The knockout stage of the FIFA World Cup 2026 is officially underway, with the tournament entering its most decisive phase. As teams compete for a place in the next round, every match has become a high-stakes battle where a single mistake could end a nation’s World Cup dream.
Among the standout performers in the group stage, Argentina captain Lionel Messi delivered another remarkable display. The veteran forward scored six goals in three matches, taking his overall FIFA World Cup tally across all editions to 19 goals—the highest by any men’s player in the tournament’s history. Messi has also outscored several of football’s biggest stars at the 2026 World Cup, including Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior, and Erling Haaland, who have each netted four goals so far.
Despite his impressive scoring record, Messi is not the highest-ranked outfield player in FIFA’s newly introduced World Cup 2026 Power Rankings. The data-driven ranking system evaluates players based on their performances throughout the tournament rather than only their goal contributions.
According to FIFA, outfield players are assessed in three key areas—attacking, creativity, and defending—with scores ranging from 0 to 10 in each category. Goalkeepers are evaluated based on possession and goalkeeping performance. The combined scores determine each player’s overall ranking during the tournament.
Germany forward Deniz Undav currently leads the FIFA World Cup 2026 Power Rankings. The VfB Stuttgart striker earned an attacking score of 8.36, creativity score of 6.78, and defending score of 4.70, placing him at the top of the list.
Messi follows closely in second place after receiving scores of 8.34 for attacking, 6.43 for creativity, and 5.14 for defending.
France star Kylian Mbappe occupies third place with ratings of 8.13 in attacking, 7.25 in creativity, and 4.59 in defending. Brazil winger Vinicius Junior is ranked fourth after recording scores of 7.92, 6.39, and 4.75 respectively.
Meanwhile, Portugal captain Cristiano Ronaldo is placed 79th in the latest FIFA World Cup 2026 Power Rankings, with scores of 5.72 in attacking, 4.98 in creativity, and 4.74 in defending.