Worldwide TM expertise 

Get ready for a festival of football like no other. No sporting competition in the world attracts more worldwide-viewers than the football World Cup, and the 2026 edition is set to be the biggest yet, with as many as 48 nations competing for international football’s most coveted prize. The tournament will begin in Mexico City, as co-hosts Mexico take on South Africa in a repeat of the first match of the 2010 World Cup, in which South Africa beat the Mexicans 2-1 in Johannesburg. USA and Canada are also co-hosts. Now, when it comes to worldwide football expertise, nobody quite does it like Transfermarkt.

We have full-time staff members across five continents and further Data Scouts and volunteers all across the globe. That means, when it comes to knowledge for this summer’s World Cup, Transfermarkt is the only place to be. We have pulled our international expertise to bring you a player to watch from each of the 48 nations competing at the tournament. They have all been carefully handpicked by one of our experts representing that country, and have been based on the player they expect to surprise most people at the 2026 World Cup. Last week, we brought you part 1, focusing on the 24 nations from the first six groups – group A – group F. Now it’s time for part 2 – the nations from group G – group L.

Group G

Belgium – Matias Fernandez-Pardo

TM Belgium Area Manager Bart Tamsyn: A week before the announcement of the Belgian squad, rumours suddenly began to circulate that Matias Fernandez-Pardo would be included. The same Fernandez-Pardo who, as recently as February 2025, had stated that he wanted to play for Spain rather than Belgium. Two days before the squad was revealed, the Lille striker confirmed the news, so it came as no surprise when national team manager Rudi Garcia announced his selection with Fernandez-Pardo included.

Fernandez-Pardo joined Lille at the end of 2024 from Gent. However, two seasons later, he is being linked with clubs such as Manchester City, Barcelona, and Inter Milan. In their search for an alternative to the injured Romelu Lukaku and the underperforming Loïs Openda, Belgium manager Garcia settled on Fernandez-Pardo. The 21-year-old was primarily deployed as a winger until he was moved to centre-forward at Lille in March. With Lukaku unlikely to be able to play a full 90 minutes and with no other alternative, Fernandez-Pardo can certainly count on getting some playing time at the World Cup and could become one of the surprises, even for the Belgian fans.

Iran – Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh

TM Iran Data Scout Cavil: Amirhossein Hosseinzadeh has been one of the standout players in the Persian Gulf Pro League over the past two seasons. He won the Golden Boot last season and is again the league’s top scorer this season after 22 matchdays. His vision, technique and finishing have made him one of the most dangerous attacking players in Iran. Despite his shorter height, he is also surprisingly strong in the air. A key step in his development came last season when he switched from attacking midfielder to centre-forward. The move paid off immediately, as he finished with 22 goals and 8 assists in all competitions.

This season, before the Iran war stopped local football, he had already recorded 13 goals and 7 assists. Competition for places in Iran’s World Cup squad is strong with players like Mehdi Taremi and Dennis Eckert Ayensa but after Sardar Azmoun was left out, Hosseinzadeh has a real opportunity to earn minutes. His versatility is another major advantage, as he has already played several attacking roles for the national team and can help in different positions. This will be his first major international tournament, and he will be highly motivated to prove his quality on the biggest stage.

Egypt – Emam Ashour

TM Africa Area Manager O’Neal Keamogetse Radinne: At the core of Egypt’s creativity and leadership, Egypt’s midfield features a wide range of profiles and stands out as the engine room of the squad. No player stands out more for me than Al Ahly’s Emam Ashour, who is an influential playmaker at club level amassing an impressive 90 goal-scoring contributions in 247 appearances throughout his career across Danish and Egyptian pitches.

Since his Egyptian national team debut at 23-years-old under Carlos Quieroz, the numbers for his nation have not been as bright as they are at club level, but he has been a major contributor in the Pharoah’s build up play. His ability to win one-on-one dribbling battles and find opportunities to create attacking chances is top. He is also terrific at retaining possession under pressure – an attribute that could be important at this summer’s World Cup.

New Zealand – Chris Wood

TM New Zealand Data Scout Johann Berthel: Chris Wood is a player who combines experience, proven goal-scoring, leadership, and big-match composure in a way no other All Whites player currently can. As the New Zealand’s all-time leading scorer (45 international goals), he is coming off one of the best club periods of his career with Nottingham Forest, including a 20-goal Premier League season last year that helped Forest qualify for European football. He was part of the famous unbeaten 2010 All Whites squad, and now returns as captain.

