Top 20 Best Football Players in the World Right Now (2026/27 Ranking)

A World Cup won by Spain, a second straight Champions League for PSG, a 73-goal season from Harry Kane and a 39-year-old Lionel Messi still deciding games. Here is who really sits at the top of world football in October 2026, and the numbers behind every place.

Rankings updated: 18 October 2026

Ranking the best footballers on the planet has rarely been harder. The Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo era is fading, and the 2025/26 season did not produce one clear star. Instead, it gave us a record-breaking striker in Germany, a teenage world champion in Barcelona, and a French forward who scored ten goals at a single World Cup without winning a trophy.

The timing also matters. The 2026 Ballon d’Or will be presented in London on 26 October, and the shortlist of 30 men was announced on 8 September. At the same time, the 2026/27 club season is two months old, so early form now counts alongside last season’s achievements.

This ranking explains how the list was built, gives a short summary of the season that shaped it, and then goes through all 20 players from 20th to first. Each entry covers what the player won, the key statistics, and how he has started the new campaign.

How This 2026/27 Ranking Was Decided

Three things decide each place. The first and most important is the full 2025/26 season, including club trophies, goals, assists and big-game moments. The second is the 2026 World Cup in North America, the first edition with 48 teams and 104 matches. The third is form in the opening weeks of 2026/27, up to the matches played on 17 October 2026.

Positions are judged fairly. A defender or holding midfielder cannot match a striker’s goal tally, so their influence on results, clean sheets and major tournaments carries more weight. Statistics come from official club, league and competition sources, with Reuters, AP, ESPN and other established outlets used to confirm results and records.

The Season That Shaped the List

Spain won the World Cup for the second time, beating defending champions Argentina 1-0 after extra time at MetLife Stadium on 19 July. Substitute Ferran Torres scored in the 106th minute. England finished third after a 6-4 win over France, their best World Cup finish since 1966, while Kylian Mbappé took the Golden Boot with ten goals and Rodri was named player of the tournament.

In club football, Paris Saint-Germain retained the Champions League, beating Arsenal 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in Budapest on 30 May. Arsenal still won their first Premier League title since 2004, Bayern Munich scored a Bundesliga-record 122 league goals on the way to a domestic double, Barcelona won La Liga and Inter won Serie A and the Coppa Italia.

The Top 20 at a Glance

Rank	Player	Club	Nation / Position
1	Harry Kane	Bayern Munich	England, Striker
2	Lamine Yamal	Barcelona	Spain, Right winger
3	Kylian Mbappé	Real Madrid	France, Striker
4	Michael Olise	Bayern Munich	France, Right winger
5	Erling Haaland	Manchester City	Norway, Striker
6	Ousmane Dembélé	Paris Saint-Germain	France, Forward
7	Vitinha	Paris Saint-Germain	Portugal, Central midfielder
8	Khvicha Kvaratskhelia	Paris Saint-Germain	Georgia, Left winger
9	Lionel Messi	Inter Miami	Argentina, Forward
10	Rodri	Barcelona	Spain, Defensive midfielder
11	Pau Cubarsí	Barcelona	Spain, Centre-back
12	Declan Rice	Arsenal	England, Central midfielder
13	Luis Díaz	Bayern Munich	Colombia, Forward
14	Vinícius Júnior	Real Madrid	Brazil, Left winger
15	Achraf Hakimi	Paris Saint-Germain	Morocco, Right-back
16	Jude Bellingham	Real Madrid	England, Midfielder
17	Bukayo Saka	Arsenal	England, Right winger
18	Lautaro Martínez	Inter	Argentina, Striker
19	Mikel Oyarzabal	Real Sociedad	Spain, Forward
20	Bruno Fernandes	Manchester United	Portugal, Attacking midfielder

The Top 20 Best Football Players in the World, Ranked

20. Bruno Fernandes (Manchester United, Portugal)

Position: Attacking midfielder Key stat: 21 Premier League assists in 2025/26 (league record)

Bruno Fernandes produced the best creative season the Premier League has ever recorded. On the final day of 2025/26 he set up Patrick Dorgu’s goal against Brighton for his 21st league assist, one more than the previous record of 20 shared by Thierry Henry and Kevin De Bruyne.

