World Cup 2026: Salah, Ronaldo, and Messi Aim for Glory

As the 2026 FIFA World Cup approaches, hosted by the United States, Canada, and Mexico, football stars have varying ambitions. Some aim to end their World Cup journeys on a high note, while others seek to establish their legacy or write a new chapter in international glory.

This upcoming tournament may serve as the final appearance for several football icons, including Egypt’s Mohamed Salah, Argentina’s Lionel Messi, and Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo. Meanwhile, players like France’s Kylian Mbappe and Brazil’s Vinicius Junior view this as an ideal opportunity to silence critics and reclaim their status after disappointing seasons with their clubs and national teams.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Cristiano Ronaldo continues to script the final chapters of his international career, having decided to play until the 2026 World Cup despite earlier predictions that the 2022 tournament would mark his farewell.

Recently crowned Saudi Pro League champion with Al Nassr, Ronaldo remains focused on winning the World Cup—an elusive title in his illustrious career. Over more than two decades of World Cup participation, he has scored only eight goals and aims to improve this tally in the upcoming edition, especially with a strong Portuguese squad that has already achieved success by winning the UEFA Nations League.

Mohamed Salah

Mohamed Salah, captain of Egypt’s national team, enters the 2026 World Cup at a pivotal moment in his career following a nine-year tenure at Liverpool. During this time, he secured every possible title domestically and in Europe, including the Premier League and UEFA Champions League.

The World Cup presents a significant opportunity for Salah amid uncertainty regarding his future after leaving Liverpool. He is contemplating his next move—whether to stay in Europe or embark on a new adventure in Saudi Arabia or the United States—making this tournament crucial for re-establishing his presence on the global stage.

Egypt’s national team also aims for historical achievement in this tournament after struggling in past editions. Their previous results include only two draws against the Netherlands and Ireland in 1990 amidst five losses across seven matches.

Vinicius Junior

Despite significant accomplishments with Real Madrid—including three La Liga titles and two Champions League victories—Vinicius Junior’s international impact with Brazil remains limited. His most notable achievement was reaching the Copa America final in 2021 against Argentina.

The upcoming World Cup presents a critical challenge for Vinicius as he navigates uncertainties regarding his future at Real Madrid while seeking to solidify his international value.

Kylian Mbappe

Kylian Mbappe enters the 2026 World Cup with high hopes of overcoming recent disappointments at Real Madrid after failing to secure major titles since joining. Although he won the World Cup with France in 2018, his international career has not seen significant trophies since then aside from the UEFA Nations League title in 2021.

With aspirations to reaffirm his status as one of his generation’s greatest players, this tournament offers Mbappe a chance to shine on an enormous stage.

Lionel Messi

Following Argentina’s victory in the 2022 World Cup, Lionel Messi still has an opportunity for another historic individual achievement: becoming the all-time leading scorer in World Cups. Currently holding 13 goals, he is just three behind Germany’s Miroslav Klose’s record of 16 goals.

Messi hopes to leverage group stage matches against teams like Austria, Algeria, and Jordan to reach this historic milestone. With expectations that this may be his last tournament representing Argentina, he is motivated to conclude his international career on a high note—potentially capturing a second World Cup title.