Form and fitness concerns are hanging over some of football’s biggest names just three weeks before FIFA World Cup 2026 kicks off.
Below, a look at five of the stars who must shoulder the burden of their nations’ expectation in the first-ever 48-team finals spread across the United States, Mexico and Canada.
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Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappe could become the all-time top goalscorer in World Cup history over the next few weeks, but will cross the Atlantic after a troubled time at Real Madrid.
The 27-year-old is yet to win a major trophy in two seasons at the Spanish giants despite his prolific goalscoring record.
Mbappe’s commitment has been questioned after he went on holiday while nursing a hamstring injury towards the end of the season.
A change of scenery on the international stage could be just what he needs as he aims to write more history on the global stage.
Mbappe took the tournament by storm as a teenager in France’s 2018 World Cup win. He plundered another eight goals, including a hat-trick in the final, as Les Bleus missed out on penalties to Argentina four years ago.
He needs just four more to match Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 World Cup goals.
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Haaland finally gets his first taste of a major international tournament after ending Norway’s 28-year wait to reach the World Cup.
The Manchester City striker struck 16 times in eight games during Norway’s flawless qualifying campaign that included two thrashings of Italy.
That took his tally to a remarkable 55 goals in 49 international appearances.
Haaland is the poster boy for a golden generation of Norwegian players, including Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard, that have been tipped as dark horses.
But Norway will need their star striker in top form after being handed a tough draw alongside France and African champions Senegal in Group I.
Vinicius Junior (Brazil)
Neymar’s return to the Brazil squad has caught the imagination, but it is Vincius’ performance that will likely determine whether Carlo Ancelotti’s men end up with a sixth star on the famous yellow jersey.
He and Mbappe have had to share the spotlight in Madrid, but the World Cup gives Vinicius the chance to become a national hero in Brazil and win the Ballon d’Or he craves.
Vinicius and his club team-mates famously boycotted the ceremony after he was overlooked for Manchester City’s Rodri despite scoring in the Champions League final two years ago.
But his record for Brazil is patchy. He scored just once in the World Cup four years ago and has only eight goals in 47 caps overall.
Harry Kane (England)
England’s captain and all-time record goalscorer enters probably his last shot at World Cup glory off the back of a stunning season for Bayern Munich.
Kane scored 58 goals in 50 games as Bayern romped to the Bundesliga title and narrowly missed out on the Champions League final.
At international level he has spearheaded the rise of the Three Lions to serial contenders, but is yet to end his nation’s 60-year wait to win a major tournament.
Kane has often been hampered physically at international tournaments, exhausted by his exertions during the club season.
However, this time his minutes have been managed by Bayern for months as they prioritised a deep run in the Champions League, with the Bundesliga long since won.
Lamine Yamal (Spain)
The breakout star of Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, Yamal’s hopes of taking the world by storm will depend on his recovery from a hamstring injury.
The 18-year-old has not featured since suffering the injury for Barcelona on April 22 and could reportedly miss Spain’s first two group games against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia.
After a slow start to the season, Yamal had been in blistering form prior to his injury, scoring 24 goals in all as Barca cruised to a second consecutive La Liga title.
Spain will be confident of negotiating the early stages of the tournament before unleashing the player many regard as the best in the world for the latter stages.
Which player are you most looking forward to seeing in action at FIFA World Cup 2026?
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By Garrin Lambley © Agence France-Presse
