Sports
Who are the NFL’s top players 25 and under? How execs, coaches rank Stroud, Jefferson and others
As another NFL season nears its kickoff, the league’s best young players are working hard to continue their ascents. Some are already among the NFL’s elite. Others have exhibited promise and appear destined for stardom.
So, who are the NFL’s top 25 players who are 25 and younger? We reached out to 12 league front-office members, coaches or scouts for their thoughts, and they were granted anonymity so they could speak freely about the players. The participants were given a list of 35 potential players for inclusion and asked for feedback on where each might rank. Any player who met our age qualification and had earned All-Rookie, All-Pro or Pro Bowl honors was included for consideration.
Players had to be 25 or younger as of Week 1 of the 2024 NFL regular season. That criteria eliminated some talented young stars, including quarterbacks Justin Herbert and Jalen Hurts, who both made this team last year but turned 26 in recent months.
Competition was thick, as every talent evaluator views players differently. But we narrowed it down to this robust group of players who have already established themselves as the game’s best, or are the closest to this accolade.
We also assembled an All-25-and-Under team, since the overall top 25 didn’t include a player at every position. You can find the All-25-and-Under team below as well.
Top 25
1. Justin Jefferson, WR, Minnesota Vikings. Age: 25 (DOB: 6/16/99)
A hamstring injury caused him to miss seven games last year, and Jefferson still posted the fourth 1,000-yard season of his career. That helped him earn a four-year, $140 million deal from the Vikings this summer, which made him the highest-paid wideout in the league. Jefferson was No. 1 on the 25-and-under list last year as well.
2. Micah Parsons, LB/DE, Dallas Cowboys. Age: 25 (5/26/99)
The unstoppable Parsons last season recorded a career-high 14 sacks. That brought him up to 40 1/2 for his career, and put him in elite company: Reggie White, Derrick Thomas, Aldon Smith and Dwight Freeney are the only other players in NFL history to tally 40 sacks in their first three NFL seasons. Parsons was No. 2 on last year’s 25-and-under list but, like Jefferson, he will age out next year.
3. Ja’Marr Chase, WR, Cincinnati Bengals. Age: 24 (3/1/00)
Despite Joe Burrow’s injury-shortened 2023, Chase still delivered his third consecutive 1,000-yard season. He and Jefferson belong to an extremely exclusive club of game-changing wide receivers.
4. CeeDee Lamb, WR, Dallas Cowboys. Age: 25 (4/8/99)
Lamb led the NFL with 135 catches while recording a career-best 1,749 yards last season, helping him earn first-team All-Pro honors for the first time in his four-year career.
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5. Pat Surtain II, CB, Denver Broncos. Age: 24 (4/14/00)
Three straight seasons of 10-plus passes defended and two Pro Bowl appearances top Surtain’s resume. He is the definition of a shutdown corner.
6. Penei Sewell, RT, Detroit Lions. Age: 23 (10/9/00)
A true franchise cornerstone and catalyst for Detroit’s turnaround, Sewell garnered first-team All-Pro honors last season. He also appeared in his second Pro Bowl, and this offseason signed a four-year, $112 million contract extension.
7. Tristan Wirfs, LT, Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Age: 25 (1/24/99)
Wirfs was asked last season to move from right tackle to left. He did so without batting an eye, and delivered the same elite-level production protecting Baker Mayfield’s blindside as he did while blocking for Tom Brady on the right. Tampa Bay rewarded Wirfs this offseason with a five-year, $140.6 million contract, making him the highest-paid offensive lineman in the game.
8. C.J. Stroud, QB, Houston Texans. Age: 22 (10/3/01)
The reigning NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year, Stroud took the league by storm in 2023. He not only rewrote the rookie record books, he also ranked among the league leaders in passing yards, passer rating and completion percentage while directing a surprising playoff run.
9. Kyle Hamilton, S, Baltimore Ravens. Age: 23 (3/16/01)
A first-team All-Pro in only his second season in the league, Hamilton is a difference-maker whether in pass coverage, lining up in the box or rushing the passer. He had 81 tackles, three sacks and four interceptions last season.
