The World Cup season is upon us and the superstars of the game are all set to entertain the world on the biggest stage. As always, All attention has turned to Lionel Messi and Cristiano RonaldoAnd fight between them for the ultimate prize.

But these two are not the only superstars of the game who will be in the mix this time. Players like Erling Haaland, Kylian Mbappe and Lamine Yamal will be players that teams will look to for that one moment of magic.

But with the pressure of the nation bearing down on them, the one thing these superstars cannot afford is to miss out on the grandest stage of them all.

We look at six superstars for whom World Cup failure is not an option and who need to keep their promise.

erling holland

If you start talking about Erling Haaland, chances are you’ll run out of adjectives. He remained a goalscoring machine for Manchester City during the 2025–26 campaign as he finished with 27 goals in the Premier League. With nine assists for the entire season, another eight were added in the Champions League.

But his real test will now be in the World Cup 2026. Norway are back in the tournament after a long wait of 28 years and they will need their talisman to make it a memorable one.

Haaland scored 21 goals in 14 World Cup qualifying games for his country and for him this tournament could cement his legacy as one of the greatest players of modern times.

kilian mbappe

This will be Mbappe’s second World Cup campaign and the first time he will captain France on the big stage. In 14 games at the World Cup, the Real Madrid forward has 12 goals to his name and will be aiming to leave Qatar 2022 in the dark.

Mbappe single-handedly changed the course of the final with a sensational hat-trick against Argentina, ultimately losing only two on penalties.

Since 2022, Mbappe has gone from strength to strength, but his last campaign with Real Madrid was marred by a lot of off-field controversy.

Despite scoring 42 goals in 44 matches for Los Blancos, he saw a petition signed calling for his exit from the club. But France has always been a safe haven for the 27-year-old.

And now, it’s time for him to step up.

Lamin Yamal

Lamine Yamal has been the golden boy of world football for some time now. At the age of 16, he announced himself on the big stage as he helped Spain win Euro 2024.

Two years later, he may still be young, but this time the expectations will be even higher. The Barcelona forward scored 24 goals and made 18 assists in a stellar campaign as the Blaugrana won the LaLiga title.

This will be their first taste of the World Cup and Spain will have a lot of the game looming over them. He is no longer a boy and will have the weight of the entire nation on him as they try to add another star to their peak.

harry kane

England and Thomas Tuchel faced a lot of slack for team selection, but the first name on the team sheet will be Harry Kane. The Three Lions would like their captain to step up and ensure the trophy comes home.

It was a record-breaking campaign for him at club level, scoring 61 goals in 51 matches for Bayern Munich. At times he even played as number 10 and always worked for better linkups with his teammates.

If England are to progress in the tournament, Kane will have to work hard in every way. He has 8 goals in the World Cup and was the Golden Boot winner in 2018.

Given the form he has been in in the World Cup, no one would bet on him winning the accolade once again.

bruno fernandes

This will be Bruno Fernandes’ third World Cup and he will be a creative force for Portugal. Expectations will be high from the 31-year-old after a record-breaking campaign with Manchester United in which he got 21 assists.

Fernandes appears to be at the peak of his powers at the moment. While Ronaldo will always be Portugal’s main man, Fernandes could be the force that creates a spark that can bring magic on the field.

The Euro 2016 champions come into the tournament as early favorites and aim to give Ronaldo the puzzle missing from his trophy cabinet.

If that is to happen, Fernandes will have to work hard and provide assists.

Vinicius Junior

It was an indifferent campaign for Vinicius Jr. with Real Madrid. Despite scoring 16 goals in 36 matches for Los Blancos in La Liga, His club campaign dominated by off-field drama. Now, they will need to step out in the colors of Brazil as they look for inspiration.

While Neymar is back for the World Cup, it remains to be seen whether he will be fully fit for the competition. This means Vinnie Jr. Will be an outlet on the left for goals and assists, something he will need to improve for the Seleção.

In 48 games, the forward has nine goals and nine assists and the World Cup could be the ideal platform for him to mount a sensational campaign on the grandest stage of them all.

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