10 star players who will disappoint at the 2026 World Cup

Neymar

Alongside the brilliant performances, the 2026 World Cup also witnessed the forgettable decline of a number of stars familiar to fans.

Nunez 1

1. Darwin Nunez: The number 9 star endured a disappointing 2026 World Cup with Uruguay. Playing 156 minutes across three group stage matches, he was completely invisible, with zero goals and assists. Nunez’s form hit rock bottom, culminating in a dismal performance against Spain, leading to countless criticisms from fans.

Federico Valverde
2. Federico Valverde: Despite wearing the captain’s armband, he and his teammates had a disappointing 2026 World Cup, failing to help Uruguay advance beyond the group stage. The Real Madrid star played in all three matches, however, his impact at the tournament in North America was relatively minimal.
Ronado
3. Cristiano Ronaldo: Despite contributing 3 goals, Cristiano Ronaldo’s 2026 World Cup ended in great disappointment. At 41 years old, CR7 showed clear signs of fatigue, failing to score in 3 out of 5 matches. His inconsistent performance was partly responsible for Portugal’s helpless defeat in the Round of 16 against Spain (losing 0-1).
Nema
4. Neymar: Neymar’s 2026 World Cup was a bitter low point as he struggled with injury problems. Despite scoring a penalty in the Round of 16 clash against Norway on July 6th, the number 10 star couldn’t help Brazil come back and ultimately lost 1-2.
Son Heung Min
5. Son Heung-min: With South Korea eliminated in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, the former Tottenham Hotspur player’s performance was equally poor. He contributed neither goals nor assists in this year’s tournament.
Lucas Paqueta
6. Lucas Paqueta: Assigned to lead the Brazilian midfield in the 2026 World Cup, however, he plays slowly and lacks ball feel. In the encounter with Japan in the round of 32 on June 30, the former West Ham midfielder even had to leave the field halfway due to injury.
Christian Pulisic
7. Christian Pulisic: As “Captain America” ​​leading the host nation USA, the former Chelsea midfielder didn’t impress much. He contributed just one assist in four appearances.
Joshua Kimmich
8. Joshua Kimmich: As captain, he bears some responsibility for Germany’s bitter early exit. While not entirely his personal fault, the midfielder’s career with the national team has coincidentally mirrored “Die Mannschaft’s” poor run of form over the past few years.
Bruno Fernandes
9. Bruno Fernandes: Despite having just received the Premier League Player of the Season award and carrying immense expectations, he had a forgettable World Cup. The midfielder’s most memorable moments were just his helpless waving of the hands and one assist.
Scott Mctominay
10. Scott McTominay: Expected to help Scotland qualify for the World Cup after 28 years, McTominay had a lackluster tournament. The former Manchester United player performed ineffectively in the North American competition.

 

10 young star players poised to shine at the 2026 World Cup

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

DMCA.com Protection Status