10. Amon-Ra St. Brown, WR, Detroit Lions. Age: 24 (10/24/99)
As a third-year pro, St. Brown racked up career highs in catches (119), yards (1,515) and touchdowns (10). That helped him earn Pro Bowl honors for a second straight season and All-Pro status for the first time. He enters Year 4 on a mission to join Jefferson, Chase and Lamb as one of the truly elite wideouts in the game.
Jordan Love led Green Bay to a 9-8 regular-season record and a playoff win in his first year as starter. (Ken Blaze / USA Today)
11. Jordan Love, QB, Green Bay Packers. Age: 25 (11/2/98)
Love went on a tear to close out his first season as a starter and propelled the Packers into the playoffs, where they upset the Cowboys in the wild-card round, then suffered a narrow 24-21 loss to the 49ers in the divisional round. Love (4,159 yards, 32 touchdowns, 11 interceptions) appears poised to take another massive leap forward in 2024.
12. Brock Purdy, QB, San Francisco 49ers. Age: 24 (12/27/99)
Purdy is 17-4 as a regular-season starter and 4-2 in the postseason, where he has appeared in the NFC Championship Game twice. The 49ers pushed the Chiefs to overtime in February’s Super Bowl before losing 25-22. Last season, Purdy carved up defenses for 31 touchdowns.
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13. Sauce Gardner, CB, New York Jets. Age: 23 (8/31/00)
Some critics question Gardner’s chops because the Jets play zone coverage so often. But Gardner is still a fantastic cover man, with 31 pass breakups (20 as a rookie) the last two seasons combined. He has earned Pro Bowl and first-team All-Pro honors in each of his first two NFL seasons.
14. Aidan Hutchinson, DE, Detroit Lions. Age: 24 (8/9/00)
Hutchinson followed up a solid rookie season with a Pro Bowl campaign that featured 11 1/2 sacks and 33 quarterback hits. Hutchinson also recorded a combined three sacks in three Lions playoff games last season. Look for another leap forward in Year 3 as the Lions aim to make another deep playoff run.
15. Trent McDuffie, CB, Kansas City Chiefs. Age: 23 (9/13/00)
The versatile young corner is already one of the best at his position after just two seasons. Last season, in addition to his prowess in pass coverage, the All-Pro recorded five forced fumbles, three sacks, nine quarterback hits and three tackles for loss.
16. Jaylen Waddle, WR, Miami Dolphins. Age: 25 (11/25/98)
Despite his pairing with the prolific Tyreek Hill, Waddle has recorded 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons in the league. If not for injury, which limited him to 14 games last season, Waddle likely would have topped the 1,356 yards he recorded in 2022.
17. Trevor Lawrence, QB, Jacksonville Jaguars. Age: 24 (10/6/99)
The first pick of the 2021 draft reached his first Pro Bowl in 2022, then regressed slightly as Jacksonville went 9-8 and missed the playoffs. But Lawrence has all of the tools necessary to continue to ascend and should capitalize on another offseason and year under head coach Doug Pederson.
Sam LaPorta broke rookie tight end records after the Lions made him the 34th pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. (Lon Horwedel / USA Today)
18. Sam LaPorta, TE, Detroit Lions. Age: 23 (1/12/01)
Talk about an immediate impact — LaPorta, drafted in the second round, posted one of the best seasons for a rookie tight end in NFL history with his 86 catches, 889 yards and 10 touchdowns.
19. Jahmyr Gibbs, RB, Detroit Lions. Age: 22 (3/20/22)
The Lions’ other instant-impact star, Gibbs started just three games in 2023 but still rushed for 945 yards and 10 touchdowns and also caught 52 passes for 316 yards and a touchdown en route to Pro Bowl honors. We’ll have to watch the hamstring injury he suffered in practice on Monday.
20. Jalen Carter, DT, Philadelphia Eagles. Age: 23 (4/4/01)
Carter made a seamless transition from the University of Georgia to the NFL, accumulating six sacks and 33 tackles (eight for loss) while serving as a rotational player. With Fletcher Cox retired, the Eagles will lean heavily on Carter and Jordan Davis to anchor their defensive line this season.
