World Cup Team of the Group Stage: Messi, Mbappe & Dembele among star-studded lineup

[p]Using [b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/news/rating/WtG2SIIU/"]Flashscore's new player ratings system[/a], [/b]we have put together the Team of the Group Stage, selecting the best XI from all 48 participating nations based on average match rating. [/p][p]Bear in mind that players must have played at least 150 minutes to be eligible. Check out our team below:[/p][image alt="Team of the Group Stage" id="e3bafc15-0beb-44a2-b2e4-f0b90589b6f7" credit-line="Flashscore" guid="04db5dab-ab83-4a42-922f-f0df0b50b779" original-width="1080" original-height="1350" /][h2]Goalkeeper[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/beach-patrick/d6MmYtl5/"]Patrick Beach[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/australia/xSrf6qMM/"]Australia[/a]) 7.5[/b][/p][p]Australia coach Tony Popovic made the brave decision to drop captain [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/ryan-mathew/YBLvziIh/"]Mathew Ryan[/a] for this tournament, and it has paid off to superb effect, with Melbourne City's Beach stepping into the limelight.[/p][p]Beach was imperious in his side's stunning 2-0 victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/turkey/QeijuHo5/"]Turkey[/a] in the opening game, making eight saves to put his name on the map. Despite following that up with a 2-0 defeat to the [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/usa/fuitL4CF/"]USA[/a], Australia secured a 0-0 draw against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/paraguay/YaNlqp6j/"]Paraguay[/a], which saw them finish second. They will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/egypt/bejDn7NN/"]Egypt[/a] in the Round of 32.[/p][image alt="Beach put in a stunning performance against Turkey" id="6f2dfa0f-ee59-4e95-b1ce-bb662d0f3109" credit-line="Stu Forster / GETTY IMAGES NORTH AMERICA / Getty Images via AFP / Profimedia / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="7c7ae3b1-e615-4d55-abd9-bc5859109213" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][h2]Defenders[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/guehi-marc/KEeklutO/"]Marc Guehi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/england/j9N9ZNFA/"]England[/a]) 8.4[/b][/p][p]After being surprisingly left out of England's opening victory over [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/croatia/K8aznggo/"]Croatia[/a], Manchester City defender Guehi was brought back into the team against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ghana/nNBjHale/"]Ghana[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/panama/OWKqbCfi/"]Panama[/a], contributing to the Three Lions keeping back-to-back clean sheets and booking a last-32 clash with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/d-r-congo/phn9mm8H/"]D.R. Congo[/a].[/p][p]Despite playing one less game, no England defender had more clearances (7), interceptions (2), recoveries (8), or won more duels (16) than Guehi, illustrating his importance to his side.[/p][p]England's defence has looked shaky at this tournament so far, so they will need Guehi to lead the way if they want to win a first World Cup since 1966.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/cubarsi-pau/UgTrNwCF/"]Pau Cubarsi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/spain/bLyo6mco/"]Spain[/a]) 8.1[/b][/p][p]Spain are yet to concede a single goal this tournament, and while the European champions are an incredibly organised and structured outfit, their defenders have been so influential to the way they want to play.[/p][p]The Spanish are going to dominate a lot of teams on the ball with their possession-based football, and the bravery and confidence of their centre-backs are vital to that.[/p][p]Cubarsi has completed the third-most passes (289) at the tournament with an accuracy of 98.3%, and has had the seventh-most touches (314). He has struck a great partnership with the next person in this team.[/p][image alt="Cubarsi and Laporte comparison" id="2d0ababf-554f-46db-9ba1-f8024ca4599f" credit-line="Opta by StatsPerform" guid="07db330d-3ff0-42d2-ba18-2592ffa63c76" original-width="768" original-height="1152" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/laporte-aymeric/SYnaB65s/"]Aymeric Laporte[/a] (Spain) 8.1[/b][/p][p]Much like Cubarsi, Laporte has shown his prowess on the ball, completing the second-most forward passes at the World Cup (104) and having the fifth-most touches (333). At 6'3", he has also used his height well, winning nine aerial duels.