14/06/2026

theSun on Sunday JUNE 14, 2026

2026 WORLD CUP

SPORTS 11

S TAR PLAYERS the world over can perform for their club – but who are those who have shone brightest for their nation in the history of the men’s World Cup? From Pele and Lionel Messi to Diego Maradona and Franz Beckenbauer, with a sprinkling of Zinedine Zidane, Kylian Mbappe and Ronaldo in the mix, these are the play ers who have lit up the “greatest show on earth” over the past 96 years – from the first tournament in Uruguay in 1930 all the way to the first-ever winter event in Qatar in 2022. This is all about performances in World Cups, not simply the best-ever players who have featured in a World Cup. As such, one player who does not make the top-50 is Cristiano Ronaldo. 30. Luka Modric (Croatia) World Cups played: 2006, 2014, 2018, 2022 World Cup record: Runner-up, 2018 Games: 19 Goals: 2 Best moment: Stunning curler in 3-0 win over Argentina in 2018 group stage. In a world where the Ballon d’Or so often leans on team accolades in deciding its winner, rarely does a run ner-up medal cut the mustard. After inspiring Croatia to a shock World Cup final in 2018, Modric became an exception to this. Pulling the strings from midfield, the Real Madrid maes tro produced one of the all-time great tournament campaigns and while it ended in defeat to champions France, he still beat off their star performers – the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Paul Pogba – to the Golden Ball. Four years later, he led his coun try to a third-place finish, dump ing out

Goals: 0 Best moment: 2010 World Cup semifi nal versus Germany. A masterful per formance of possession-based football saw Xavi win the man of the match award but it was his corner kick, swung onto the head of Carles Puyol, that set up the winning goal and sent Spain through to the final. Forever to be remembered as a Spanish midfield maestro, Xavi’s part nership with Andres Iniesta will go down as one of the greatest of all time. Across three major tournaments between 2008-2012, including the 2010 World Cup in South Africa, the duo were unstoppable as Spain proved they were the best team in the world. Described as the “beating heart” of the Spanish team in 2010, Xavi provided the highest number of accurate passes and covered more ground per game than any other player. His partner, Iniesta, took the plaudits in the final, but Xavi’s mastery of tiki-taka was

torchbearer – and at 40, he’s still got life. 29. Paolo Maldini (Italy) World Cups played: 1990, 1994, 1998, 2002 World Cup record: Runner-up, 1994 Games: 23 Best moment: Five consecutive clean sheets at home tournament in 1990. In four World Cups, one of the game’s greatest leftbacks played 23 matches and was only ever beaten on penalties or a golden goal in the knockout stages. Third at Italia 90, they were defeated by Brazil in a final shootout at USA 94, before spot kicks were their undoing against eventual winners France in ‘98. The extra-time loss to South Korea in 2002 was the sorest of all for Il Capitano because of a series of controversial decisions made by Ecuadorian referee Byron Moreno. He was still motoring along at AC Milan, though, when Marcelo Lippi

memory of the Italian on football’s grandest stage. That’s an injustice, because Baggio’s ‘94 campaign was one for the ages. He dragged Italy through the knockouts, his five goals all decisive in beating Nigeria, Spain and Bulgaria to get what was by no means a prime Italy squad into that final with Brazil. The 1993 Ballon d’Or winner is also the only Italian to score at three different World Cups in his tory. If not for that miss, he would probably crack the top 10. But there is no doubt of his worth in the top half of this list. 23. Just Fontaine (France) World Cups played: 1958 World Cup record: Semifinals, 1958 Best moment: Announcing himself on to the World Cup stage with a hattrick against Paraguay in France’s opening game, while wearing borrowed boots. The ultimate one-tournament won der? Just Fontaine went to Sweden ‘58 as a back-up striker who had to borrow a pair of boots and left it as a World Cup legend. His frankly ludicrous record of 13 goals in a single tourna ment will never be broken. While daz zlingly talented strike partner Raymond Kopa pulled the strings, Moroccan-born Fontaine averaged more than two goals per game in that World Cup (scoring 13 in six) including a hattrick against Paraguay and four against West Germany in the third place playoff. However, a 5-2 loss to a Pele-inspired Brazil in the semifinals ended France’s dreams of glory. 22. Bobby Charlton (England) World Cups played: 1958, 1962, 1966, 1970 World Cup record: Winner, 1966 Games: 14 Goals: 4 Best moment: It might sound strange not to call the win in the 1966 final Charlton’s best moment, but the Englishman’s brace in the 2-1 win over Eusebio’s Portugal side was a pivotal moment for the Three Lions and a notable personal milestone on his way to picking up the 1966 Ballon d’Or. 1966 was Charlton’s third World Cup, and while the Manchester United man had not managed to make his mark in 1958 or 1962, the stage was set as Sir Alf Ramsey’s side hosted the 1966 edition. By now, Charlton was the key man in the Three Lions team, and he showed his worth with the only goal in the win over Mexico and both goals in the semifinal against Portugal. His displays helped him win the Ballon d’Or that year, capping off his rise to the top of the game just eight years after the Munich Disaster. 21. Romario (Brazil) World Cups played: 1990, 1994 World Cup record: Winner, 1994 Games: 10 Goals: 5 Best moment: His semifinal header against Sweden broke the deadlock and booked Brazil’s place in the final. It remains a travesty that one of Brazil’s great strikers effectively played only one World Cup, barely appearing in 1990 due to injury and being omit ted from the squad in 1998 and 2002. But Romario was the undoubted star of 1994, helped by sidekick Bebeto, scoring five goals as he led Brazil to glory. Games: 6 Goals: 13

