Argentine superstar Lionel Messi is widely considered to be the greatest soccer player in history. The former Barcelona man has won an astonishing 8 Ballon d’Ors, scored over 900 goals and fulfilled his dream in 2022 by winning the World Cup for Argentina.
Judging by his performances at the 2026 World Cup so far, it is difficult to comprehend that he is playing his final World Cup. The left-footed player has scored an astonishing 8 goals so far in this World Cup, leading the way for the golden boot.
However, Messi himself has said that this is his final World Cup and he’s not going to put himself above the country at any costs. With Cristiano Ronaldo also bidding farewell to the World Cup and being in his early 40s, we have a potential changing of the guard up our sleeves.
Judging by the World Cup and also the past few seasons, there are 3 players who could potentially replace Messi as the new superstar of the soccer world. It is difficult saying this because similar words were said about the likes of Eden Hazard, Gareth Bale and Neymar. Two of those names have already retired and the third also just played his final World Cup match for Brazil. However, there are 3 names who can take soccer to the next stage.
1. Kylian Mbappe
It is difficult to know whether Mbappe will reach the heights Messi did. However, one thing is for sure: he is definitely crossing Messi’s World Cup tally. The Frenchman has already scored 19 goals so far in his World Cup career.
Mbappe has played in 3 World Cups so far, including the current one, and has reached 2 World Cup finals. In 2018, he became the youngest player to score in the World Cup final since Pelé. In 2022, he came agonizingly close to lifting it for the second time, delivering a great performance with a hat-trick.
Outside the French colors, he started his domestic career like a train in 2016, leading AS Monaco to the Ligue 1 title ahead of PSG. That breakout season secured him a world-record fee move to PSG, where he scored an astonishing 256 goals in 308 appearances.
That being said, he has yet to win the collective titles Messi had. Messi won 4 Champions League titles and a handful of La Liga titles for Barcelona. However, Mbappe is yet to win a Champions League, reaching the final in 2020 with PSG only. Moreover, after his move to Real Madrid, he has not a major trophy for the Spanish giants despite his great scoring numbers.
2. Erling Haaland
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If Kylian Mbappe has proved himself on the international stage collectively, Erling Haaland has proved himself on the domestic stage. The Norwegian striker has been the absolute best ever since his emergence from the Danish League with Red Bull Salzburg, where he scored 8 goals in 6 Champions League games.
Unlike Mbappe, Haaland didn’t really have the privilege of big football teams around him until his move to Manchester City. After Salzburg, he moved to the German Bundesliga, which is largely dominated by Bayern Munich.
However, he had moved to Borussia Dortmund. Although he didn’t win the league with Dortmund, he scored 86 goals in 89 games for the Yellow giants. At Manchester City, however, he hit an extra gear. In his first season with the Blues, he led the club to the Treble. It was only the second time an English club had achieved this after Manchester United in 1999.
So far at Manchester City, he has scored 162 goals in 198 games. Now, he has also begun proving himself on the World Cup stage with Denmark, scoring 7 goals in the 2026 tournament so far. That includes a brace against Brazil in the Round of 16.
3. Lamine Yamal
Considering the topic is about replacing Messi, Lamine Yamal is someone that Barcelona fans would like. The young Spaniard has started his FC Barcelona and Spanish career like an absolute train so far.
Yamal has already scored 49 goals in 151 appearances, which is normal, considering the youngster is a winger and still raw. However, his impact on Barcelona and Spain has generated 3 La Liga titles and the European championships in 2024.
Yamal plays on the right wing but also has a tendency to become a supporting forward, just as Messi used to for the Catalans. The similarities in the style of plays are there for everyone to see.
Now, it’s all about delivering consistently and staying fit. Yamal arrived at the World Cup half-fit, starting the first game from the bench for Spain. However, he has begun to make his mark in the World Cup, and the game against Belgium in the quarterfinals is another opportunity for him.