030.

Ousmane Dembélé will be 33 years old during the tournament, while goalkeeper Mike Maignan and midfielder Adrien Rabiot will each be 35. Whether they remain part of France’s squad will likely depend on their form and fitness over the next four years.

Can Mbappe lead France at another World Cup?

At 31 years old, Mbappe would still be expected to perform at an elite level if he remains healthy. Many of the world’s top forwards have continued producing at the highest level well into their early 30s, making it realistic for him to once again lead France’s attack.

By 2030, Mbappe could also add another chapter to an already remarkable World Cup career. After debuting as a teenager in 2018 and becoming one of the faces of international soccer, he is positioned to remain a key figure for Les Bleus as they pursue another world title.

France’s loss in the semifinals ended Mbappe’s dream of lifting the World Cup trophy, but it did not eliminate him from another individual objective. Thanks to FIFA’s tournament format, the French superstar still has one more opportunity to improve his numbers before the competition ends.

That means the Golden Boot race remains very much alive. While Messi currently holds the advantage, Mbappe has a realistic path to finishing as the tournament’s leading scorer.

Is Kylian Mbappe out of the Golden Boot race?

No. Kylian Mbappe is still eligible to win the 2026 World Cup Golden Boot because France will play in the third-place match against England. Although Les Bleus can no longer become world champions, the additional match gives Mbappe one final opportunity to score goals and improve his tally.

Why is Lionel Messi leading the race for Golden Boot in 2026 WC?

Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe are currently tied with eight goals. However, FIFA’s Golden Boot tiebreakers give the advantage to the player with more assists, and Messi currently leads that category by one assist. If both players finish with the same number of goals, Messi would receive the award unless Mbappe overtakes him in the remaining match.

Who can win the Golden Boot in 2026 World Cup?

The race is not limited to Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe. Several players could still benefit from the additional matches and that means we’re going to have a thrilling race.

• Lionel Messi (Argentina) – 8 goals
• Kylian Mbappe (France) – 8 goals
• Harry Kane (England) – 6 goals
• Jude Bellingham (England) – 6 goals
• Ousmane Dembele (France) – 5 goals

Which stars are officially out of the race for 2026 Golden Boot?

Not every top scorer has another opportunity. Erling Haaland, for example, has already been eliminated from Golden Boot contention because Norway will not play another match after its World Cup exit.

By contrast, Messi will have one more appearance in the World Cup final, while Mbappe will feature in the third-place game Those final 90 minutes, or more, could ultimately determine who finishes as the leading scorer of the 2026 FIFA World Cup.

France will now England in the official FIFA World Cup third-place match. The game is scheduled for Saturday, July 18, at 5:00 p.m. ET at Miami Stadium in Miami Gardens, Florida, played just 24 hours before the World Cup final, giving both teams one last chance to finish their campaign on a high note.

Both teams were eliminated in the semifinals after impressive tournament runs. France saw their hopes ended by Spain, while England’s campaign came to a close following a narrow 2-1 defeat against Argentina, setting up another high-profile European clash to conclude their World Cup journey.

Although neither side will compete for the trophy, the matchup still features some of the tournament’s biggest stars. Kylian Mbappe remains the leading scorer of the 2026 World Cup with eight goals, while Kane has continued to lead England’s attack throughout the knockout stage, setting up an intriguing battle between two of the game’s elite forwards.

France and England set for one final World Cup battle

France entered the semifinals after an outstanding tournament under Didier Deschamps, while England reached the final four behind another strong campaign led by Thomas Tuchel. Both nations came within one victory of the World Cup final but will instead compete for a podium finish.

For France and England, this also represents the chance to finish their 2026 World Cup campaign on a positive note after falling just short of the championship match.

Following the defeat, Kylian Mbappe made clear the disappointment the entire team feels after the elimination while speaking to M6. “Like everyone else, a lot of disappointment. It was a dream for us to reach the final, to give our country this chance to dream, to make history… Now it’s something we have to face with our heads held high,” Mbappe said.

“There’s an enormous amount of disappointment; I can’t quite put it into words. We’ll have to pick ourselves up, go on vacation, and move on. Soccer doesn’t wait for anyone. Other things will happen at club and international level.”

France and a match to forget

Kylian Mbappe stopped looking like Mbappe at the worst possible moment. The player who had governed the World Cup from start to finish, the leader of France and the big candidate to leave as the ultimate star of the tournament, disappeared against Spain.

Spain won with dominance, following a penalty goal by Mikel Oyarzabal, which was caused by Lamine Yamal, and a goal by Pedro Porro. Beforehand, however, people already had Mbappe penciled in as a finalist. Until that moment, the World Cup had been his. He led the race for the Golden Boot and already accumulated 20 goals in 20 World Cup matches, figures reserved strictly for the greatest names in history.

Luis de la Fuente’s team did not need individual man-marking. It closed down spaces, prevented transitions, and managed to ensure that the most decisive forward of the tournament always received the ball far from where he does damage. It was a tactical puzzle that Didier Deschamps, who will not continue as head coach, could not figure out.

The numbers behind an unprecedented blackout

The numbers explain what happened better than any adjective could. Mbappe completed the 90 minutes with just 34 touches, only seven inside the opponent’s box, and a 75% pass accuracy, while his offensive production was practically nonexistent.

He completed only one dribble out of six attempts (17%), won two out of 11 duels he contested (18%), created zero goal-scoring chances, finished with three losses of possession, fell offside three times, and failed to direct any of his three shots on target.