Dominant in the air, strong with hold-up play, and extremely efficient in the penalty box – he surely is the hope for New Zealand at the upcoming World Cup. After recovering from a knee surgery earlier in the season, he is fully fit to take on bigger nations and surprise fans worldwide. Wood‘s clinical finishing will be crucial when it comes to matches against bigger nations including Belgium in the group stage, where goal scoring opportunities may be rare. If New Zealand are going to upset bigger nations or reach the knockout stages for the first time ever, Chris Wood will almost certainly need to be at the centre of it.

Group H

Spain – Pedri

TM Spain Content Manager Iván Fuente: Lamine Yamal is undoubtedly the best player in the Spanish national team, but his injury could see him miss the first three matches of the World Cup, so we’ve turned our attention to another star: Pedri. He is one of the most talented players when it comes to linking up with his teammates. He has played a key role in Barça’s season, and his importance to the Spanish national team will be even bigger than it already was now that Lamine will be out for few games, with Nico Williams also likely to be short of fitness.

Pedri will be responsible for directing Spain’s attacking play, finding the forwards in better positions and popping up between the lines. He is one of the best midfielders in the world right now and nobody in his position has a higher market value than his €150m. If he has a good month in the World Cup, it will be good news for Spain and terrible news for all of their opponents.

Cape Verde – Stopira

TM Portugal Area Manager Goncalo Tristão Santos: At 38 years old, Stopira is one of the leaders of the Cape Verde national team and one of the players with the most appearances for his country. Despite his age, he is coming off one of the best seasons of his career after becoming a key figure ( he is the team captain) for Torreense. The name of this club may be unfamiliar to many, but we are talking about a side that, despite competing in the Portuguese second division, has just made history by winning the Portuguese Cup after defeating Sporting in the final.

The decisive goal was scored by none other than Stopira himself. The veteran centre-back still possesses plenty of quality, outstanding leadership skills and, despite his age, finished the season with 41 official appearances. He is still going strong and could be one of the standout names in Cape Verde’s first-ever participation at a FIFA World Cup.

Uruguay – Federico Valverde

TM Uruguay Data Scout Nicolás Correa: Everybody knows Federico Valverde – the Real Madrid captain. He’s won everything there is in the club game, but remains in debt with the Uruguayan national team. Usually he’s not outstanding for Uruguay (just two goals in the World Cup qualifiers). His special moment is still on hold.

Marcelo Bielsa usually places him as a ‘box-to-box’ midfielder in order to cover both attack and defence through the centre of the pitch – not on the right side as he’s often been playing in Real Madrid. He hasn’t had his best season at Real Madrid and was involved in the training ground bust up with teammate Aurelien Tchouaméni, but he still undoubtedly has the quality and leadership to be a key player for Uruguay at the 2026 World Cup.

Saudi Arabia – Musab Al-Jawyr

TM Saudi Arabia Data Scout Jshak22: Crowned Saudi Player of the Year at just 22 years old, Musab Al-Juwayr has quickly established himself as one of the brightest prospects in Saudi Arabian football. Al-Juwayr enjoyed a prolific first season with Al-Qadsiah following his big money transfer last summer. Establishing himself as a key starter in midfield, he contributed seven goals and 12 assists across all competitions. He played a vital role helping the club qualify to the AFC CL Elite for the first time in their history.

The upcoming tournament will be Al-Juwayr’s first major international competition with Saudi Arabia. Since making his senior debut at the 2023 Gulf Cup, he has become an important player for the Green Falcons, earning 33 caps and scoring six goals. Naturally a central midfielder, Al-Juwayr is also able to operate as a deep lying playmaker or further forward as an attacking midfielder. His exceptional vision, intelligent movement, and composure in possession allow him to dictate the tempo of matches.

Group I

France – Michael Olise

TM France Content Manager Lucas Hybord: Michael Olise is no longer an unknown figure. Ranked among the world’s most valuable players on Transfermarkt, the Bayern Munich player has been a global star for the past two seasons, racking up huge amounts of goals and assists. His international career is a slightly different story. Born in London to a Nigerian father and a French-Algerian mother, Olise had a wealth of options when it came to choosing which country to represent internationally. But it seems he never hesitated.

Upon receiving his first call-up to Didier Deschamps’ squad in August 2024, he stated: “I’ve always had a connection with the French national team, which is why I play for France.” Just before that, he had already proudly represented France by contributing to the silver medal at the 2024 Paris Olympics (five assists, two goals). After two seasons of learning the ropes with Les Bleus, he will be under intense scrutiny at the 2026 World Cup. Deschamps is counting on him to help him win a third World Cup after those of 1998 (as a player) and 2018 (as a coach).

