2026 World Cup: the most highly rated players from each of the 48 selections

For each selection present at the 2026 World Cup, which player displays the highest market value? Rather than establishing a subjective ranking, we rely on Transfermarkt reviews. Result: young and offensive profiles dominate the list. Example: Lionel Messi remains essential to Argentina but, at 38 years old, his market value is modest compared to younger talents.

Here, country by country, is the highest rated player and his value according to Transfermarkt:

• Algeria - MF Ibrahim Maza, 20 years old, Bayer Leverkusen ($52 million). Maza has just finished his first season at Leverkusen after a stint at Hertha Berlin (28 appearances in the Bundesliga: 3 goals, 4 assists last season).

• Argentina - F Julián Álvarez, 26, Atletico Madrid ($115 million). Arriving in the summer of 2024 from Manchester City, Álvarez has scored 25 league goals since his arrival and is sparking new transfer rumors.

• Australia - LB Jordan Bos, 23 years old, Feyenoord ($14 million). After two seasons at Melbourne City, Bos moved to Europe and provided 7 assists in 28 Eredivisie matches in 2025-26.

• Austria - RB Konrad Laimer, 29 years old, Bayern Munich ($37 million). Laimer completed his third season at Bayern and has many seasons in the Bundesliga.

• Belgium - LW ​​Jeremy Doku, 24 years old, Manchester City ($87 million). Doku has been an important offensive element at City since his arrival from Rennes, with 19 goals in all competitions over the last three seasons.

• Bosnia-Herzegovina - CB Tarik Muharemovic, 23 years old, Sassuolo ($29 million). Muharemovic helped Sassuolo climb back to Serie A and has been a regular starter this season.

• Brazil - F Vinicius Junior, 25 years old, Real Madrid ($161 million). Vini Jr. remains one of the world's best strikers with 69 goals over the last five La Liga seasons.

• Canada - LB Alphonso Davies, 25 years old, Bayern Munich ($46 million). Davies, limited by injuries over the past two seasons, will miss the start of the World Cup.

• Cape Verde - CB Logan Costa, 25 years old, Villarreal ($18 million). Costa, who arrived from Toulouse, returns to the World Cup in good health after a cruciate ligament rupture.

• Colombia - LW ​​Luis Díaz, 29 years old, Bayern Munich ($81 million). Díaz, transferred from Liverpool in 2025, scored 15 goals and provided 14 assists in his first season in the Bundesliga.

• Ivory Coast - LW ​​Yan Diomandé, 19 years old, RB Leipzig ($104 million). Diomandé signed for Leipzig after a spell at Leganés and managed 12 goals and 8 assists in 28 starts.

• Croatia - CB Joško Gvardiol, 24 years old, Manchester City ($81 million). Gvardiol, revelation during the 2022 World Cup, is a pillar of the Mancunian defense.

• Curaçao - CB Armando Obispo, 27 years old, PSV Eindhoven ($5 million). An intermittent player at PSV, Obispo has racked up regular appearances in the Eredivisie.

• Czech Republic - CB Ladislav Krejčí, 27 years old, Wolves ($25 million). Krejčí joined Wolves in August 2025 and was a starter for most of the season, despite the club's relegation.

• DR Congo - MF Noah Sadiki, 21 years old, Sunderland ($40 million). Sadiki was a starter (33 matches) and a key element in Sunderland's good season in the Premier League (7th).

• Ecuador - MF Moisés Caicedo, 24 years old, Chelsea ($115 million). Caicedo has been playing at Chelsea for three seasons after a big transfer from Brighton.

• Egypt - F Omar Marmoush, 27 years old, Manchester City ($64 million). Marmoush joined City in the 2024-25 winter transfer window and was used more as a substitute in 2025-26.

• England - MF Jude Bellingham, 22 years old, Real Madrid ($150 million). An attacking playmaker, Bellingham joined Real from Dortmund and remains one of the most highly rated midfielders.

• France - F Kylian Mbappé, 27 years old, Real Madrid ($207 million). Mbappé scored 42 goals in all competitions in 2025-26 (25 in La Liga, 15 in C1).

• Germany - MF Florian Wirtz, 23 years old, Liverpool ($115 million). Arriving from Leverkusen in 2025, Wirtz remains a leading technical midfielder even with modest statistics this season.

• Ghana - RW Antoine Semenyo, 26 years old, Manchester City ($104 million). Semenyo joined City in January after a season at Bournemouth and contributed with goals and assists.

• Haiti - F Wilson Isidor, 25 years old, Sunderland ($21 million). Isidor scored 12 Championship goals in 2024-25 and scored 6 Premier League goals the following season.

• Iran - LW ​​Mehdi Ghayedi, 27 years old, Al-Nasr ($5 million). Ghayedi plays in the United Arab Emirates championship and scored 6 goals last season.