21. Garrett Wilson, WR, New York Jets. Age: 24 (7/22/00)
Wilson owns a pair of 1,000-yard seasons despite the Jets’ well-documented quarterback woes, so what might he accomplish with a healthy Aaron Rodgers throwing to him? The Jets hope to quickly find out. Talent evaluators around the league predict Wilson will make another big leap forward in 2024 and join the ranks of the elite young wide receivers.
22. Bijan Robinson, RB, Atlanta Falcons. Age: 22 (1/30/02)
After just one season, Robinson looks like one of the most well-rounded backs in the league. He rushed for 976 yards and four touchdowns and added 58 catches for 487 yards and four touchdowns as a rookie.
23. Puka Nacua, WR, Los Angeles Rams. Age: 23 (5/29/01)
The 2023 fifth-round pick may have been the steal of the draft. All he did was shatter the rookie record books with 105 catches for 1,486 yards and six touchdowns while helping the Rams go 10-7 and return to the playoffs after 2022’s losing campaign.
24. Creed Humphrey, C, Kansas City Chiefs. Age: 25 (6/28/99)
One of the toughest and smartest young interior linemen in the NFL, Humphrey has never missed a game in three seasons with the Chiefs and has garnered Pro Bowl honors in each of the last two campaigns (both of which ended with Super Bowl victories).
25. Will Anderson Jr., DE, Houston Texans. Age: 22 (9/2/01)
The Alabama product recorded seven sacks, 22 quarterback hits and 45 tackles last season as the tone-setter for Houston’s defense, and he earned NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year and Pro Bowl honors.
All-25-and-Under Team
QB: C.J. Stroud
Stroud was one of the most effective passers in the league regardless of experience last season, executing with a level of precision and poise that stunned the NFL. Now, thanks to the Texans’ additions of wide receiver Stefon Diggs and running back Joe Mixon, Stroud could take another step forward. He obviously faced stiff competition for the top QB spot here. Love must show he can play at a high level for an entire season, but he also seems poised for another leap forward. And though Purdy is as steady as they come, Stroud has a few more tricks in his bag.
RB: Jahmyr Gibbs
The electrifying Gibbs delivered 1,261 all-purpose yards and 11 touchdowns for the Lions, despite sharing the backfield with David Montgomery. Robinson also put up great numbers but did so with more touches than Gibbs. What will Year 2 hold for these two rising stars?
WRs: Justin Jefferson, Ja’Marr Chase, CeeDee Lamb
It’s tough to keep St. Brown off, but Jefferson, Chase and Lamb truly are the cream of the crop at wide receiver.
TE: Sam LaPorta
It’s scary to consider just how high LaPorta’s ceiling is based on the instant impact he had on the Lions.
Offensive line: LT Tristan Wirfs, LG Tyler Smith, C Creed Humphrey, RG O’Cyrus Torrence, RT Penei Sewell
Wirfs and Sewell are already among the best at their positions, as is Humphrey. The 23-year-old Smith turned into a Pro Bowl left guard for Carolina last season after beginning his career as a tackle. Buffalo’s Torrence (age 24) stepped right in as a rookie last season and played like a seasoned vet.
Texans linebacker Will Anderson Jr. won Defensive Rookie of the Year last season. (Troy Taormina / USA Today)
Defensive ends: Will Anderson Jr. and Aidan Hutchinson
These two are on their way to joining the ranks of the league’s elite edge rushers.
Defensive tackles: Jalen Carter and Kobie Turner
Big, powerful, athletic and well-rounded, Carter and Turner make their presences felt against the run and the pass. The Rams’ Turner turned 25 in April.
Linebackers: Micah Parsons and Quay Walker
Dallas’ Parsons terrorizes offensive linemen and quarterbacks regardless of where he lines up. Green Bay’s Walker, 23, has great range and makes plays all over the field. Walker has 239 tackles (12 for loss), nine quarterback hits, 10 pass deflections, three forced fumbles and an interception in two seasons.
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CB/DBs: Pat Surtain II, Sauce Gardner, Trent McDuffie
Good luck against this trio of crafty cover guys, who already are among the best in the league despite their youth.