Norway – Antonio Nusa

TM Norway Data Scout Bastian Schmitz: The left winger Antonio Nusa had a decent – though not spectacular – season at RB Leipzig; nevertheless, he played a part in the team’s strong second half of the campaign, which saw them qualify for the Champions League. He has outstanding dribbling skills and is known for his clinical finishing and ability to cut inside and score from dangerous positions.

It has often been noticeable in the past that Nusa generally appears much energetic when playing for the national team, showing even more confidence in his own abilities. For this reason, I believe he could prove to be a surprise standout at the World Cup, playing alongside experienced attacking stars like Erling Haaland and Martin Ødegaard.

Senegal – Iliman Ndiaye

TM Africa Area Manager O’Neal Keamogetse Radinne: lliman Ndiaye has quickly become one of the standout figures in the English game and one of my favourite footballers. He has cemented his place in Everton’s setup with a reputation in the English game that’s been built since the 2018/19 season where he first appeared in what is referred to as non-league English football for Boreham Wood – then later for Sheffield United in the Championship for two seasons. This experience of the English game always suggested he would thrive at a Premier League club and recent speculation linking him with Liverpool and Manchester United is a clear indication of his rising profile.

Already capped 38 times for the Lions of Teranga, Ndiaye heads into the global showcase as a trusted attacking option for Senegal. His ability to win dribbling battles, combined with the speed of his ball carries, made him central to Everton’s attacking combinations in the 2025/26 season. Over the past two seasons, he has consistently provided energy, creativity as well as decisive contributions in the final third.

Iraq – Ali Al-Hamadi

TM Asia Area Manager Tiberius Radziejewski: One player to watch as Iraq return to the World Cup for the first time since 1986 is striker Ali Al-Hamadi. Expectations around the 23-year-old have been high for several years, with many seeing him as one of the country’s brightest attacking talents but injuries and tough competition have slowed down his momentum. Born in Iraq and raised in England, Al-Hamadi developed through the English youth football system before making his professional debut at the age of 20. His senior debut for Iraq followed soon after in 2021, and he has remained part of the national team setup ever since.

The 1.87m forward combines physical presence with mobility and is comfortable finishing with either foot. Capable of playing centrally or drifting out to either wing, he offers Iraq a versatile and unpredictable threat in the final third. He has continued to compete at a high level in English football in recent seasons and was also part of Iraq’s King’s Cup-winning squad. With several attacking teammates short of form, Al-Hamadi could now be in position to take on a bigger role and lead Iraq’s frontline on the world stage. Iraq will be aiming to surprise in one of the tournament’s toughest groups. If they are to make an impact, Ali Al-Hamadi could have an important role to play.

Group J

Argentina – Lionel Messi

TM South America Area Manager Scott Christensen: I think most of the Argentine squad is very well known for everyone, but many people think that Lionel Messi won’t make the difference this time because of his age, but I believe he will. I can obviously understand and agree that he won’t play at the same level as in 2022 considering he’s almost 39 years old, and playing regularly in a weaker league, but I would never doubt Messi’s abilities.

He might be slower, more injury prone, and get tired faster, but whenever he has the ball at his feet, and even more with an Argentine shirt in a World Cup, he can create damage as the quality and fierce competitive-mindset are still there. He’s clearly the team leader/idol and his teammates don’t care if he doesn’t defend as they know what he can do in attack, so they’ll make an extra effort to go with him as far as possible in his last World Cup.

Austria – Marcel Sabitzer

TM Austria Area Manager Dorian Schuster: Marcel Sabitzer is the leader of the Austrian team. As David Alaba missed most of the games in recent times due to injuries, the experienced player from Borussia Dortmund often had to step up in his absence. He is also vice-captain behind Alaba and Marko Arnautovic. Contrary to his role in Dortmund, Sabitzer often plays on the left wing for the Austrian national team and is now, after the injury of Baumgartner, in my opinion, the most important offensive player of the team.

Sabitzer scored in his last three Austria matches and assisted two furthers goals, so Austria’s play will now extremely depend on his performances. Just as it did during the Euro 2024, where he carried us to prevail in the group stage after a great shock win against the Netherlands. If Austria are to cause any more surprises in North America this summer, Sabitzer is likely to be key.