[/p][p]Spain's attack hasn't fully clicked yet, but as long as their defence remains rock solid, they will make life hard for their opponents. They face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/austria/naHiWdnt/"]Austria[/a] in the Round of 32.[/p][infobox id="4ccc1b10-d68f-4c97-bcf4-5e613c17c2e3" /][h2]Midfielders[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/dembele-ousmane/zsMC2Ec0/"]Ousmane Dembele[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/france/QkGeVG1n/"]France[/a]) 8.3[/b][/p][p]Despite being the current Ballon d'Or holder, France fans haven't always been convinced by Dembele's performance in the shirt of the national team. But after struggling in Les Bleus' first match against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/senegal/hOIsJLJr/"]Senegal[/a], a positional change has ignited Dembele.[/p][p]From being uncomfortable in the number 10 role, Didier Deschamps shifted Dembele out wide to the right wing, and he has looked like a totally different player.[/p][p]The PSG man grabbed a goal and an assist against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iraq/K8aAGt6r/"]Iraq[/a] in their second game, before scoring an exquisite hat-trick inside the first 32 minutes against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/norway/8rP6JO0H/"]Norway[/a] - the second earliest in World Cup history.[/p][p]It seems Dembele has truly arrived on the World Cup stage, and that will be frightening for the rest of France's rivals. They will face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/sweden/OQyqbHWB/"]Sweden[/a] in the Round of 32 after topping Group I.[/p][embed guid="a95608a5-d2e6-45e6-a355-e337850fd7c7" url="https://x.com/OptaJoe/status/2070598319357792704" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/olise-michael/E5pvwqkK/"]Michael Olise[/a] (France) 8.0[/b][/p][p]As a result of France's previously mentioned tactical tweak, Olise has been thrust into the number 10 role, a position he himself has admitted he feels most comfortable in.[/p][p]Olise was announced as Bayern Munich's Player of the Season in the last few days, and he has continued his jaw-dropping club form onto the international stage, pulling the strings for a team that is sprinkled with so much stardust.[/p][p]He has yet to get on the scoresheet at this tournament, but he already has three assists - the joint most. He has also delivered the most through balls (7), and has been superb linking up with Kylian Mbappe.[/p][p]One of the most silky and joyful players in world football, France will be relying on their creative spark to unlock tighter defences as the tournament progresses.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/trossard-leandro/xUAbnjp2/"]Leandro Trossard[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/belgium/GbB957na/"]Belgium[/a]) 8.2 [/b][/p][p]While a lot of the eyes have been on the likes of [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/de-bruyne-kevin/MsPs6OI5/"]Kevin De Bruyne[/a], [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/doku-jeremy/lMHcYK4f/"]Jeremy Doku[/a] and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/tielemans-youri/GtkTQyib/"]Youri Tielemans[/a], Trossard has enjoyed a stellar World Cup and has been Belgium's best performer.[/p][p]The Belgians have been far from convincing at the World Cup this year, but they still managed to top their group and set up a last-32 meeting with Senegal.[/p][p]Following a pair of draws against Egypt and [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/iran/xrRx85iA/"]Iran[/a], Belgium hammered [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/new-zealand/rLctHkpU/"]New Zealand[/a] 5-1, with Trossard demonstrating his goalscoring instincts with a clinical brace.[/p][p]Trossard's technical ability and composure on the ball have also shone, as no player has created more chances than him at this World Cup (13), while his 187 touches are the second-most amongst attacking players.