World Cup 2026 Golden Ball Power Rankings: Lionel Messi surges to No.1 after hat-trick heroics as Harry Kane & Kylian Mbappe make early moves

Viktor Gyokeres and Alexander Isak made the headlines, but it was midfielder Yasin Ayari who got Sweden up and running against Tunisia with a sensational strike from outside the box. It sparked a goalfest for his team and he was there to wrap it up in the dying seconds with another rocket that left the goalkeeper with no chance.

Kai Havertz put on a stellar performance in Germany's 7-1 win against Curacao. His penalty to make it 3-1 took total control of the game on the stroke of half-time. Germany steamrolled Curacao in the second period and Havertz didn't let up, scoring again in the 88th minute to wrap up the scoring.

After Germany's bright start against Curacao was cancelled out by a surprise goal from the island nation, it was Nico Schlotterbeck who put them back on track with a fine header.

Not only that, the Borussia Dortmund centre-back was sublime in every other aspect. He constantly cut out Curacao's brightest attacks with his dominance on the ground and in the air, made several clearances and was a reliable passer throughout.

Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres showed that Sweden have a fine attacking partnership at their disposal. Isak was instrumental, opening his account 30 minutes into the game against Tunisia before setting up two more in a 5-1 win that shows they are in great shape ahead of matches against Netherlands and Japan.

As the Cape Verde goalkeeper, Vozinho is not likely to stay on the list for long, but his first World Cup display made him a global phenomenon.

He made an awesome seven saves and had total command of his box as Cape Verde pulled off a heroic 0-0 draw against Euro 2024 winners Spain. The 40-year-old was the focus of headlines around the world and will hope to put on a similar display against Uruguay.

With a whopping 61 goals in 51 games for Bayern Munich last season, European Golden Shoe winner Harry Kane will strike fear into any defence he comes across in this competition.

Kane has often faced allegations of not living up to the big occasion for England, but he proved he's built for the task with a double against Croatia in the first game. He was a direct threat and helped create a couple of chances, further showcasing his importance to Thomas Tuchel's side.

Erling Haaland announced himself on the World Cup stage with a bang. The Norway striker had his name on the scoresheet within 30 minutes of his side's opener against Iraq and then popped up to restore their lead just before half-time in a tough battle against the Middle Eastern nation.

Norway went on to win 4-1, with the Manchester City forward taking home the Man of the Match award. Repeats against Senegal and France would provide a huge boost to his chances of winning the top individual prize.

Kane may have got the lion's share of the goals in Bayern Munich's blistering campaign, but it was Michael Olise who captured the hearts of many fans. The Bundesliga player of the year's electrifying pace, immense control and fantastic finishing ability saw him net 20 goals and register 25 assists across the German top-flight and Champions League, where Bayern reached the semi-finals.

A similar dynamic is at play in the France squad, with Mbappe being heralded for his goals bit Olise earning plaudits for his stunning work around the box. His pinpoint pass set up Mbappe to open the scoring against Senegal in the first game, and his excellent use of the ball saw him named FIFA's Man of the Match in the 3-1 win.

When you consider that the 27-year-old Kylian Mbappe had both gold and silver medals under his belt and the same goal record as Brazil icon Pele (12 in 14 games) heading into the tournament, his status as a World Cup great was already undeniable.

Mbappe is seemingly out to become the best ever player on this stage, though, having moved ahead of the Brazilian icon in his first game in the United States, scoring twice to help fire Les Bleus to a 3-1 win. He was deadly against Senegal thanks to his telepathic connection with Olise, and there are surely more magical moments to come.

Now he's just getting greedy! Lionel Messi has won it all in his career - most of it on more than one occasion - and is well aware of what it takes to win the Golden Ball. He already has two in his trophy cabinet and with his 39th birthday coming up during the World Cup, it is a testament to his longevity that he remains a favourite yet again.

The Argentine sensation, who beat Mbappe to the prize four years ago, started the 2026 edition with a hat-trick against Algeria as Argentina ran out 3-0 winners in their first game. The treble made him the World Cup's joint-top scorer of all-time with 16, showing he has it in him to lead Argentina all the way again.