The FIFA World Cup is a testament to the brilliance of Diego Maradona that, when considering his finest performances on the grandest of all stages, more than one springs to mind.

To the Anglocentric world, his 1986 World Cup story is synonymous with the quarter-final clash against England. Those whirlwind four minutes in a blazing-hot Estadio Azteca showed both sides of his complex character: the win-at-all-costs kid from the potrero, happy to unashamedly break the rules, and the imperious genius with generation-defining talent.

However, as the competition intensified, with Argentina just one game away from the final, Maradona repeated his heroics in the semi-final against Belgium in the same arena, in front of 115,000 fans. In a mirror image of the England game, Maradona came to life early in the second half, bagging a quick-fire brace to grab the headlines and win the game for his country.

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The game hadn't started so brightly for La Albiceleste, and Maradona was furious with the goalless first period. In his 2017 memoir of the tournament, Touched by God, the number 10 revealed how he confronted his fellow players on the way back to the changing rooms, urging them not to let the Belgians become too cocky. Wearing the captain's armband, Maradona would bear the burden and lead by example soon after the restart.

Jorge Burruchaga picked up the ball on the right before cutting inside. Spotting Maradona's change of pace and run, he nonchalantly poked the ball with the outside of his right foot into the penalty area and into the path of Maradona. Daniel Veyt and Stéphane Demol were quick to close down El Diego in order to restrict his space, but as the onrushing Jean-Marie Pfaff came to within inches of his majestic left-boot, Maradona delicately dinked the ball over him and into the far corner of the net. He was never more dangerous than when his prey was close, when he could feel their breath on his skin.

Maradona completed his brace eight minutes later, saving the best until last, just as he did against the English. Unsung stopper José Luis Cuciuffo burst out from defence, playing the ball into Maradona's feet before continuing his run in anticipation of the return pass. The kid from Villa Fiorito used his teammates' run as a decoy before darting and jinking through four Belgian defenders. Face-to-face once again with Pfaff, Maradona opted for power instead of finesse this time, blasting the ball across the goalkeeper's body.

The Belgium game came just three days after the bruising England encounter, and it shouldn't be underestimated how physically and mentally difficult it must have been for Maradona to perform so well, under immense pressure, and in such a short space of time. It was also against one of the greatest sides Belgium have produced. Not until 2018, 32 years later, did Les Rouges improve on their FIFA World Cup 1986 performance, when the so-called golden generation finished third in Russia.

Although he failed to score in the final, Maradona was involved in the crucial moment, returning the favour to his teammate by assisting Burruchaga to score the 84th-minute winner in a 3-2 thriller against West Germany. This was Argentina's second World Cup triumph in the space of three tournaments, but this one felt different compared to 1978. Sadly, the home-soil victory will always be associated with the military regime that cast a dark shadow over the country for seven years. In stark contrast, the 1986 side came of age in a new era of democracy and hope.

The 1986 version of Maradona was, at the age of 25, at the peak of his physical powers and in the midst of the best spell of his career. In seven years with Napoli, which ultimately became the player's spiritual home, Maradona won two Scudetti with the unfancied southern side, wrestling power from the northern giants who typically dominate the football landscape on the Italian peninsula.

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Ironically, Maradona's incredible performance at the 1986 World Cup came under the tutelage of Carlos Bilardo, a coach often synonymous with negative football and pragmatism, an approach completely at odds with the romance of his predecessor, César Luis Menotti. Maradona, whilst operating within a team framework, always marched to the beat of his own drum, and it's not a stretch to suggest that his superhuman performances would have won the World Cup for Argentina that year regardless of who was in the dugout.

Yet the player himself admits the success was not solely down to him, that it couldn't have been achieved without his teammates. This was evident in the goals against Belgium, where the assists from Burruchaga and Cuciuffo proved both brilliant and selfless.

"I had to come out and win it alone," wrote Maradona in Touched by God. "But it was thanks to my teammates that I got to be the star."And therein lies the inherent beauty of football; a team game often settled by moments of pure magic. Lest we forget, there was never a fellow magician quite like Diego Maradona.

For more FIFA World Cup, Diego Maradona articles and news, follow Sportz Point.

The participating teams' line-up for the FIFA World Cup 2026 has started taking shape, as Iran and Argentina have booked their place from the qualification round into the finals of the tournament.

In 2022, the FIFA World Cup provided an unforgettable experience for over 1 billion viewers who tuned in. Lionel Messi-led Argentina to victory, giving the nation moments of joy and a fitting tribute to the late Diego Maradona while solidifying his place among players who have won every major trophy. 