[/p][embed guid="a28a0e58-7080-4b03-bbdd-02ed1025dfd5" url="https://x.com/OptaJoe/status/2068792780227289560" social-type="twitter" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/vinicius-junior/CbwQ4Mws/"]Vinicius Junior[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/brazil/I9l9aqLq/"]Brazil[/a]) 8.2 [/b][/p][p]Vinicius Junior hasn't always brought his best level to the Brazilian national team, but he has put any doubters to bed with an electric start to the tournament, reminding everyone why he is one of the world's best players.[/p][p]The Brazilian superstar scored in every group game, registering four goals and an assist to help Brazil set up a tricky last-32 encounter with [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/japan/ULXPdOUj/"]Japan[/a] after securing top spot in Group C.[/p][p]Alongside Mbappe, Vinicius has had the most touches inside the opposition's box (27), while he has also attempted the most dribbles at the tournament (23). He is a menace to defenders with his constant endeavour and willingness to attack his full-back.[/p][image alt="2026 World Cup top scorers to date" id="cb3b455c-abfb-4348-b474-a187dbc4a49a" credit-line="DC / Crysta Pix /Sports Pr / Zuma Press / Profimedia / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="939a0980-e6ae-4457-b68e-7a281add703e" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][h2]Forwards[/h2][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/messi-lionel/vgOOdZbd/"]Lionel Messi[/a] ([a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/argentina/f9OppQjp/"]Argentina[/a]) 8.9[/b][/p][p]What else is there left to say about the great man? Messi has begun this tournament in the most typically irresistible fashion, making a mockery of the fact that he has just turned 39.[/p][p]The maestro bagged a scintillating hat-trick in Argentina's opening game against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/algeria/nc87N1BR/"]Algeria[/a], rolling back the years with some classic Messi finishes. He then netted a brace against Austria before coming off the bench to score a free-kick against [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/jordan/vNcmJoU2/"]Jordan[/a].[/p][p]He currently leads the Golden Boot standings with Argentina set to face [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/cape-verde/MocyWdm7/"]Cape Verde[/a] in the Round of 32, and has gone ahead of Miroslav Klose to become the World Cup's all-time top scorer with 19 goals. He has also become the first man to ever score in seven consecutive World Cup games.[/p][p]As long as Messi is fit and firing at this level, the defending world champions are going to be real contenders.[/p][image alt="Messi's stats at the 2026 World Cup" id="23561b41-5c5a-4fd4-aa47-de3e6ec313ce" credit-line="Walid Ibrahim/Jna Press / Zuma Press / Profimedia / Opta by StatsPerform" guid="a8d0e224-7ee1-4627-b6e2-fd29d4b86b3f" original-width="1080" original-height="1080" /][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/haaland-erling/UmV9iQmE/"]Erling Haaland[/a] (Norway) 9.0[/b][/p][p]Haaland remains an utter goalscoring freak of nature, bagging four goals in two games to guide Norway to the knockout rounds for the first time in 28 years.[/p][p]A pair of braces against Iraq and Senegal showcased just how robotically relentless he is when given a sniff of goal, and he has put himself firmly in the Golden Boot race too.[/p][p]He didn't get a minute against France as Norway opted to play a completely rotated team, to the disappointment of many. A rested, ravenous Haaland champing at the bit is certainly going to be a terrifying proposition for [a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/team/ivory-coast/G2FRjBgn/"]Ivory Coast[/a] in the last 32.[/p][p][b][a href="https://www.flashscore.ca/player/mbappe-kylian/Wn6E2SED/"]Kylian Mbappe[/a] (France) 8.6[/b][/p][p]At just 27 years old, Mbappe has already firmly cemented himself as one of the greatest World Cup performers of all time, racing to 16 goals overall, including four in his opening three games at this edition. That's not to mention becoming France's all-time top scorer in the process.[/p][p]Following two wonderful braces against Senegal and Iraq, Mbappe also proved that he has more tools in his arsenal, producing two assists for teammate Dembele in their final group game.[/p][p]France's attacking firepower is a true sight to behold, and it is little surprise that most onlookers have them as the favourites to lift the World Cup trophy on July 19th.[/p][infobox id="a9570b4f-da31-4683-ae60-9f920c0540d9" /]