That form carried a much-improved Manchester United back into the Champions League with a third-place finish. Fernandes was named Premier League Player of the Season, the first United player to win it since Nemanja Vidić in 2011, and he also collected the Football Writers’ Association award.

His place on this list reflects how much he did with less around him than most players on this list. He did not win a trophy, but he created more chances than anyone else in the division and remains United’s captain and main source of ideas.

19. Mikel Oyarzabal (Real Sociedad, Spain)

Position: Forward Key stat: 32 goals and 9 assists in 2025/26; 5 World Cup goals

The man who scored the winning goal in the Euro 2024 final had the season of his life. Mikel Oyarzabal scored 32 times for Real Sociedad and led the Basque club to the Copa del Rey, all while playing outside Spain’s two traditional giants.

He then delivered for his country again. Oyarzabal scored five goals as Spain won the World Cup, including the penalty that opened the scoring in the 2-0 semi-final win over France in Dallas. Few players have been as reliable in decisive international matches over the last two years.

18. Lautaro Martínez (Inter, Argentina)

Position: Striker Key stat: 30 goals and 10 assists in 2025/26; Serie A top scorer

Lautaro Martínez remains Serie A’s most dependable goalscorer. He finished three goals clear at the top of the league’s scoring chart and captained Inter to both the Scudetto and the Coppa Italia, even though the club suffered an embarrassing Champions League exit to Bodø/Glimt.

At the World Cup he scored the winning goal in Argentina’s semi-final against England. A cruel detail followed: he stayed on the bench for the whole final as Argentina prioritised defence, so he could not repeat the winner he scored in the 2024 Copa América final.

17. Bukayo Saka (Arsenal, England)

Position: Right winger Key stat: Premier League champion; World Cup hat-trick vs France

Bukayo Saka was a central figure as Arsenal finally won the Premier League in 2025/26 and reached their first Champions League final since 2006. His mix of dribbling, chance creation and goals from the right side has made him one of the most complete wide players in Europe.

His summer was frustrating at first, with limited minutes during England’s World Cup run. He answered in the third-place play-off, scoring a hat-trick in the 6-4 win over France to become only the fourth England men’s player to score three goals in a World Cup match. He has opened 2026/27 with three league goals in six games.

16. Jude Bellingham (Real Madrid, England)

Position: Midfielder Key stat: 15 goals in 2025/26; 7 World Cup goals (England record at a major tournament)

Jude Bellingham’s club season was difficult. Two injury spells interrupted his year at Real Madrid, and the club finished without a major trophy. On club form alone, he would not be on this list.

The World Cup changed the picture. Bellingham drove England to the semi-finals with braces against Mexico and Norway in the knockout rounds, then came off the bench to score in the 6-4 win over France. That made seven goals in the tournament, the most by any England player at a single major finals, and earned him a Ballon d’Or nomination.

15. Achraf Hakimi (Paris Saint-Germain, Morocco)

Position: Right-back Key stat: 4 goals and 18 assists in 2025/26; Champions League winner

Achraf Hakimi is the best attacking right-back in the world, and his numbers show it: 18 assists in 2025/26 is a return many wingers would be happy with. He recovered from a thigh injury just in time to play his part in PSG’s Champions League final win.

His international year was unusual. Senegal beat Morocco 1-0 in the Africa Cup of Nations final in January, but CAF’s appeal board later awarded the title to Morocco after ruling that Senegal had forfeited the match by leaving the pitch in protest. Senegal have appealed to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, which held its hearing on 8 October. Hakimi then led Morocco to the World Cup quarter-finals.

