World Cup Player Ranking: Messi Leads, Others Shine and Disappoint

1) Lionel Messi, Argentina

Messi was always going to be No 1. In what was likely his last World Cup, the Argentinian put together an incredible tournament, registering eight goals, four assists and the most progressive passes of any player, according to Futi. With zero defensive responsibility on his shoulders, Messi was free to do as he liked. The 39-year-old roamed the field with ease and effortlessly drew Argentina back from the brink time and time again. It was Messi who led his country to a 3-2 win against Cape Verde, Messi who assisted and then equalized against Egypt, and Messi who created both of Argentina’s late goals against England. In the final, however, Messi disappeared. Across 139 minutes including stoppage time, Messi completed just 28 of 39 passes, registered only one shot and hardly affected the game. He may have left the tournament with no personal or team accolades – a rarity for him – but Messi extended a World Cup legacy that few players have ever to come close to rivaling.

2) Rodrigo De Paul, Argentina

De Paul started all but two of Argentina’s games on their path to the final and played 70 minutes against Spain. The Inter Miami midfielder was aggressive and good at keeping the ball; he was never going to be the star of the show, but he played his part well and helped his nation reach a second straight World Cup final.

3) Stephen Eustáquio, Canada

Eustáquio was one of Canada’s primary creators and most important players at the World Cup. The midfielder put in cross after cross and generated 2.76 chances as well as 0.36 expected assists (xA) per 90 minutes. His 46 total progressive passes ranked sixth among all players at the World Cup. Then, in the dying minutes of Canada’s last-32 matchup against South Africa, the 29-year-old intercepted a clearance, chested the ball down and slotted a half-volley shot into the bottom corner, securing a first World Cup knockout victory for his nation. (Eustáquio spent the four months before the World Cup on loan with Los Angeles FC, but has since returned to Porto.)

4) Mbekezeli Mbokazi, South Africa

The Chicago Fire defender and former Orlando Pirates captain entered the tournament as South Africa’s youngest player to be called up at just 20. Yet Mbokazi appeared one of the most experienced players on the field for Bafana Bafana. His performances at the World Cup were so impressive that they turned heads internationally – his transfer value according to Transfermarkt rose from $4m prior to the tournament to more than $9m after it.

5) Matías Galarza, Paraguay

Galarza started in all but the first of Paraguay’s World Cup matches, scoring the lone goal against Turkey and assisting Julio Enciso’s strike against Germany in the knockouts. Paraguay’s average possession across all of their games was 29%, which ranked them last among all teams in the tournament. This certainly limited Galarza’s efficacy in the attack, but the midfielder showed he could fit within that system just fine. (Galarza departed Atlanta United after a loan and returned to River Plate.)

6) Andrés Cubas, Paraguay

Cubas played an important role for Paraguay as their destroyer in midfield, playing every possible minute across all five games. The Vancouver Whitecaps midfielder was integral to Paraguay’s defensive stability that saw them take Germany to penalties and hold France to just one goal. In the quarter-final matchup, Cubas won seven of 12 duels, logged seven tackles and three interceptions and got into a kerfuffle with Kylian Mbappé.

7) Finn Surman, New Zealand

Surman had a breakout first two games for New Zealand and looked like one of the All Whites’ best players, consistently saving his nation through last-ditch tackles and crucial clearances. The 22-year-old Portland Timbers center-back contributed offensively, too, scoring New Zealand’s lone goal in their 3-1 defeat to Egypt.

8) Sebastian Berhalter, USA

Berhalter was one of Mauricio Pochettino’s preferred substitutes, making an appearance in every match the US played. In his only start, he was deployed at the No 6 position, which created major defensive issues for the US. This was more due to the dearth of defensive midfielders on Pochettino’s roster than any personal failing of Berhalter, and the Vancouver Whitecaps man (who is reportedly bound for Middlesbrough) was still able to contribute by scoring a goal and assisting another.

9) Steven Moreira, Cape Verde

While he may not have grabbed as many headlines as Cape Verde’s other full-back, Sidny Lopes Cabral, Columbus’s Moreira was a centerpiece of the team’s backline and helped power his nation to near-glory against Spain, Uruguay and Argentina.

10) Aiden O’Neill, Australia

O’Neill played a familiar role for Australia, operating in much the same way he operates for New York City FC as a quiet, consistent, possession-oriented central midfielder. The veteran won the Superior Player of the Match award for his performance against Paraguay and followed it up with an impressive performance against Egypt.

11) Matt Freese, USA

Like Tim Ream, Freese had his tournament defined by one poor game and, ultimately, just one poor moment. The 27-year-old NYC FC keeper was otherwise impressive in goal; his passing was accurate and he made nine saves through four games.

12) James Rodríguez, Colombia

Rodríguez, 12 years after his breakout World Cup in Brazil, appeared aged in the United States, where he joined Minnesota United on loan earlier this year. Just two years ago, he put together a legacy run at Copa América with one goal and six assists in six matches, leading Colombia to a heartbreaking second-place finish behind Argentina. That magic that Rodríguez summoned then, and on so many previous occasions, escaped him in his final outing on the world’s stage. Moments of quality remained, but with no end-product to show for it and a disappointing last-16 exit to Switzerland, Rodríguez’s World Cup journey, like his club career, came to a drawn-out, empty close.