With Mbappe set to play in the third-place match, he could extend his scoring form at the 2026 World Cup. He was stopped by the Spanish defense, but he could enter the final game with some pent-up anger. As for Messi, he will go head to head with two elite scorers in Kane and Bellingham.

The winner will face Spain in the World Cup final. The losers will face Mbappe and France in the consolation match. Needless to say, the stakes are high for Messi, Kane, and Bellingham, both on a collective and individual level.

Leading goalscorers table

As it stands, Mbappe and Messi are tied at the top of the 2026 World Cup goalscoring chart with eight tallies each. Erling Haaland remains in third place with seven goals, although he can’t add any more tallies to his personal account.

As for Kane and Bellingham, the English duo have combined for 12 goals, with six each. They have two more games left, like Messi, so they could very well move ahead of Haaland in the standings—and why not even overtake Messi and Mbappe as well?

Who have they scored against?

Against Spain, Mbappe was held scoreless for the second time at the 2026 World Cup. This time, however, his team couldn’t push through. For the first time since 2014, France won’t be going to a World Cup final. Still, Mbappe put on a show for the ages. Mbappe scored against Senegal (brace), Iraq (brace), Sweden (brace), Paraguay, and Morocco. He had more two-goal games than scoreless outings at the 2026 World Cup.

Meanwhile, Messi has scored a hat trick against Algeria, a brace against Austria, and a goal against Jordan in the group stage. He followed that up with consecutive one-goal performances against Cape Verde and Egypt in the Round of 32 and Round of 16.

Lastly, Kane scored against Croatia (brace), Panama, DR Congo (brace), and Mexico, while Bellingham did not lose ground. Bellingham scored against Croatia, Panama, Mexico (brace), and Norway (brace).

Ligue 1 houses eight players, while the Premier League features seven, making them the two leagues with the most representatives in France’s squad. The remaining players are spread across Spain, Italy, Germany, Saudi Arabia, and Turkiye.

Undoubtedly, Kylian Mbappe has stood out above the rest, remaining firmly in the race for the Golden Boot. Les Bleus are aiming to reach their third consecutive World Cup Final.

The french wall

Mike Maignan’s statistics at this World Cup justify his role as the undisputed leader. The AC Milan goalkeeper has conceded just two goals throughout the competition, keeping a clean sheet in all of his other appearances.

• Mike Maignan, AC Milan (Italy)
• Brice Samba, Rennes (France)
• Robin Riser, Lens (France)

Les Bleus’ defenders

Didier Deschamps selected several defenders from different clubs, looking for a balance between youth and experience. So far, the strategy has paid off, as he has found defensive solidity from midfield to the back line.

• Malo Gusto, Chelsea (England)
• Jules Kounde, Barcelona (Spain)
• Ibrahima Konate, Real Madrid (Spain)
• William Saliba, Arsenal (England)
• Dayot Upamecano, Bayern Munich (Germany)
• Lucas Hernandez, PSG (France)
• Lucas Digne, Aston Villa (England)
• Theo Hernandez, Al-Hilal (Saudi Arabia)
• Maxence Lacroix, Crystal Palace (England)

The midfield, a place of transition

France’s offensive potential and clinical finishing are well known, but everything begins in midfield. There, Deschamps relies on a direct style of play that often ends with the ball finding the back of the opponent’s net.

• Adrien Rabiot, AC Milan (Italy)
• Aurelien Tchouameni, Real Madrid (Spain)
• N’Golo Kante, Fenerbahce (Turkiye)
• Warren Zaire-Emery, PSG (France)
• Manu Kone, AS Roma (Italy)
• Maghnes Akliouche, Monaco (France)

France’s greatest strength

France have scored 16 goals so far at the World Cup, ranking among the highest-scoring teams in the tournament. Kylian Mbappe and Ousmane Dembele have been two of the key figures behind the team’s attacking success.

• Kylian Mbappe, Real Madrid (Spain)
• Ousmane Dembele, PSG (France)
• Michael Olise, Bayern Munich (Germany)
• Desire Doue, PSG (France)
• Bradley Barcola, PSG (France)
• Marcus Thuram, Inter Milan (Italy)
• Rayan Cherki, Manchester City (England)
• Jean-Philippe Mateta, Crystal Palace (England)

Now, how will La Roja stop Mbappe, Michael Olise, Ousmane Dembele and their attacking firepower? It appears that Porro has a clear idea, as he explained to the media.

“Simply staying focused on what we have to do, on ourselves. I believe we have had a great World Cup so far, and now we just have to put everything we have strengthened, both defensively and offensively, into practice tomorrow against France,” he said via DAZN.

He also spoke about having the confidence to face this type of team: “No fear at all, simply respect. We know they are one of the great national teams, and these are different types of matches, but we have already faced them twice. Obviously, things have gone well for us, and hopefully tomorrow it will go well for us again.”

France’s offensive numbers

France’s attacking trident has been absolutely devastating at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Kylian Mbappe is spearheading the offense and firmly leading the Golden Boot race with an incredible 8 goals (plus 3 assists).

Not far behind, a clinical Ousmane Dembele has provided massive goalscoring support by netting 5 goals of his own. Meanwhile, the mastermind behind the curtains is Michael Olise, who has acted as the chief orchestrator with a tournament-high 5 assists, pulling the strings and creating countless big chances to power Les Bleus through the competition.

Spain bring their own weapons

Although Lamine Yamal has scored just one goal so far at the World Cup, Luis de la Fuente believes he has yet to reach his full potential. Spain still have a lethal attacking player at their disposal.

Mikel Oyarzabal has been one of the biggest revelations for the Spanish side, scoring four goals so far and emerging as one of the most consistent players throughout the tournament.