Marvel at These Global Soccer Stars

Jamal Musiala | Germany

Jamal Musiala’s game-breaking skills inspire awe: he moves through defenders with elasticity, the ball rarely more than a step ahead of him. He came of age at Bayern Munich, where he has already racked up Bundesliga titles and a Champions League win—all before turning 24. Now in his prime, Musiala blends technical mastery with dizzying improvisation. For Germany, he’ll be the hinge between midfield and attack, a player capable of turning controlled possession into goals.

Florian Wirtz | Germany

At Bayer Leverkusen, Wirtz emerged as one of Europe’s most productive attacking midfielders. Even after setbacks, including a serious ACL injury that jeopardized his career in 2022, the 23-year-old’s game remains intact, shaped by vision and precision rather than pace and power. He and Musiala will lead Germany’s offence in Toronto, but Wirtz offers a different kind of creativity than his teammate’s: less improvisational, more architectural, constructing attacks piece by piece.

Mohammed Kudus | Ghana

Defenders never rest when sharing the pitch with Mohammed Kudus. Born in Accra, he honed his skills on local pitches before moving to Europe as a teenager. In 2020, he signed for the Netherlands’ biggest club, Ajax, then earned a move to the Premier League with West Ham, where he blossomed into a versatile forward and a beautiful dribbler. In 2026, Kudus will be Team Ghana’s focal point, accelerating play, drawing defenders and creating opportunities that teammates can exploit.

Amad Diallo | Côte D’Ivoire

Diallo was trafficked as a child, moving from Abidjan to Italy at the age of 12, one of the thousands of African boys smuggled into Europe every year to access elite academies. He eventually landed at Manchester United and put it all behind him. Compact and two-footed, he twists and turns in tight spaces, taking unpredictable routes to goal. He’s Côte D’Ivoire’s most dynamic attacking threat and, at 23, he has a chance to establish himself as one of the game’s very best.

Kevin De Bruyne | Belgium

In Kevin De Bruyne’s decade at Manchester City, he became one of the best midfielders in Premier League history, winning six titles and a Champions League. He also amassed a highlight reel of exquisite passes, carving open packed defences to create an endless parade of chances for any striker sharp enough to keep up. This will probably be his last World Cup (he’s 34). It’s also the last chance for Belgium’s golden generation to finally win something after falling short so many times. If they do it, he’ll be why.