BBC Sport Ranks World Cup 2026's Top 10 Matches, Moments, Players and Goals

Q: With legends like Messi and Ronaldo still dominating, has the World Cup failed to produce a new generation of superstars?

No. The World Cup has not failed to produce a new generation of superstars; it is showing a transition period in which old icons still matter while younger elite players are already taking over. Messi and Ronaldo remain huge because they are historic outliers and still decisive. Messi, 38, has five goals in two games and Ronaldo, 41, has become the first player to score in six World Cups. That says as much about their longevity as it does about the tournament. It does not mean the pipeline is empty. The stronger evidence points the other way. Kylian Mbappe is no longer merely an emerging star; he is already one of the defining players of this era, breaking France’s scoring record and starring again at this tournament. Erling Haaland has arrived at his first World Cup and scored twice for Norway. Vinicius Jr has delivered one of the goals of the tournament, while younger names such as Yan Diomande, Ayyoub Bouaddi, Michael Olise, Gio Reyna and Denis Undav have all made major impressions. Beyond the headline names, scouting and club form suggest a deep next wave: Lamine Yamal, Jude Bellingham, Jamal Musiala, Joao Neves, Desire Doue, Pau Cubarsi, Endrick and Nico Paz are already established or close to it at top clubs. Historically, World Cups often confirm stars rather than create them from nothing, and this 48-team edition is also giving more room for breakout stories from smaller nations. What this tournament shows is not a failure of renewal, but an overlap of generations.

3 articles · Updated · bbc.co.uk · Jun 24

Two weeks into World Cup 2026, BBC Sport published top-10 rankings for the tournament’s best matches, moments, players and goals before the decisive third group games.
Lionel Messi dominates the lists: his hat-trick against Algeria is ranked the top moment, his opener in that game the best goal, and his five goals in two matches put him first among players.
Cape Verde feature heavily after surprise results, with their 2-2 draw against Uruguay rated the best match and 40-year-old goalkeeper Vozinha’s debut heroics against Spain among the standout moments.
Other leading performers include Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland, both with four goals in two games, while Cristiano Ronaldo’s strike against Uzbekistan made him the first player to score at six World Cups.
The rankings underline a tournament already defined by star power, underdog runs and high-scoring games as the group stage moves toward its final round.