Messi Tops The Athletic's World Cup 50 After Last-16 Shifts
TL;DR
Lionel Messi remains at the top of The Athletic’s 50-player World Cup ranking after the last-16, with Kylian Mbappe close behind and Harry Kane rising; Erling Haaland, Hakimi and other standout performers also feature prominently as the tournament moves toward the quarterfinals, with several players making big jumps or drops based on form and minutes played.
- Ranking the top 50 players at the 2026 World Cup: Who were the winners and losers from the last 16? The New York Times
- The Best Players Remaining At The 2026 FIFA World Cup, Ranked FOX Sports
- England’s big chances and France’s shots: how World Cup quarter-finalists’ stats line up The Guardian
- How soccer's greatest stars have shined at AT&T Stadium during the World Cup Yahoo Sports
- World Cup 2026 statistics: What the numbers reveal about the quarter-finalists The Independent
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