The best World Cup XI from the top four nations

France, Spain, Argentina, and England have dominated the outright markets throughout the build-up to this summer’s tournament, and between them they account for six of the last 12 World Cup wins. With the competition now upon us, the World Cup winner betting reflects just how tight the gap is between all four nations at the top of the market.

We have gone position by position through all four squads to pick the standout player at each one. In several areas, the calls are close, but the cases below explain the reasoning.

Goalkeeper: Emiliano Martinez (Argentina)

Jordan Pickford and Unai Simon have both been dependable international keepers, but Emiliano Martinez’s tournament credentials put him in a different bracket. The Aston Villa goalkeeper saved three penalties across Argentina’s 2022 World Cup knockout stages and won the Golden Glove. As the reigning champions’ last line of defence, he goes into this tournament with more big-game experience at this level than any of the alternatives.

Right-back: Dani Carvajal (Spain)

Carvajal missed much of the 2025-26 club season with injury, but Spain have managed his return carefully. When fit, his combination of defensive solidity and attacking output from right-back is unmatched in this group of four nations. The Real Madrid full-back was the best right-back at Euro 2024 and has six Champions League titles to his name.

Centre-back: William Saliba (France)

William Saliba has been the best centre-back in this group of four nations over the course of the 2025-26 season. At Arsenal, he has been commanding in the air, rarely caught in possession, and a key reason the club leads the Premier League table. The 2026 tournament will be his first World Cup appearance, but based on his impressive performance in the Premier League, he is likely to be one of France’s standout players.

Centre-back: Lisandro Martinez (Argentina)

Lisandro Martinez is aggressive and comfortable building from the back. His partnership with Cristian Romero gives Argentina one of the most settled defensive units at the entire tournament. He edges out competition from all four nations for the second centre-back spot, with his consistency at Manchester United throughout 2025-26 backing the case.

Left-back: Theo Hernandez (France)

France’s clearest positional advantage in this XI is at left-back. Theo Hernandez had another strong season for AC Milan, contributing goals and assists throughout the 2025-26 campaign. His pace and delivery from wide areas make him a consistent attacking threat, and no left-back across these four squads comes close to matching what he offers going forward.

Central midfielder: Rodri (Spain)

Rodri won the Ballon d’Or on the back of a season in which he drove both Manchester City and Spain to their respective titles. He managed his return from an ACL injury across 2025-26 and is in this squad. At his best, he sets the tempo and keeps play simple enough that Spain can dominate for extended periods, and there is no midfielder at this tournament who does that better.

Central midfielder: Jude Bellingham (England)

Jude Bellingham has had another productive season at Real Madrid in 2025-26, continuing the form that established him as one of the best midfielders in the world. His ability to contribute at both ends makes him the pick alongside Rodri, and Thomas Tuchel has built England’s system around giving him the freedom to influence matches from multiple areas.

Attacking midfielder: Lionel Messi (Argentina)

Lionel Messi arrives at this tournament as the reigning world champion and arguably the most decorated player in the history of the game. His form going in has been extraordinary: 29 goals and 19 assists for Inter Miami in 2025, then 12 goals and six assists in just 13 appearances in 2026. At 38, the debate about MLS versus elite European competition is fair, but in this XI, operating in the hole behind Kane with Yamal and Mbappe either side of him, he remains the most recognisable name for fans and those who bet on football, and the most instinctively dangerous creative player at the entire tournament.

Right winger: Lamine Yamal (Spain)

Lamine Yamal leads Europe’s top five leagues in successful take-ons this season with 127, and has scored and assisted consistently for Barcelona throughout 2025-26. He turned 18 in June, and this is already his second major international tournament. He scored in the Euro 2024 semi-final against France and has only improved since. No player in this group of four nations offers the same combination of output and upside.

Left winger: Kylian Mbappe (France)

Kylian Mbappe has scored 24 league goals for Real Madrid in 2025-26 and 58 in all competitions across the season, the highest total of any player in Europe’s top five leagues. He is the most dangerous attacking player at this tournament when in form, and France’s ability to go deep will largely depend on how consistently he produces over the next few weeks.

Striker: Harry Kane (England)

Harry Kane has just won the Bundesliga top scorer award for the third consecutive season, finishing 2025-26 on 36 league goals. He has now scored 143 goals in 146 Bayern Munich appearances and is England’s all-time leading international scorer. No striker at this tournament arrives with a more consistent record across the past three club campaigns, and he is the straightforward first choice at centre-forward.