♢THE WORL'S SPORT'S
⚽ Lionel Messi
A record eight-time Ballon d’Or winner and arguably the greatest footballer of all time, Messi is expected to steal the limelight at the Club World Cup.
The 37-year-old forward and captain of Inter Miami will be looking to guide the MLS side to the Club World Cup title in front of their home fans during their debut at the tournament.
Making 25 appearances in his full debut season for Inter Miami, Messi scored 23 goals and provided 13 assists, leading them to the MLS Supporters’ Shield triumph in 2024. In the ongoing MLS season, he has made 20 appearances and scored 15 goals.
The forward, who will turn 38 during the tournament, has put Inter Miami in the spotlight since his arrival at the club in 2023.
⚽ Kylian Mbappe
France forward Mbappe joined Real Madrid in 2024 and grabbed the headlines during his first season at the Spanish club, finishing as La Liga’s top scorer with 31 goals.
With 43 goals in 56 matches in all competitions in 2024-25, Mbappe also became Real Madrid’s top goal scorer in a debut campaign, surpassing Ivan Zamorano (37 goals in 1992-93) and Cristiano Ronaldo (33 goals in 2009-10).
⚽Vinicius Jr (Real Madrid)
The Brazilian is another Madrid player expected to create havoc on the field.The 24-year-old scored 21 goals and had 15 assists in 52 matches in all competitions for the Spanish giants, who finished second in the league.Vinicius, who signed with Real at the age of 17, is regarded as one of the most exciting talents and was seen as an unlucky runner-up at the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
⚽Harry Kane
Kane enjoyed the best phase of his career during the 2024-25 season, winning his first major title as Bayern Munich were crowned the Bundesliga champions.
The 31-year-old also made Bundesliga history as the first player to finish as the top scorer in both his first two seasons, netting 26 goals in Bayern’s title-winning campaign.
Kane, who captains England, said his individual achievement marked the “perfect end” to a “brilliant season” with the Bavarians.
The Englishman will be key to Bayern’s chances of lifting their third Club World Cup title, having last won in 2020.
⚽ Haaland
Haaland found the net 31 times in 44 appearances for City in 2024-25 as Pep Guardiola’s side finished third in the Premier League. While they qualified for the Champions League for 2025-26, Haaland was upset at the club’s failure to win a fifth league title in a row, calling it “a horrific season”.
Looking to move on from the disappointment, the Norwegian will be aiming to win the Club World Cup for the first time with City, having missed their 2023 triumph due to injury.
The 24-year-old striker, known for his relentless pursuit of goals, was the third highest goal scorer in the Premier League’s last season with 22.
⚽Ousmane Dembele
French forward Dembele played a vital role in PSG’s dominant performance en route to the 2024-25 Ligue 1 title as the Parisian club finished a whopping 19 points clear at the top. Dembele chipped in with 21 league goals in 29 appearances, finishing as the top scorer for the first time. The 28-year-old was also named the Ligue 1 Player of the Season.
With eight goals in the Champions League, Dembele also enjoyed a stellar season in Europe, finishing the campaign by winning the continent’s premier club competition.
PSG will count on Dembele to score more goals and help them land their fifth trophy of the season, having already completed a domestic treble of the Ligue 1 title, Coupe de France and French Super Cup.
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