This has already been one of the most talked-about FIFA World Cups, for good reasons and bad. From Bosnia and Herzegovina’s heroic journey to the unreasonable ticket prices, there’s plenty to discuss. We can’t omit the individual performances that put the entire teams on their shoulders and lead them to success.

At the time of writing, the World Cup has seen 196 goals scored, which is quite impressive. There have been some favorites that have delivered, like France, and some that failed to do so, like Belgium. There are stars that shine brightly, like Messi, and some that perform below the standard, like Ronaldo. So, who are the stand-out players of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (so far)?

Lionel Messi

It cannot be overstated how impressive it is that we’re still talking about Leo Messi in such superlative terms in his 22nd professional year. Lionel Messi is the captain and leader of the Argentinian national team in every way possible. Not only is he the leading scorer of the team, but he is also a creative influence in the game and a key motivational factor.

At the time of writing, Messi has already scored 5 goals in 2 matches played at this World Cup. It bears mentioning that he turned 39 years old during the World Cup, and yet he is still delivering. Messi has managed to score 5 goals from 8 shots on target, leading the defending World Champions to 2 wins in 2 matches. Those stats make him one of the stand-out players of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (so far).

Vozinha

Cabo Verde is the underdog story of this FIFA World Cup. As an African island nation of only about 530,000 citizens in total, not many people expected it to qualify. But, qualify they did, and then they showed why they made it to the big stages. This national team only managed to score 2 goals during the group stage, but it reached the knock-out round anyway.

And there is no player more responsible for that success than the goalkeeper Vozinha. The 40-year-old goalkeeper played all three matches in the group stages, notching 10 impressive saves. It’s even more impressive when you realize that he led the team to draws against Spain, Uruguay, and Saudi Arabia. Perhaps most impressively, though, this goalkeeper only conceded 2 goals in 270+ minutes. All of that makes him one of the stand-out players of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (so far).

Matheus Cunha

The Brazilian national team always draws in a crowd primarily because of the way they play the game. Joga bonito, they call it, which translates to the beautiful game. This team is full of stars that have impressive national team and club careers, like Vinicius Jr., Casemiro, and Neymar. And yet, one of the stand-out players of the 2026 FIFA World Cup (so far) has been Mateus Cunha.

The Manchester United attacking midfielder plays a little behind the striker, dropping back to organize an attack and cutting through the defense. Cunha’s impact on the Brazilian success is undeniable. Apart from having scored three goals in three matches already, Cunha seems to be everywhere. From helping out on defense to facilitating fast counterattacks and scoring, he is Brazil’s most important player currently.