14. Vinícius Júnior (Real Madrid, Brazil)

Position: Left winger Key stat: 28 goals and 16 assists in 2025/26; 4 World Cup goals

Vinícius Júnior struggled for much of 2025, scoring only eight La Liga goals in the calendar year. A strong start to 2026, which included four goals in six Champions League knockout games, brought him back to his best level, even though Real Madrid again ended the season without silverware.

He also improved his record for Brazil, scoring four times at the World Cup before the Seleção went out in the round of 16. At 26, he is still one of the most dangerous one-against-one attackers in the game, but the inconsistency of the last 18 months keeps him outside the top ten.

13. Luis Díaz (Bayern Munich, Colombia)

Position: Forward Key stat: 30 goals and 27 assists in 2025/26; Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal winner

Liverpool sold Luis Díaz to Bayern Munich for about €75 million in the summer of 2025, and the move worked perfectly for the player. He quickly formed a strong partnership with Harry Kane and finished with 57 goal involvements as Bayern won the league, the DFB-Pokal and the German Super Cup.

Díaz is valuable because he can play on either wing or through the middle, and he presses as hard as he attacks. His World Cup ended early when Colombia lost on penalties to Switzerland in the round of 16, which is the main reason he is not higher.

12. Declan Rice (Arsenal, England)

Position: Central midfielder Key stat: 8 goals and 15 assists in 2025/26; Premier League champion

Declan Rice has become the engine of the best defensive team in England. He combined ball-winning, long forward runs and dangerous set-piece delivery as Arsenal won the Premier League and reached the Champions League final, where their defence conceded only six goals in the whole competition before Budapest.

He scored England’s opener in the World Cup third-place match against France, and he has started 2026/27 in strong form, leading the Premier League assist chart after six games. Arsenal are reportedly close to giving him a new long-term contract that would match Saka as the club’s highest earner.

11. Pau Cubarsí (Barcelona, Spain)

Position: Centre-back Key stat: World Cup Best Young Player; 26 clean sheets in 2025/26

Pau Cubarsí is the only centre-back in this top 20. At 19, he won La Liga with Barcelona and then became a key part of a Spain defence that conceded just one goal in eight World Cup matches.

FIFA named him the tournament’s Best Young Player. What makes Cubarsí special is not only his defending but his passing: he regularly breaks the opposition press with balls through the lines, a skill normally associated with midfielders. Many observers rated him the best centre-back at the World Cup.

10. Rodri (Barcelona, Spain)

Position: Defensive midfielder Key stat: World Cup Golden Ball 2026; Ballon d’Or winner 2024

For most of 2025/26, Rodri did not look like the player who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or. He was still recovering his fitness after a serious knee (ACL) injury, and although Manchester City won the FA Cup and Carabao Cup, he was often off the pace.

The World Cup was a different story. As Spain’s captain, he controlled the midfield throughout the tournament and was awarded the Golden Ball as its best player. In August, Barcelona signed him from City for a reported fee of around €75 million on a contract until 2030, ending seven years at the Etihad that brought 12 major trophies.

He arrived in Catalonia while working back from a minor back operation, so his early weeks at Barcelona have been about building fitness. If his body allows it, a midfield with Rodri, Pedri and Lamine Yamal ahead of them could shape the 2026/27 season.

9. Lionel Messi (Inter Miami, Argentina)

Position: Forward Key stat: 44 goals and 30 assists in 2025/26; 8 World Cup goals at 39

Many people expected Lionel Messi to fade quietly in Major League Soccer. Instead, he led Inter Miami to their first MLS Cup in December 2025, providing six goals and seven assists in six play-off matches, and won a second straight MLS MVP award.

At the World Cup, aged 39, he scored eight goals and added four assists as Argentina reached the final, finishing second only to Mbappé in the scoring chart. On 6 October 2026 he played his 208th and final match for Argentina, a friendly against Benin, and signed off with his 126th international goal.

He is still producing at club level too. A brace against Atlanta United on 17 October took him to 25 MLS goals this season, the most in the league, and to 936 career goals. He has also earned another Ballon d’Or nomination.

8. Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (Paris Saint-Germain, Georgia)

Position: Left winger Key stat: 23 goals and 10 assists in 2025/26; Champions League winner

Khvicha Kvaratskhelia was the outstanding player of the Champions League knockout stage. He became the first player in the competition’s history to score or assist in seven consecutive knockout matches, including two late goals in a 5-2 win over Chelsea, and he won the penalty that allowed PSG to equalise in the final.

His league form was less consistent, and because Georgia failed to qualify for the World Cup he had no chance to add to his case in the summer. Luis Enrique has also used him more carefully this autumn, sometimes from the bench, but his ability to beat defenders and finish under pressure is close to unmatched.

7. Vitinha (Paris Saint-Germain, Portugal)

Position: Central midfielder Key stat: 7 goals and 10 assists in 2025/26; Player of the Match in the Champions League final

Vitinha finished third in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting and has only improved since. He is the player who sets the rhythm for PSG, receiving the ball under pressure, moving it quickly and controlling the tempo of games. He was named Player of the Match in the Champions League final against Arsenal.

He has also added more goals and assists to his game. That was clear on 14 October 2026, when he scored a fine curling shot in PSG’s 4-2 Champions League win at Manchester City. Portugal’s disappointing World Cup, ending with a 1-0 loss to Spain in the round of 16, is the only weakness in his recent record.

6. Ousmane Dembélé (Paris Saint-Germain, France)

Position: Forward Key stat: 25 goals and 14 assists in 2025/26; reigning Ballon d’Or holder

Ousmane Dembélé won the 2025 Ballon d’Or and spent much of the following season fighting injuries, including hamstring and calf problems. Once fit, he showed his class again, scoring decisive goals against Liverpool and Bayern Munich in the Champions League knockouts.

In the final, PSG were losing 1-0 until Dembélé scored the 65th-minute penalty that took the match to extra time and, eventually, a shootout win. He was finally a World Cup scorer too, with six goals for France, including a hat-trick against Norway.

PSG are now managing his workload carefully. He was rested for a league game against Le Mans in October after international duty, but he scored in the 4-2 win at Manchester City days later. At 29, his talent is not in doubt; his availability is the only question.

5. Erling Haaland (Manchester City, Norway)

Position: Striker Key stat: 58 goals in 2025/26; 7 World Cup goals

Erling Haaland went through a dry spell at the start of 2026 and City left the Champions League early, but he still finished 2025/26 with 58 goals for club and country. He won his third Premier League Golden Boot in four seasons, plus the FA Cup and Carabao Cup.

His summer was historic for Norway. In the country’s first World Cup since 1998, he scored seven goals, was named in FIFA’s Dream XI and led Norway to the quarter-finals, their best-ever finish at the tournament.

He has started 2026/27 under new City manager Enzo Maresca at full speed, with ten goals in his first nine games. His brace in the 4-2 defeat to PSG on 14 October made him Manchester City’s all-time top scorer in the Champions League, with 37 goals in 41 matches.

4. Michael Olise (Bayern Munich, France)

Position: Right winger Key stat: 26 goals and 41 assists in 2025/26; World Cup record 7 assists

No player in Europe created more than Michael Olise last season. His 41 assists, alongside 26 goals, made him the main supplier for Bayern’s record-breaking attack as they won the Bundesliga, the DFB-Pokal and the German Super Cup.

He also forced his way into a crowded France attack and became one of the stars of the World Cup, providing a record-breaking seven assists. Few players combine dribbling, vision and finishing with his left foot at this level.

At 24, he is still improving. He scored the first club hat-trick of his career in a 7-0 win over Union Berlin in September and has eight goals and three assists in nine games this season. The only blemish so far is a red card in the 3-3 Champions League draw with Viking on 13 October.