Algeria – Ibrahim Maza

TM Germany Content Manager Lennart Gens: In a mixed season for Bayer Leverkusen, Ibrahim Maza was the undisputed rising star. Although Leverkusen signed many expensive players in the summer, such as Malik Tillman (€35 million from PSV Eindhoven) and Eliesse Ben Seghir (€32 million from AS Monaco), it was the comparatively inexpensive Maza (signed for €12 million from Hertha BSC) who earned a regular place in the starting line-up in attack.

Maza contributed five goals and seven assists in 44 matches, increasing his market value to €45 million. As was the case at the Africa Cup of Nations in January, when he scored two goals and provided one assist, Maza will also play a key role in the Algerian team at the World Cup and could be one of the players to surprise everyone this summer.

Jordan – Mousa Tamari

TM Jordan Data Scout Khalid Borini: Mousa Tamari is the man of the moment in Jordanian football. He is the only Jordanian player who has managed to shine in Europe’s top leagues, and many consider him to be the greatest Jordanian footballer of all time. He also holds the record for the highest market value ever reached by a Jordanian player on Transfermarkt. His success was no coincidence, but rather the result of his exceptional talent combined with the mature mentality that helped him rise from the Jordanian league all the way to the French league. Jordan fans are hoping for him to lead the national team beyond the group stage of the World Cup.

He was called up for the first time to represent Jordan at a very early age because of his exceptional talent. His main strengths are speed and dribbling; he is capable of beating multiple players and making the difference through individual effort. What happened in the 2023 AFC Asian Cup is clear proof of that, as he managed to lead this generation to the final of the tournament for the first time in their history. The goal he scored against the South Korea in the semifinal – after running with the ball from before the halfway line – proves the quality he possesses. He also played a major role in helping the team qualify for the World Cup for the first time in Jordan’s history.

Group K

Portugal – Cristiano Ronaldo

TM Portugal Area Manager Goncalo Tristão Santos: I could talk about many players from the Portuguese national team, but I would like to highlight the legend Cristiano Ronaldo. After all, this will be his last World Cup and the final major tournament he will play for Portugal, which makes it a special occasion not only for him, but also for all Portuguese people and football lovers around the world. At 41 years old, Ronaldo continues to be a goal-scoring machine, as proven by the 30 goals he scored in 37 matches for Al-Nassr, not to mention the 13 goals he scored in his last 14 appearances for the Portuguese national team.

However, the truth is that at Euro 2024 we saw, for the first time, CR7 failing to score a single goal in the final stage of a major international tournament, which reflects his natural decline in recent years. This is Ronaldo’s last opportunity to win the much-desired World Cup with Portugal, a nation that has never lifted the trophy. This is far from the period in which the Portuguese placed the greatest hopes on Ronaldo to carry the team, especially because we now have a squad full of talent and quality, but he will still want to make his mark.

DR Congo – Chancel Mbemba

TM France Area Manager Ronan Caroff: The trust that DR Congo’s coach Sébastien Desabre continues to put in Chancel Mbemba is quite touching. At club level, he went from being vice captain at Marseille in the 2023/24 season, to completely blacklisted in 2024/25 (not a second of playing time). He joined Lille last summer, but he didn’t manage to achieve a very complete season, often kept on the bench. But for his national team, for which he debuted 14 years ago, he’s a key asset, even when he can’t play at club level.

As captain, he has lifted the Léopards to their second World Cup after 1974, with a remarkable last continental qualifying game, scoring the only goal vs Cameroon then closing the penalty shootout vs Nigeria. He was also there to get rid of Jamaica and secure that ticket to the World Cup in the inter-continental qualifier. DRC doesn’t lack experience (10 players aged 30+), but the presence of Mbemba is pivotal for the recent successes of this team.

Uzbekistan – Abdukodir Khusanov

TM former Soviet Republics Expert Artjom Zavodnyk: For Uzbekistan, this will be their first long-awaited World Cup appearance, after falling just short so many times. In Fabio Cannavaro, they now have a coach who, at least as a player, knows how to win a World Cup. Nevertheless, his appointment came as a big surprise following the successful qualification campaign. However, the framework that Timur Kapadze established during the qualifiers also serves as a foundation for Cannavaro, with the familiar 3-4-3 formation.

In this system, one of the central pillars alongside record goal-scorer Eldor Shomurodov is defensive leader Abdukodir Khusanov of Manchester City. Thanks to his speed and physical presence, the team will hope to maintain a solid defence and concede as few goals as possible. Over the past two years, Khusanov has also become the country’s biggest star, not least because he plays for a top club in the Premier League. He has become a regular starter for a top club, contributing significantly to the team’s success, and is not merely a bench player. Everyone is hoping for a strong World Cup from him, which should be further enhanced by the experience of former world-class defender Cannavaro.