Safeties: Kyle Hamilton and Jevon Holland
Hamilton is already a star, and if the Dolphins’ Holland (age 24) can capitalize on a full season of health, he won’t be too far behind his Ravens counterpart.
Specialists: K Cameron Dicker, P Ryan Stonehouse, KR/PR Marvin Mims
The Chargers’ Dicker, at 24, is among the most accurate kickers in the league. The Titans’ Stonehouse (age 25) is already one of the NFL’s best punters. The 22-year-old Mims shined as a rookie kick and punt returner last season for the Broncos.
(Top illustration: Dan Goldfarb / The Athletic. Photos of Justin Jefferson, C.J. Stroud and Puka Nacua: Stephen Maturen, Michael Owens, Ric Tapia / Getty Images)
Sports
Thunder lose star Jalen Williams for Western Conference Finals Game 7 as hamstring injury lingers
Spurs force Game 7 vs. Thunder, SGA struggles, Will Wemby carry this momentum? | The Herd
Victor Wembanyama scored 28 points and 10 rebounds in the San Antonio Spurs’ 118-91 win over the Oklahoma City Thunder in Game 6 of the WCF. Jason McIntyre says that Wemby showed up in the biggest moments, and asks if he can carry this momentum into Game 7. Plus, he discusses Shai Gilgeous-Alexander’s struggles and asks if he will cost the Thunder the series.
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The Oklahoma City Thunder will be shorthanded in Saturday’s pivotal Game 7, as one of Oklahoma’s key contributors has been sidelined with an injury.
OKC guard Jalen Williams has been ruled out for Game 7 with a hamstring issue, ESPN reported on Friday. Williams appeared to aggravate his left hamstring during the Thunder’s 122-113 victory in Game 2. He missed the next three games before returning for Game 6, but logged just 10 minutes off the bench in Oklahoma City’s loss to the San Antonio Spurs on Thursday, which forced a winner-take-all Game 7.
“He’s obviously not 100%,” Mark Daigneault, the head coach of the Thunder, said.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams watches during the fourth quarter against the San Antonio Spurs in Game One of the NBA Western Conference Finals at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 18, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
Daigneault applauded Williams for fighting through the injury and doing everything he could to help Oklahoma City.
“He didn’t know what to expect. I didn’t know what to expect. So, it was a matter of getting him out there in kind of an insulated role and see what he can bring to the team. He’s an All-Star player, he’s an All-NBA player. He hasn’t done a full return to play [protocol] like he would if this was the regular season, and yet, he just wants to do whatever he can to try to contribute whatever he can to the team.”
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“I give him a lot of credit to get himself out there. He did the best he could. He’s certainly not the reason we lost.”
Oklahoma City Thunder forward Jalen Williams reacts to a shot by forward Luguentz Dort in the third quarter against the San Antonio Spurs during game one of the Western Conference finals for the 2026 NBA playoffs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, on May 18, 2026. (Alonzo Adams/Imagn Images)
Williams did not talk to reporters after Thursday’s game in San Antonio.
Williams underwent surgery last offseason to repair a wrist injury but still played a key role in the Thunder’s run to the NBA Finals last season. He appeared in just 33 regular-season games before this year’s playoffs.
Oklahoma City Thunder guard Jalen Williams drives into the paint during the first quarter of Game Two of the NBA Western Conference Finals against the San Antonio Spurs at Paycom Center in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma on May 20, 2026. (Alex Slitz/Getty Images)
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The winner of Saturday’s Game 7 will advance to the NBA Finals to face the New York Knicks. New York snapped a nearly three-decade Finals drought by sweeping the Cleveland Cavaliers in the Eastern Conference finals.
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Sports
Southern California sprinters scorch CIF state prelims, setting up record-chasing finals
CLOVIS — Cool conditions produced a bunch of fast times Friday at the CIF state track and field championships.
Rosary Academy sprint coach Jon Gilmer was worried 4×100-meter relayers Tra’via Flournoy, Justine Wilson, Pfeiffer Lee and Maliyah Collins might get complacent at prelims, but the Royals were the top qualifiers in 45.13 seconds — nearly a full second faster than Canyon Country Canyon (46.07) — at Buchanan High School.