Read Also: Europe's Top International Goalscorers: Cristiano Ronaldo extends his lead

Key Details on the FIFA World Cup 2026

FIFA President Gianni Infantino and his team in their bid to improve the quality of the World Cup and promote inclusivity increased the number of teams that will participate in the World Cup from an initial 32 teams to 48 teams.

The teams will be split into 12 groups of 4 teams, with the top 2 of each group and the 8 best third-placed teams progressing to a new Round of 32, 

The tournament will take place from June 11 to July 19, 2026, and will be jointly hosted by 16 cities in three North American countries: Canada, Mexico, and the United States.

The tournament will be the first hosted by three nations and the first North American World Cup since 1994 and will be the first World Cup since 2002 to be hosted by more than one nation.

Read Also: FIFA World Cup 2026: The groups are set for the European qualifiers

How Do Teams Qualify for the World Cup?

Qualification for the World Cup is done based on the regions of the World. Each  regional Confederation is responsible for its qualification tournament, which will consist of at least one round of competition using the following formats  

• Confederations can use a League format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group twice – once at home and once away.
• A single round-robin format in which each team in a group plays all other teams in their group once, with the venues either drawn at random or assigned by the confederation with the agreement of the playing association
• A Knockout format in which each team in a round plays one other team over two legs once at home and once away.
• With FIFA's permission, a tournament is held in one of the participating nations or neutral territory.
• With FIFA's permission, a single-leg knockout format.

Europe has 16 slots, Asia has 8 slots with one extra from playoffs making it 9, Africa has 9 slots with one extra coming from playoffs, South America has 6 with one extra coming from playoffs making a total of 7, North America has 6 slots with 3 already taken due to the host nations.

Teams That Have Qualified

With qualifications still ongoing, the only nations that have qualified are the host nations, namely the United States of America, Mexico, and Canada qualification process for the World Cup will be ongoing till the end of November 2025, and till then, teams will be struggling to qualify.

1. The USA

Despite not predominantly being a football nation, the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) has managed to establish a formidable team with the likes of Christian Pulisic and Folarin Balogun.

The appointment of Argentinian Mauricio Pochettino as their head coach shows some sign of intent that the country intends to go as far as possible in the World Cup.

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2. Mexico

Mexico has qualified for every World Cup in the past decade, but playing on home soil will give them the advantage of fan support. While they may be without their veteran goalkeeper Ochoa, who has been crucial in past tournaments, they remain a team not to be underestimated.

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3. Canada

Canada had a memorable 2022 World Cup in Qatar, highlighted by their surprising win against Belgium. However, they lost their remaining group games to Morocco and Croatia, leading to their early exit from the tournament.

Known for their attacking football, Canada relies on pace in midfield and attack, with Jonathan David and Alphonso Davies being key to their World Cup ambitions.

Teams from the Qualifier Rounds

4. Japan

Japan has become the first team to qualify for the 2026 World Cup from the qualification round. On March 20, Thursday, Hajime Moriyasu's side beat Bahrain 2-0 in Group C of the AFC World Cup qualifiers.

Daichi Kamada and Takefusa Kubo scored in the second half to inspire the Samurai Blue to ensure their eighth consecutive World Cup appearance, guaranteeing a top-two finish in the qualifiers standings.

🇯🇵 Japan have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26 | @jfa_samuraiblue

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 20, 2025

Japan surprised the world with their impressive run in the 2022 World Cup, before bowing out from the Round of 16 in a narrow penalty shoot-out defeat against eventual third-place finishers Croatia. However, Japan defeated both Germany and Spain in the group stage to march onto the next round.

5. New Zealand

New Zealand has qualified for the FIFA World Cup for the third time with a 3-0 home win over New Caledonia in the OFC Qualifiers Final on Monday, March 24.

Three second-half goals from Michael Boxall, Kosta Barbarouses, and Elijah led New Zealand to a comfortable 3-0 win at Eden Park in Auckland. This win marks the All Whites' return to the World Cup for the first time since 2010 when they registered three draws against Slovakia, Italy, and Paraguay in South Africa.

SEE YOU IN ‘26 🇳🇿🏆 pic.twitter.com/PiCofS1bVn

— New Zealand Football 🇳🇿 (@NZ_Football) March 24, 2025

For the first time, the All Whites qualified directly for a World Cup, as Oceania received an automatic spot in next year’s 48-team tournament, rather than having to go through an intercontinental play-off as they did in the past.