3. Kylian Mbappé (Real Madrid, France)

Position: Striker Key stat: 42 club goals in 2025/26; World Cup Golden Boot and all-time record 22 World Cup goals

Kylian Mbappé’s individual numbers in 2025/26 were enormous. He scored 42 goals for Real Madrid, won the Pichichi as La Liga’s top scorer with 25, and finished as the Champions League top scorer with 15. He carried a struggling team for months, even playing through a knee problem.

At the World Cup, he scored ten goals to win a second Golden Boot. His two goals against England in the third-place match took him to 22 World Cup goals in total, moving him past Miroslav Klose’s old record of 16 to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.

The one thing missing is a team trophy: Real Madrid won nothing and France lost to Spain in the semi-finals. Mbappé has started 2026/27 strongly, with seven goals and two assists in his first eight La Liga games, and he turns 28 in December still chasing his first Ballon d’Or.

2. Lamine Yamal (Barcelona, Spain)

Position: Right winger Key stat: 26 goals and 21 assists in 2025/26; World Cup and La Liga winner

Lamine Yamal finished second in the 2025 Ballon d’Or voting at 18, and he followed it with another title-winning season at Barcelona. He produced 26 goals and 21 assists and won La Liga and the Spanish Super Cup, even though a left hamstring injury suffered against Celta Vigo on 22 April ended his club season early.

He arrived at the World Cup still building fitness, so Spain increased his minutes slowly. He grew into the tournament in the knockout rounds, winning the penalty in the semi-final against France, and he helped Spain to their first world title since 2010. His personal output was lower than usual, which is why he does not take first place.

His start to 2026/27 has been exceptional. After the 5-2 win at Real Betis on 17 October, he already has nine goals and ten assists this season. With El Clásico against Real Madrid coming on 25 October, he is the strongest candidate to be the best player in the world over the next decade.

1. Harry Kane (Bayern Munich, England)

Position: Striker Key stat: 73 goals and 8 assists for club and country in 2025/26; European Golden Shoe

Harry Kane’s 2025/26 season was the best of his career and one of the best scoring seasons this century. He scored 61 goals in just 51 competitive matches for Bayern Munich, the most by any player in Europe, plus 12 more for England, for a total of 73 goals in 65 games. According to the Bundesliga, only one goal tally since 2000 is higher: Lionel Messi’s 82.

The goals came with trophies. Kane scored 36 Bundesliga goals to finish as the league’s top scorer for a third straight season, won a second European Golden Shoe, and helped Bayern win the league, the DFB-Pokal and the Super Cup. He scored a goal every 66 minutes in the Bundesliga, and he passed 500 career goals for club and country in February.

He also scored six times at the World Cup as England reached the semi-finals for their best finish since 1966. Only a trophy for his country was missing, but no other player combined volume, consistency and titles in the same way across the whole season.

He has not slowed down at 33. Kane has seven club goals and six assists in eight games in 2026/27, including two in the 3-3 draw with Viking, and in October he equalled Peter Shilton’s record of 125 England caps. That combination of past achievement and current form makes him the best footballer in the world right now.

Close but Not Quite: Players Just Outside the Top 20

Several players came close to the list. Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya won the Premier League Golden Glove for a third straight season and conceded only five goals on the way to the Champions League final. PSG midfielder Fabián Ruiz won six trophies, including the World Cup. Barcelona’s Raphinha and Pedri, Arsenal’s William Saliba and Real Madrid’s Federico Valverde also deserve mention.

Who Is the Best Football Player in the World Right Now?

This ranking shows how open world football has become. Six different clubs are represented in the top ten, spread across five countries and two continents. Harry Kane leads because his 2025/26 season combined record goal numbers with trophies, while Lamine Yamal and Kylian Mbappé are close enough that one strong month could change the order.

The next big test arrives quickly. The Ballon d’Or is presented in London on 26 October, a day after El Clásico, and the Champions League league phase continues with Bayern against Arsenal and PSG against Barcelona this week. This list will be updated as the 2026/27 season develops.