“It’s different not having Calabasas here,” Gilmer said. “Now we’ve got to push ourselves.”
Rosary set a state record (44.23) at the Arcadia Invitational on April 11, but lost to the Coyotes one week later at the Mt. SAC Relays. However, the anticipated state finals clash was not to be as Calabasas dropped the baton in the Southern Section finals and failed to advance.
Collins had a huge lead by the time she received the stick for the anchor leg Friday.
“This is maybe our fourth- or fifth-fastest time but we just wanted to make finals,” said Wilson, who ran the second leg before handing off to Lee. “We want to run faster tomorrow when we go for a PR, the meet and the state record.”
Calabasas might be out of the relay, but three Coyotes remain in contention in the 100, led by Malia Rainey (the top qualifier in 11.54), Marley Scoggins (11.63) and Olivia Kirk (11.63).
Calabasas sprinter Marley Scoggins, center, wins her 100-meter heat at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Collins won her heat in 11.62, the third-fastest time.
Servite won the first heat in the boys 4×100 relay in 40.29 — two hundredths off its winning time at last year’s state finals — and is primed to defend its title in the event. Concord De La Salle (40.81) was the second-fastest qualifier, followed by the other heat winners, Rancho Cucamonga (40.87) and Loyola (40.93).
“We got the stick around pretty good today,” said Jorden Wells, who ran the first leg Friday instead of his customary second leg, which was run by Jaelen Hunter. “Did it feel different? Not really, I’ve done it before.”
Wells said his twin brother Jace will run the first leg Saturday, he will run the second while Kamil Pelovello and Benjamin Harris will stay in the third and fourth positions.
Harris, the favorite to win the 100 meters, won his heat in a wind-legal 10.36, but three others were fractions faster in wind-aided times — Elk Grove’s Cy Lugo (10.20), Will Wood’s Deshawn Seymour (10.34) and De La Salle’s Damari Dean (10.34). Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin won the last heat in 10.37, setting the stage for an exciting finals sprint as all nine qualifiers ran under 10.48.
Harris put himself in position for a Saturday double by winning his 200 heat in 21.10 but as he did in the 100, Lugo (the Sac-Joaquin Section record holder) had the fastest time (20.73), followed by Seymour (20.88), Camren Hughes (20.93) of Palos Verdes and Jace Wells (21.02). Jordan Wells (21.11) also made the cut.
Newbury Park’s Jaden Griffin, center, shouts after winning his heat in the 100 meters at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Servite (3:15.43) had the second-fastest qualifying time in the 4×400-meter relay behind only El Cerrito (3:14.96) of the North Coast Section.
Coming off a state-record 3:33.83 at the Masters Meet in Moorpark, Long Beach Wilson’s 4×400 girls relay had the fourth-fastest qualifying time (3:46.73) without two out of its best runners (Clara Adams and Saniah Varnado), taking second in the first heat behind San Luis Obispo (3:45.85) and safely advancing to the finals along with Heat 2 runner-up Rosary (3:45.08) and Heat 3 winner Canyon Country Canyon (3:46.77).
Having broken the Southern Section record in the 400 meters six days earlier in 51.98, Adams put it in cruise control to win her heat in 53.53, the fastest qualifying mark. Joining her in the final will be her three relay teammates Varnado (54.42), Wilson (54.57) and Fowler (54.62). Adams later won her 200 heat in 23.60, a tenth of a second behind fastest qualifier Naiaja Sizemore of Vanden.
San Jacinto Valley Academy’s Kaahliyah Lacy ran a wind-legal 13.59 for the top qualifying spot in the girls 100 hurdles and Varnado (40.85) was the top qualifier in the 300 hurdles.
Another showdown is brewing in the boys 400, where Loyola’s Ejam Yohannes (47.08) and Hunter (47.21) won their heats in the two fastest times Friday. Hunter clocked 46.32 to set a California freshman record last spring, but lost to Yohannes by 11 hundredths of a second at the Masters Meet.