6. Iran

Iran have become the second Asian side to reach the 2026 FIFA World Cup finals following a 2-2 draw against Uzbekistan on March 25 in the third round of the AFC World Cup Qualifiers Group A.

Mehdi Taremi's brace secured a point for Iran to stay atop the Group A table with 20 points in 8 matches, securing the guaranteed top two finish in the group stage. On the other hand, Uzbekistan is just one victory away from their inaugural World Cup appearance.

Tino pai to our fantastic national football team🙌
Mean as! Iran has secured its place in the 2026 FIFA World Cup, becoming the third team to qualify after Japan and @NZ_Football
Ka mau te wehi 🇮🇷
This marks our fourth consecutive appearance after 2014,2018,and2022!#FIFAWorldCup pic.twitter.com/2RjE9j2gpa

— The Embassy of the Islamic Republic of Iran (@iranembassy_nz) March 25, 2025

Despite the qualification format being made easier for Asia due to the expanded 48-team World Cup, Iran has sealed the passage to their fourth World Cup finals in a row, and seventh in their history.

In the AFC Qualifiers, the top two teams qualify directly for the World Cup, while the teams finishing third and fourth in the three Asian groups will enter an additional qualifying round.

7. Argentina 

The reigning World Champions have stormed into the FIFA World Cup 2026 following a 4-1 crushing over eternal rivals Brazil in the CONMEBOL World Cup Qualifiers on March 26. 

Argentina produced a bolstering performance, beating the Selecaos 4-1, powered by goals from Julian Alvarez, Enzo Fernandez, Alexis Mac Allister, and Giuliano Simeone. Matheus Cunha netted the only goal for Brazil.

🇦🇷 Argentina have qualified for #FIFAWorldCup 26!#WeAre26

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) March 25, 2025

La Albiceleste currently top the table with 31 points in 14 matches, 16 points clear of seventh-placed Venezuela, with the required seven points at this point.

8. Uzbekistan

Uzbekistan qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026 as the 8th team to qualify till now. They have qualified in virtue of finishing in the top two in Group A of the AFC's third-round of qualifiers.

Read Also | 7 big footballing nations which can miss the FIFA World Cup 2026

This is the first time they have qualified for the FIFA World Cup. Not only that, they are the first Central Asia country to qualify for the grandest stage of football.

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9. South Korea

South Korea qualified for their 11th straight FIFA World Cup after finishing in the top two of the AFC third round qualifiers. Tottenham's Son Heung-min, Wolves' Hwang Hee-chan, Bayern Munich's Kim Min-jae and Paris Saint-Germain's Lee Kang-in all will be ready to star for South Korea in the upcoming World Cup.

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10. Jordan

While South Korea sealed their spot at the FIFA World Cup with that 2-0 victory over Iraq, their win also ensured that Jordan will be playing at their first-ever FIFA World Cup next year. 

Ali Olwan's hat-trick has given them a big 3-0 win over Oman, and after South Korea's win, they will now create history at the FIFA World Cup 2026.

In Group B of the AFC Third round qualifiers, Jordan lost only one match and finished in the top two of the group, below South Korea.

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11. Australia 

Socceroos confirmed their place at a sixth successive FIFA World Cup after beating Saudi Arabia by 2-1 in Saudi Arabia. Connor Metcalfe (42), Mitch Duke (48) scored for the Aussies to help them win after falling behind by a 19-minute goal from Abdulrahman Al-Aboud.

Australia have now confirmed the top spot in Group C in the AFC Third round qualifiers. Japan are leading Group C, which have already qualified for the FIFA World Cup 2026.

🇦🇺🦘 Australia at the #FIFAWorldCup. pic.twitter.com/OIg3mrVxTc

— FIFA World Cup (@FIFAWorldCup) June 10, 2025

12. Brazil 

Brazil continued their run at the FIFA World Cup after ensuring qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026. They are the only team to qualify for every FIFA World Cup. 

The Selecao defeated Paraguay by 1-0 as Vinicius Jr. handed a special gift to new Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti for his 66th birthday. 

VINIIII JR.!!!!

TINHAA QUE SER ELE!! BELO PRESENTÃO DE ANIVERSÁRIO PARA O MISTER 🇧🇷🇧🇷

🎥TV GLOBO pic.twitter.com/1JmKVR5d3z

— CBF Futebol (@CBF_Futebol) June 11, 2025

13. Ecuador 

Despite Alan Franco's red card, Ecuador managed a brave, strong 0-0 draw against Peru to ensure their qualification for the FIFA World Cup 2026. 

