When you’re a top player, you know the World Cup is where your name is made. The 2026 version has already put a new spin on things. Put Cristiano Ronaldo’s one-of-a-kind scoring run and Lionel Messi’s place at the top of the all-time list side by side, and you can see from the last six World Cups how a few key figures have been in control of the sport’s premier event.
If you go back through 2006, 2010, 2014, 2018, 2022 and 2026, there are five who have been the source of both the triumph and the letdown: Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappe, Neymar, Modric. What they’ve put up isn’t just for the record books; it’s how we’ll be looking at the game from here on out.
Some of the big numbers that are driving the talk around the World Cup:
– A 41-year-old Ronaldo with goals in six World Cups
– 19 career World Cup goals for Messi, the most ever
– Eight goals to put the 2022 Golden Boot on Mbappe
– 2018 Golden Ball for Modric as he put Croatia in the final
– 79 goals make Neymar the best in Brazil
Ronaldo’s run of six keeps Portugal in the mix for 2026
The fact of the matter is, Ronaldo’s longevity is what the 2026 format is about. He is 41 and the first to score in six FIFA World Cups. And with Portugal in the knockout round for a Round of 32 with Croatia, he has his work cut out for him.
It all started in 2006 with a goal in a semi-final run. Then 2018 was the year he really made a statement: four times on the scoresheet, a hat-trick to Spain included. He made history in 2022 as the first to do it in five, and 2026 is only adding to it.
How Mbappe went from a young talent to the one to beat
There was a time when Mbappe was a bit of a marvel, but now he’s a given. Back in 2018, he was the first teen after Pele to get a goal in a final while France were champions. You could tell right then that something had changed in terms of speed and composure on the biggest night.
Fast forward to 2022 and he was no longer the “future” of the team. He put in eight to win the Golden Boot and hauled France to another final. Even if the 4-2 penalty loss to Argentina stung, it was a reminder of how fine the line is when you are at your best.
Messi: the long road to the top of the charts
Lionel and Ronaldo’s paths in the World Cup crossed in 2006, but for Messi it was a much more protracted way to get where he is.
You could say the quarter-final letdowns of 2006 and 2010 put some steel in him for 2014, when he was as close to the top as you can get. He did put on a show with four goals to take the Golden Boot, but in the end, it was a 1-0 night for Germany.
Then 2022 came around and the story was complete. Messi shepherded Argentina to a third World Cup, and his seven goals were enough to put the Golden Boot in his pocket once more. At 19, he has the most World Cup goals of all time – a number that is as much about not giving up as it is about being a genius.
Neymar: the highs, the lows, and some fine company
Neymar has seen it all. Back in 2014, he was the one putting Brazil on his back with four goals until a broken vertebra in the quarterfinals put an end to it. What followed was hard to watch: a 7-1 drubbing by Germany and then a 3-0 to the Netherlands for the bronze.
He’s been hampered by niggles in 2018 and 2022, but you still got your moments, like the one he put past Croatia in the 2022 quarters. Only Pele and Ronaldo Nazario have done what he has in terms of scoring in three separate World Cups. With 79 to his name, he is the best there has ever been for Brazil.
A right calf problem put a spanner in the works for a while, but he was back in the 76th minute to sub in against Scotland in the last group game. It was a small part, but for Brazil it’s a sign there may be more to come from him in 2026.
What Modric means to Croatia
Luka Modric has been the pulse of the Croatian team since 2006. They didn’t make the cut in 2010, but you don’t need to be a goal machine to make an impact. In 2018 he was the engine that drove them to the final, chipping in with two and walking away with the Golden Ball and the Ballon d’Or.
Even in 2022, you wouldn’t have known he was older. He put in a steady performance to see them home in third. His reputation at this tournament is made on composure and outlasting the rest.
The kind of history that matters in 2026
These are the kind of stories that put pressure on the next generation. Ronaldo’s run of six tournaments in a row tells you where Portugal can go. Messi’s 19-goal record redefines what one man can do over time. And after 2022, Mbappe’s Golden Boot is the new standard.
For Brazil, as long as he’s fit, Neymar’s standing as a top scorer is something to hold on to. In Croatia, they still have Modric to keep them in rhythm. All of it is why the field seems so even this time around.
We’ll find out in the next round if it’s the old hands or the young guns. Portugal have a must-win with Croatia, France will be looking to what Mbappe can do, and everyone is still measuring up to what Argentina put on display in 2022. If the last few World Cups are any guide, the ones with the legacy are the ones who have the last say.