City Section champion Jayden Rendon showed good form in his bid to defend the state 300 hurdles crown, posting the fastest prelims time (36.80). He also advanced to the finals in the 110 hurdles with a 13.83 effort. Moorpark’s Davis Benson (14.03) nabbed the last spot.
Corona Santiago’s Braelyn Combe, right, wins the first heat of the 800 meters at the CIF state track and field preliminaries on Friday.
(Steve Galluzzo / For The Times)
Corona Santiago senior Braelyn Combe won her 1,600 heat in 4:46.88 and is set for a four-lap battle with San Diego Section champion Chiara Dailey of La Jolla, who won the second heat in 4:46.00. Combe is the defending champion, having edged Hanne Thomsen of Santa Rosa Montgomery by five hundredths of a second in the finals last year.
“I just wanted to advance with as little effort as possible,” Combe said. “It was not as hard as I expected. I don’t want to leave any regrets. I’m taking it one race at a time.”
Combe also had the fastest time (2:08:25) of three heats in the 800 meters.
Venice senior Lawrence Kensinger, who set the City Section shot put record with a state-leading throw of 65 feet 11 inches last week, had the third-best mark at prelims (59-6¾) and easily advanced to the finals. Defending state high jump champion JJ Harel of Sherman Oaks Notre Dame tied nine others for the second-best mark (6-6) heading into the second day.
Aliso Niguel senior Jaslene Massey had the top marks in the girls shot put (51-3¾) and discus (175-6) and transgender athlete AB Hernandez from Jurupa Valley was the leading qualifier in the girls long jump (20-5½) and triple jump (41-8½) and was one of 13 qualifiers in the high jump.
AB Hernandez competes at the CIF state track and field preliminaries at Buchanan High School on Friday.
(Tomas Ovalle / For The Times)
Sports
2026 World Cup Odds: Spain Narrowly Favored Over France
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We’re approaching the biggest sporting event North America has ever hosted.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup takes place across the USA, Canada and Mexico in 13 days.
Bettors and fans already have their sights set on the global spectacle, which will kick off on June 11. The World Cup final will be held at New Jersey’s MetLife Stadium on July 19, 2026.
After the World Cup groups were announced in December, Spain opened as the favorite at +450, followed by England (+550) and France (+750).
Now, with less than two weeks to go, Spain has slightly drifted to +475, with both France and England making up ground on the oddsboard.
Let’s dive into the odds via DraftKings Sportsbook as of May 29.
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2026 World Cup winner odds
Spain: +475 (bet $10 to win $57.5 total)
France: +500 (bet $10 to win $60 total)
England: +650 (bet $10 to win $75 total)
Brazil: +850 (bet $10 to win $95 total)
Argentina: +900 (bet $10 to win $100 total)
Portugal: +1000 (bet $10 to win $110 total)
Germany: +1400 (bet $10 to win $150 total)
Netherlands: +2200 (bet $10 to win $230 total)
Norway: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Belgium: +3500 (bet $10 to win $360 total)
Colombia: +4000 (bet $10 to win $410 total)
Morocco: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
Uruguay: +5000 (bet $10 to win $510 total)
United States: +6000 (bet $10 to win $610 total)
Switzerland: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Japan: +6500 (bet $10 to win $660 total)
Mexico: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Croatia: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Ecuador: +8000 (bet $10 to win $810 total)
Senegal: +9000 (bet $10 to win $910 total)
Sweden: +10000 (bet $10 to win $1,010 total)
HOST NATIONS
United States
The United States is led by Christian Pulisic, Weston McKennie, Tyler Adams, and Chris Richards, with several players competing in Europe’s top leagues. The U.S. has appeared in 11 previous World Cups, with its best finish coming in 1930 when the team reached the semifinals.
Canada
Canada’s key players include Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David, giving the squad top-tier pace and goal-scoring ability. Canada has made two previous World Cup appearances, and is still looking for its first win ever in the tournament.
Mexico
Mexico’s top contributors include Raul Giménez and Edson Álvarez, forming a strong mix of attacking talent and midfield stability. Mexico has played in 17 previous World Cups and reached the quarterfinals twice, in 1970 and 1986.
