The World Cup season is upon us, and the superstars of the game are all set to entertain the world on the biggest stage possible. As always, the entire attention has fallen upon Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo, and the battle between them for the ultimate prize.
But these two aren’t the only superstars of the game that will be in the mix this time around. The likes of Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe, and Lamine Yamal will be players that their teams will look up to for that one moment of magic.
But with the pressure of a nation weighing upon them, one thing that these superstars cannot afford is a slip-up at the grandest stage of them all.
We look at six superstars for whom failure is not an option at the World Cup and who need to deliver on their promise.
ERLING HAALAND
If you start talking about Erling Haaland, there is a chance that you would run out of adjectives. He has remained a goalscoring machine for Manchester City throughout the 2025-26 campaign as he ended with the 27 goals in the Premier League. Another eight were added in the Champions League, alongside 9 assists for the entire season.
But his true test will now come at the World Cup 2026. Norway are back in the tournament after a lengthy wait of 28 years and they will need their talisman to ensure they make it a memorable one.
Haaland scored 21 goals in 14 World Cup qualifying games for his country and for him, the tournament can cement his legacy as one of the modern-day greats.
KYLIAN MBAPPE
This will be Mbappe’s second World Cup campaign and the first time he will be captaining France at the big stage. In 14 games at the World Cup, the Real Madrid forward has 12 goals to his name and will be aiming to put behind the memories of Qatar 2022.
Mbappe single-handedly changed the course of the final with a sensational hat-trick against Argentina, only two lose out on penalties in the end.
Since 2022, Mbappe has gone from strength to strength, but his last campaign with Real Madrid was marred by a lot of noise off the field.
Despite 42 goals in 44 matches for Los Blancos, he saw a petition get signed for his ouster from the club. But France has always been a safe haven for the 27-year-old.
And now, it is time for him to step up.
LAMINE YAMAL
Lamine Yamal has been the golden boy of World football for quite some time now. At the age of 16, he announced himself on the big stage as he helped Spain win the Euro 2024.
Two years later, he may still be young, but this time the expectations will be even more. The Barcelona forward scored 24 goals and setup 18 assists in a stellar campaign that saw the Blaugrana lift the LaLiga title.
This will be his first taste of the World Cup and a lot of Spain’s game will run through him. He is no longer a boy and will have the weight of an entire nation on him as they search to add a second star to their crest.
HARRY KANE
England and Thomas Tuchel faced a lot of slack for the team selection, but the first name on the team sheet would have been Harry Kane. The Three Lions will want their captain to step up and ensure that the trophy does come home.
It was a record-breaking campaign for him at club level, scoring a whopping 61 goals from 51 matches for Bayern Munich. There were times when he even played as a No.10 and always works for the better linkup of his teammates.
If England are to make a deep run in the tournament, Kane needs to be firing on all cylinders. He has 8 goals in World Cups and was the Golden boot winner in 2018.
With the form he is carrying to the World Cup, no one would bet against him to go for the accolade once again.
BRUNO FERNANDES
This will be Bruno Fernandes’ third World Cup and the one where he will be the creative force for Portugal. Coming on the back of a record-breaking campaign with Manchester United, which saw him get 21 assists, expectations will be high for the 31-year-old.
Fernandes seems to be at the peak of his powers at the moment. While Ronaldo will always remain the main man with Portugal, Fernandes could be the force that creates a spark that can bring about magic on the field.
The Euro 2016 champions come into the tournament as early favourites and they’re aiming to give Ronaldo the missing puzzle from his trophy cabinet.
If that is to happen, then Fernandes will need to pull the strings and put in the assists.
VINICIUS JR.
It was an indifferent campaign for Vinicius Jr. with Real Madrid. Despite scoring 16 goals in 36 matches for Los Blancos in the LaLiga, the off-field drama dominated his club campaign. Now, he will need to step up in the colours of Brazil as they look for inspiration.
While Neymar is back in the fold for the World Cup, it remains to be seen if he will be fully fit for the competition. This means that Vini jr. will be the outlet from the left-hand side for goals and assists, something he will need to improve for the Selecao.
In 48 games, the forward has nine goals and nine assists and the World Cup could be the perfect stage for him to have a sensational campaign at the grandest stage of them all.
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