Colombia – Luis Díaz

TM Colombia Area Manager Samuel Vásquez Rivas: Luis Díaz has become the most important Colombian player in recent years, and his first World Cup is generating a lot of excitement across the nation – especially after his best season in Europe numbers-wise with Bayern Munich. There isn’t a player as decisive for Colombia, and his influence is even greater than that of James Rodríguez.

Díaz has the ability to even be one of the best players in the entire tournament. His attacking prowess is among the best in the world right now. He’s fast, talented, and his decision-making in attack has improved considerably since leaving Liverpool. The boy from the tough streets of La Guajira has become a national icon and has the chance to add to his legacy this summer.

Group L

England – Nico O’Reilly

TM UK Content Manager Ben Littlemore: England have a lot of firepower going forward but one player who may benefit from being allowed a bit of space could just be Manchester City youngster Nico O’Reilly. The Premier League Young Player of the Season is expected to start at left-back for the Three Lions, but had fantastic ability to invert into midfield, so expect to see him driving forward, both down the left flank and through the centre of the park.

O’Reilly was a midfielder at youth level, and has even played a handful of games in midfield for the Sky Blues this season. He possesses fantastic ability to get out of tight spaces, when under pressure, whilst also being a good athlete and having good defensive acumen. O’Reilly is 1.93m, and is a real threat in the air from both set pieces and open play. The likes of Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Bukayo Saka will steal most of the limelight going into the tournament, but don’t be surprised to see O’Reilly play a key role at this World Cup.

Croatia – Luka Vuskovic

TM Croatia Data Scout Stodra: At 1.93m, Luka Vuskovic is very strong in the air. He uses this strength to his advantage, particularly on set pieces, always posing a significant goal threat. The 19-year-old scored six goals for HSV last season, including a stunning scorpion kick. But he’s not only dangerous in the air; he’s also confident taking free kicks himself, either scoring goals (as he did recently for HSV) or setting up goals for his teammates. Vuskovic isn’t just impressive on the pitch, thanks to his tackling and heading ability. He exudes absolute self-confidence and leadership qualities, already taking on a great deal of responsibility.

Despite being only 19, he already possesses a wealth of experience. He has made four caps for Croatia, scoring the opening goal against Colombia during their last international break. I expect his confidence and carefree attitude to inject some much-needed energy into Croatia’s defence. I believe he’ll play a significant role at the World Cup, perhaps similar to Josko Gvardiol’s performance in Qatar in 2022 when Croatia finished third. Whenever the opportunity arises, he’ll carry the ball out of dangerous areas from his defensive position. I believe he could even win the FIFA Young Player Award for the World Cup; that’s how much I believe in him.

Ghana – Antoine Semenyo

TM Africa Area Manager O’Neal Keamogetse Radinne: Manchester City’s January arrival, Antoine Semenyo, has emerged as one of Ghana’s most dynamic attacking options. A powerful and direct forward who blends pace with physicality. He’s comfortable operating through the centre or drifting into wide areas on either flank; he excels at holding up play; making penetrating runs and finishing chances with cool composure. His strong work‑rate is matched by intelligent movement and direct dribbling which are attributes that consistently unsettle opposition defences.

Having committed to representing Ghana at senior international level since his debut in 2022, Semenyo has established himself as a reliable attacking presence for the club level. This has not yet been emulated at national team level, but only due to the entire Ghana team struggling, but this should not take away what Semenyo has to offer the Ghanaian attack in the World Cup. His style of play provides the national team with a valuable edge which ensures he remains a key figure in their offensive structure.

Panama – Adalberto Carrasquilla

TM North America Area Manager Manuel Veth: Adalberto Carrasquilla has the chance to become an emerging star at this World Cup. The 27-year-old central midfielder was a star in Major League Soccer with the Houston Dynamo before being sold for around $4 million (€3.4m) to Liga MX powerhouse UNAM Pumas in 2025. Pumas weren’t the only team interested at the time.

Clubs from Europe were also interested but the financial power of Mexican football meant that Carrasquilla moved south of the border instead. A powerful midfielder with a good eye for his teammates, Carrasquilla could play in a European top five league. Playing at the World Cup with Panama could help his case for a move to Europe, if that is what he still wants. He will be key for Panama.