UEFA TEAMS TO KNOW
Spain
Spain’s top talents include Pedri, Lamine Yamal and Rodri, forming a core that blends elite playmaking with scoring depth. Spain has appeared in 16 previous World Cups and won the tournament once, lifting the trophy in 2010. The team also won the 2024 Euros.
France
France enters with Kylian Mbappé as the star player, with the 26-year-old just five goals shy of passing Miroslav Klose (16) for the most career goals at the World Cup. France has made 16 previous World Cup appearances and won the title twice, in 1998 and 2018.
England
England’s key players include Harry Kane, Jude Bellingham and Declan Rice, forming one of the nation’s strongest generations in decades. England has reached 16 previous World Cups and won the trophy once, in 1966.
Germany
Germany features Florian Wirtz, Jamal Musiala and Joshua Kimmich as central figures in a talented squad. Germany has participated in 20 previous World Cups and won four titles, most recently in 2014.
Portugal
Portugal’s top group includes Bruno Fernandes, Vitinha, with Cristiano Ronaldo still involved as the team’s all-time leading scorer and cap leader. Portugal has competed in eight previous World Cups and recorded its best finish in 2006, reaching the semifinals.
Netherlands
The Netherlands features top players such as Virgil van Dijk, Ryan Gravenberch and Denzel Dumfries, forming a core built around elite defending and midfield control. Memphis Depay should also be on the team, the country’s all-time leading goalscorer. The Netherlands has appeared in 11 previous World Cups and finished as runner-up three times, in 1974, 1978 and 2010.
CONMEBOL TEAMS TO KNOW
Argentina
Argentina is anchored by Lionel Messi, with Julián Álvarez, Enzo Fernández and Lautaro Martínez— headlining one of the most talented rosters in the tournament. Argentina has played in 18 previous World Cups and won three, including the most recent tournament in 2022.
Brazil
Brazil’s roster is led by Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and Marquinhos, giving the team elite attacking and defensive quality. Brazil has appeared in every World Cup and holds a record five titles, with its most recent one coming in 2002.
Uruguay
Uruguay’s leading players include Federico Valverde, Darwin Núñez and Ronald Araújo, forming a core with elite midfield range and speed. Uruguay has appeared in 14 previous World Cups and won the tournament twice, in 1930 and 1950.
Colombia
Colombia is headlined by Luis Díaz and James Rodríguez, with the former playing for Bayern Munich and the latter having a decorated World Cup résumé. Colombia has made six previous World Cupsand recorded its best finish in 2014, reaching the quarterfinals.
CAF TEAMS TO KNOW
Morocco
Morocco’s key contributors include Achraf Hakimi, Noussair Mazaroui and Brahm Díaz, each with major European club experience. Morocco has appeared in six previous World Cups and achieved its historic best finish in 2022, reaching the semifinals.
Senegal
Senegal’s top players include Sadio Mané, Kalidou Koulibaly and Idrissa Gueye, forming one of Africa’s most experienced cores. Senegal has appeared in three World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the quarterfinals.
Ghana
Ghana is led by Mohammed Kudus, Antoine Semenyo and Inaki Williams, giving the squad strong playmaking and midfield presence. Ghana has competed in four previous World Cups and reached its best result in 2010, making the quarterfinals.
AFC TEAMS TO KNOW
South Korea
South Korea is headlined by Son Heung-min, supported by key players such as Kim Min-jae and Lee Kang-in. South Korea has played in 11 previous World Cups and reached its best finish in 2002, advancing to the semifinals as co-host.
Japan
Japan features Takefusa Kubo and Kaoru Mitoma as its leading players, blending top European experience with emerging talent. Japan has appeared in seven previous World Cups and reached the Round of 16 four times, its best result to date.
Australia
Australia’s top players include Jackson Irvine and keeper Mathew Ryan as its most experienced members. Australia has competed in six previous World Cups and reached the round of 16 twice, in 2006 and 2022.
OFC TEAMS TO KNOW
New Zealand
New Zealand is led by all-time leading scorer Chris Wood, with 45 international goals to his name. New Zealand has appeared in two previous World Cups (1982, 2010), and did not advance from the group stage in either appearance.
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