13) Juan Manuel Sanabria, Uruguay

Sanabria started two of Uruguay’s three group-stage games, including their final match against Spain, where the Real Salt Lake man was tasked with defending Lamine Yamal. The Spaniard was mostly quieted by Sanabria; Yamal created just 0.03 xG and 0.10 xA while only completing five of his 12 attempted dribbles.

14) Richie Laryea, Canada

Laryea contributed 0.26 xA per 90 minutes during the World Cup and helped progress the ball along Canada’s left flank, but struggled at moments defensively. Against Bosnia and Herzegovina, it was Laryea’s mark that opened the scoring off of an in-swinging corner, and in the Switzerland match, Laryea was frequently out of position or unwilling to track back. The Toronto FC defender has long been a mainstay of the Canada team, but his performances in this World Cup lacked any real spark.

15) Tim Ream, USA

For a second, it seemed as if the capital-V Veteran defender had hardly aged since Qatar. That notion came crashing down, alongside the rest of the US team, in a 4-1 thrashing at the hands of Belgium. Ream, however, was perhaps the game’s greatest casualty. On Belgium’s opener, the 38-year-old Charlotte center-back was caught unaware by an in-form Charles De Ketelaere, who scored a poacher’s goal with Ream nowhere to be seen. Then, just two minutes after the US equalized, Ream was humiliated by De Ketelaere yet again as the Belgian climbed above him to reach a back-post cross and slot it in the back of the net.

16) Lucas Herrington, Australia

At just 18, Herrington ranked as the youngest player on Australia’s World Cup roster but nevertheless, the Colorado Rapids center-back worked his way into the squad, earning a start in each of Australia’s final two matches.

17) Maxime Crépeau, Canada

Crépeau, who plays for Orlando City, left the tournament with six goals conceded and a meager six saves through five games.

18) Son Heung-min, South Korea

The World Cup was full of disappointment for the 34-year-old. Son was unable to score in either of his two starts, and the LAFC forward was left on the bench in South Korea’s must-win final group-stage game.

19) Petar Musa, Croatia

The FC Dallas striker, through two starts and 110 minutes for Croatia, managed just one shot, which he converted.

20) Danley Jean Jacques, Haiti

Philadelphia’s Jean Jacques operated alongside Jean-Ricner Bellegarde in Haiti’s double pivot, but given Haiti’s status as the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, the midfield pair faced an uphill battle in every match.

21) Carlos Harvey, Panama

Harvey started in all three of Panama’s group-stage games and apart from a couple of dangerous headers off of corners and throw-ins, the 6ft 1in Minnesota midfielder had a mostly quiet tournament.

22) Marco Pasalic, Croatia

The 25-year-old Orlando City winger managed a productive start in Croatia’s third group-stage game but made a mess of his one golden opportunity to get on the scoresheet.

23) Miguel Almirón, Paraguay

Almirón registered just four shots and 0.11 xG through four World Cup starts, but the Atlanta attacker will almost exclusively be remembered for receiving a red card against Turkey after covering his mouth during an “altercation” between the two teams. It was the first example of the International Football Association Board’s new mouth-covering ban being implemented.

24) Michael Boxall, New Zealand

The veteran Minnesota defender came into the tournament as one of its oldest players, and appeared a half-step behind on nearly every goal that the All Whites conceded.

25) Jacob Shaffelburg, Canada

LAFC’s Shaffelburg appeared as a substitute in all five of Canada’s matches, but was unable to meaningfully affect the game when on the field.

26) Ahmed Qasem, Iraq

Qasem appeared in all of Iraq’s games and played a full 90 minutes against France. The Nashville forward started again in the final group-stage match but was hooked early amid a tactical reshuffle after the ejection of Iraq’s Rebin Sulaka in the 13th minute.

27) Louicius Deedson, Haiti

FC Dallas winger Deedson played in all three of Haiti’s group-stage losses, totaling 112 minutes and 13 completed passes.

28) Mathieu Choinière, Canada

The LAFC midfielder made just one appearance: a start in Canada’s 2-1 loss to Switzerland.

29) Matt Turner, USA

The former starting goalkeeper for the US and current New England Revolution No 1 was handed the start against Turkey and conceded three goals while registering not a single save.

30) Miles Robinson, USA

It became clear throughout the World Cup that Pochettino had little faith in his defensive backups, with the FC Cincinnati center-back’s only minutes coming in a meaningless final group-stage game.

31) Kai Trewin, Australia

The NYC FC defender replaced the injured Jordan Bos at half-time of Australia’s knockout match against Egypt and helped see the game to penalties.

32) Braian Ojeda, Paraguay

The Orlando City midfielder’s only cameo was a 21-minute outing against Germany in the last 32, during which he logged just nine touches.

33) Derrick Etienne Jr, Haiti

The Toronto winger played nine minutes against Brazil in Haiti’s second group-stage match, completing four passes.

34) Jayden Nelson, Canada

The Austin FC winger entered in the 87th minute of Canada’s knockout matchup against Morocco that finished in a 3-0 loss.

35) Aníbal Godoy, Panama

Godoy completed eight of eight passes in his single minute plus stoppage time against Ghana, but the San Diego midfielder was unable to prevent the opponent from scoring a last-minute winner in the dying seconds of the match.

36) Jonathan Osorio, Canada

Toronto’s captain made two substitute appearances in the 87th minute or later, with neither outing being particularly fruitful.

37) Max Arfsten, USA

The Columbus winger entered at the 90th minute of the US’s 4-1 round of 16 loss to Belgium and was unable to touch the ball before the final whistle.