2026 World Cup Player Props, Goalscoring Odds, Betting Picks

Every four years, the World Cup introduces the planet to some new, younger soccer superstars and says goodbye to some others. With the 2026 even kicking off this in week in Canada, Mexico and the United States, let’s look at some guys in each category and props for the tournament.

Check out our full list of World Cup odds.

Last Gasp For Messi, Ronaldo

Without question, one massive story line of the 2026 World Cup is that it’s the last one for global icons and the two greatest players of their generation in Portugal’s Cristiano Ronaldo and Argentina’s Lionel Messi.

The 41-year-old Ronaldo, winding down his days making north of $200 million a year (US) playing domestically in Saudi Arabia, is looking for his first World Cup title. He’s a five-time winner, though, of the Ballon d’Or as the world’s top player.

It’s possible Ronaldo won’t even be a starter for Portugal at his age at this point, he has been accused of flopping at recent major events and has a single goal in 10 matches (on a penalty) in his last World Cup and Euro Championship combined. He really hasn’t had an impact at the highest levels of club soccer, either, in a good five years. But his eight career World Cup goals are one shy of the country record, and he led Portugal with five in qualifying. To win the Golden Ball as the tournament’s top player, Ronaldo is +2500 and +2000 to be its top goalscorer (Golden Boot). To lead Portugal in goals, he’s +175.

The 38-year-old Messi has been playing in Major League Soccer for a few years so his Q rating in North America is much higher than that of Ronaldo’s. There was much speculation that Messi would retire after winning his first World Cup with Argentina at Qatar 2022. He won the Golden Ball for the second time at the WC, also doing so in 2014 even though his country lost in the final to Germany.

Messi, who has won the Ballon d’Or a record eight times, is +1200 to win another Golden Boot, +1600 for the Golden Ball and +150 leader as Argentina’s leading goalscorer. Messi has 13 career goals in the World Cup.

Ronaldo, Messi and 40-year-old netminder Guillermo Ochoa of Mexico will compete in their sixth different World Cup, the first male players to do so.

Haaland, Yamal Lead Debutants

Ranked No. 31 in the world, Norway is not considered a threat to win the World Cup but it has arguably the best player in the event in 25-year-old Erling Haaland in his tournament debut. During qualifying for the Norwegians, Haaland had a whopping 16 goals (while adding two assists). Those goals equaled the mark of Poland’s Robert Lewandowski in 2018 for most in a single World Cup qualifying campaign.

Last October, the Manchester City star became only the sixth player ever and first in 53 years to reach 50 international goals in fewer than 50 career caps. Haaland already owns the country record for most

all-time goals for the national team with 55 and the Norwegian career mark for most WC goals is only two by Kjetil Rekdal.

Haaland is the +1400 third favourite to lead this event in goals (he’d be favoured if Norway was better) and -280 to lead his country. The overall favourites for the Golden Boot are France’s Kylian Mbappe (+600) and England’s Harry Kane (+700). Mbappe led the 2022 event in goals and Kane did in 2018 in Russia. No player has won the Golden Boot twice.

The youngest player to win the Golden Boot at the World Cup was Germany’s Thomas Muller at 20 years, 274 days old in 2020 in South Africa. That record could be shattered by Spain’s 18-year-old Lamine Yamal, who is +2200 for the most goals in his first World Cup, +250 to lead Spain and +800 second favourite for tournament MVP behind Kane (+750).

Spain is the overall +450 leader to win. Lamine played a key role in leading La Roja to the Euro 2024 title. Another notable 18-year-old to play at a World Cup was Messi in Germany 2006.

2026 World Cup Player Odds Picks

Haaland, Mbappe, Kane and Messi top their teams in goals but Ronaldo and Lamal don’t. Mbappe leads the event in goals for the second consecutive time but is not MVP.