Michel Platini was more than just a creative marvel. He has an eye-water ing goal record for Les Bleus , scoring 41 in his 72 overall caps, and bagging five across his three World Cup campaigns. His iconic freekicks and intelligent play saw him named “French Player Of The Century” in 1999. He is also one of very few players to play for two national teams at senior level, after he came out of retirement to play an exhi bition game for Kuwait at the request of the Kuwaiti Emir in 1988. 27. Mario Kempes (Argentina) World Cups played: 1974, 1978, 1982 World Cup record: Winner, 1978 Games: 18 Goals: 6 Best moment: The winning goal in the 105th minute of the 1978 World Cup final. Kempes burst into the box, evaded two sliding tackles, saw his ini tial shot saved and bundled in the

Pele, Maradona or Messi at No. 1? The 50 greatest players in World Cup history (Part 3)

bouncing rebound to send Estadio River Plate into raptures. Only three men have won the Golden Boot, the Golden Ball and lifted the trophy at the same World Cup, so Mario Kempes is part of an incredibly exclusive club. The 1978 tournament on home soil where he achieved the feat was his masterpiece, although the 23-year-old didn’t get going until the second group stage when he scored twice against Poland, twice in the controversial 6-0 win over Peru and twice in the 3-1 extra time win over Netherlands in the final. Remarkably, for such an accomplished No. 9, he didn’t score a single goal in his other 15 World Cup matches, but his inspirational 11-day spell in 1978 is enough. 26. Xavi (Spain) World Cups played: 2002, 2006, 2010, 2014 World Cup record: Winner, 2010 Games: 15

unmatched by his peers. 25. Giuseppe Meazza (Italy) World Cups played: 1934, 1938 World Cup record: Winner 1934, 1938 Games: 9 Goals: 3 Best moment: With Italy leading Brazil 1-0 in the 1938 semifinal, Meazza stepped up to take a penalty. His shorts suddenly fell down after the elastic in them ripped, so he held his shorts up with his left hand and still managed to score the spot kick. Italy won the match 2-1 to reach the final. A hard-drinking, brothel-visiting, chain-smoking playboy known as Il Genio (The Genius) for his on-pitch brilliance, Giuseppe Meazza is every thing you want from a 1930s sporting icon. The San Siro is officially called Stadio Giuseppe Meazza for a reason… One of the best, and most important, footballers in the first half of the 20th century, he won the 1934 and 1938 World Cups with Italy, claiming the Golden Ball for best player at the for mer and captaining the Azzurri in the latter. A prolific goalscorer with an eye for the spectacular, he also delivered two sumptuous assists against Hungary in the 1938 final. 24. Roberto Baggio (Italy) World Cups played: 1990, 1994, 1998 World Cup best finish: Runner-up, 1994 Games: 16 Goals: 9 Best moment: Clutch brace

tried to beckon him out of interna tional retirement for 2006. Maldini turned the offer down, pointing to a persistent knee injury, and the Azzurri went on to win the tournament. “It was destiny, I guess,” he said. 28. Michel Platini (France) World Cups played: 1978, 1982, 1986 World Cup record: Semifinals, 1982, 1986 Games: 14 Goals: 5 Best moment: Scoring the equalising goal against Brazil in the 1986 quar terfinals, a game which France ended up winning on penalties. One of the great No. 10’s of his era,

Brazil in the proc ess. Once destined

for the group stage exit, Croatia are now serious players. Modric has been their

against Nigeria to save 10-man Italy from elimination in ‘94. Roberto Baggio’s World

Paolo Maldini

Cup story is one of cruelty; his crucial penalty miss in the 1994 final will for ever be the lasting

Xavi

Roberto Baggio