• Iraq - RW Ahmed Qasem, 22, Nashville SC ($4 million). Qasem started his MLS season with a goal and an assist in 9 starts.

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• Japan - MF Kaishū Sano, 25 years old, Mainz ($46 million). Sano left the Japanese championship for the Bundesliga in 2024 and won at Mainz.

• Jordan - Mousa Tamari, 29 years old, Stade Rennais ($12 million). Tamari contributed to the progression of Rennes (12th to 6th) with 6 goals in 33 appearances.

• Mexico - F Santiago Giménez, 25 years old, AC Milan ($21 million). Giménez is struggling to find the finish in Serie A (0 goals in 2025-26).

• Morocco - RB Achraf Hakimi, 27 years old, PSG ($98 million). Hakimi was an important player for PSG, particularly in the Champions League where he made numerous appearances, goals and assists.

• Netherlands - MF Ryan Gravenberch, 24 years old, Liverpool ($104 million). Gravenberch has become a regular starter in the Liverpool midfield.

• New Zealand - F Chris Wood, 34, Nottingham Forest ($6 million). Wood saw his playing time reduced and only scored 3 goals in 2025-26.

• Norway - F Erling Haaland, 25 years old, Manchester City ($230 million). Haaland remains the most expensive striker in the world after prolific seasons at club.

• Panama - RB Amir Murillo, 30 years old, Besiktas ($8 million). Murillo left Marseille for Besiktas and played minutes between Ligue 1 and Türkiye.

• Paraguay - MF Julio Enciso, 22 years old, Strasbourg ($29 million). Enciso delivered 6 assists and scored 3 times in Ligue 1 last season.

• Portugal - MF João Neves, 21 years old, PSG ($161 million). A dynamic young player in the Parisian environment, Neves has racked up matches in Ligue 1 and C1.

• Qatar - LW ​​Akram Afif, 29 years old, Al-Sadd ($9 million). Afif, a former player in Europe, is a figure in the Qatari championship.

• Saudi Arabia - RB Saud Abdulhamid, 26 years old, Lens ($11 million). Abdulhamid featured regularly in Lens' play after arriving from Roma.

• Scotland - MF Scott McTominay, 29 years old, Napoli ($46 million). McTominay has established himself as an important midfielder at Napoli since leaving Manchester United.

• Senegal - RW Iliman Ndiaye, 26 years old, Everton ($64 million). Ndiaye confirmed his importance at Everton following his transfer from Marseille.

• South Africa - F Lyle Foster, 25, Burnley ($9 million). Foster scored 3 goals in 26 appearances, in a season where Burnley were relegated.

• South Korea - MF Kang-in Lee, 25 years old, PSG ($32 million). Lee alternated between Ligue 1 and Champions League, with limited playing time in C1.

• Spain - RW Lamine Yamal, 18 years old, Barcelona ($230 million). Despite suffering a hamstring injury late in the season, Yamal increased his tally to 16 goals and 11 assists in La Liga.

• Sweden - F Alexander Isak, 26 years old, Liverpool ($98 million). Isak suffered from injuries and a complicated period after his transfer, with few appearances in 2025-26.

• Switzerland - MF Johan Manzambi, 20 years old, SC Freiburg ($64 million). Manzambi established himself as a starter in Freiburg, with 5 goals and 4 assists.

• Tunisia - MF Hannibal, 23 years old, Burnley ($18 million). Formerly of the Manchester United training center, Hannibal totaled goals and assists with Burnley.

• Türkiye - MF Arda Güler, 21 years old, Real Madrid ($104 million). Güler, who arrived in 2023 from Fenerbahçe, contributed to Real's play with goals and assists.

• United States - F Folarin Balogun, 24 years old, AS Monaco ($46 million). Balogun had a pivotal season in Monaco (13 goals, 4 assists in 30 matches) and arrives in good shape at the World Cup.

• Uruguay - MF Federico Valverde, 27 years old, Real Madrid ($104 million). Valverde is one of the most consistent midfielders at Real, with numerous starts in La Liga and C1.

• Uzbekistan - CB Abdukodir Khusanov, 22 years old, Manchester City ($64 million). Khusanov has numerous appearances for City after arriving in January 2025 from Lens.

Related image: https://s.yimg.com/ny/api/res/1.2/QypP59wvHxQhkIlrMG7cqA--/YXBwaWQ9aGlnaGxhbmRlcjt3PTEyMDA7aD04MDA7Y2Y9d2VicA--/https://d29szjachogqwa.cloudfront.net/images/2026-06/95c8a12d-4a06-466e-addc-014388f44cd8

Methodology: Values are those published by Transfermarkt and reflect an estimate of the transfer market at the time of publication. They often favor young attackers with immediate performance in the selection.