With 25 points, they are currently second in the South American qualification, with 25 points, behind Argentina.

¡ESTAMOS EN NUESTRO QUINTO MUNDIAL!

🇺🇸, 🇲🇽 y 🇨🇦; allá vamos pic.twitter.com/9DdkLLG8VX

— La Tri 🇪🇨 (@LaTri) June 11, 2025

Many great players have taken the football pitch and left the fans in awe. However, only a few players have gone on to win various trophies in their careers. In this special article, we will take a look at an elite list of players who have won the most trophies in football as a player. 

Argentine football star Lionel Messi is the player with most trophies in football history. In his career so far, with club and country, he has won 46 major trophies. Moreover, he is one of the very few players to win FIFA World Cup. Ballon d'Or, and UEFA Champions League in his career. 

But, yes, the below list only counts the major trophies won with teams and only only individual awards. We wanted to be clear with that at the start. With this list of "11 players who have won the most trophies in football history," we will able to judge which player has been a part of a winning team mostly. 

Though, it is not always the case that when you win a trophy, you have a big role to play in that. But, in this list, all the players listed always had big contributions to their team's success. So, without further a due, let's checkout the list. 

Top 11 players with the most trophies in football:

11. Vitor Baia (34 trophies)

Vitor Baia spent most of his career with FC Porto except playing two years for Barcelona. Baia started his career with FC Porto in 1988 and left the club to join Barcelona in 1996. 

Before retiring in 2007, he played for Barcelona in two stints and won the La Liga in 1997-98 season. His most success came his boyhood club FC Porto, where he won the Liga Portugal 10 times.

However, the biggest achievement was to win the UEFA Champions League in 2004 with the Dragons. Under the visionary eyes of Jose Mourinho, they created one of the greatest underdog success stories in European football.

In a total, Baia won 25 trophies with the Porto while adding the rest to his collection of glories for Barcelona. Unfortunately, he was not able to add any trophy while playing for Portugal.

10. Kenny Dalglish (34 trophies)

Scottish legend Sir Kenny Dalglish is Liverpool's one of the most legendary players. Apart from playing 13 years for the Reds, he played for Celtic for 8 years at the start of his career.

For Liverpool FC, he won a club record 8 Premier League titles along with three Champions League titles. He had won 7 English Super Cups and 2 FA Cup titles as well.

While playing for Celtic, he became the Scottish Champion four times.

9. Angel di Maria (35 trophies)

One of the most underrated players in modern football history, Di Maria always had to shine under the shadows of Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Di Maria played alongside Lionel Messi for Argentina and then shared club dressing room with Cristiano at Real Madrid.

With his latest trophy for Benfica in the Portuguese Super Cup, he now has won 35 trophies in his career. Di Maria won five Ligue 1 titles with PSG and won his only Champions League title with Real Madrid.

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However, just like Lionel Messi, his international success bloomed late in his career. He won the Copa America twice in 2021 and 2024. But, his major success was to win the FIFA World Cup 2022, where he scored an important in the final.

Di Maria retired from international football after the 2024 Copa America final.

8. Cristiano Ronaldo (36 trophies)

Arguably one of the greatest players in the history of football, Cristiano Ronaldo has 36 trophies in his cabinet at the moment. The Portuguese legend won his latest trophy for Portugal, as he lifted the UEFA Nations League 2025 for his country.

Ronaldo, who started his club career with Sporting CP, won the Portuguese Super Cup with the club in 2003. That was the start to a historical career which gave football fans joy for over two decades.

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The Portuguese legend flourished under Sir Alex Ferguson at Manchester United. He then joined Real Madrid, where he won four of his five UEFA Champions League titles. Ronaldo has won a title for every club he has played for so far.

However, one of his biggest achievements as a player was to win the UEFA European Cup with Portugal in 2016. Besides scoring over 900 career goals, Ronaldo's success for every team is what makes him a legend.

7. Ryan Giggs (37 trophies)

Ryan Giggs played all his life for one football club; Manchester United. In his 24-year career at the club, he won a total of 37 trophies, a record for the club.

Not only that, with 13 Premier League titles, he is league's most successful player ever. With the Red Devils, he also went on to win two UEFA Champions League title.

For United, he played 963 games and has 168 goals and 265 assists, another record for United.

6. Sergio Busquets (38 Trophies)

Sergio Busquets, the FC Barcelona and Spain legend is one of the most underrated players ever to play. The central defender was part of one of the greatest international team which won 2010 FIFA World Cup and 2010 Euros for Spain.

Read Also: Barcelona team that won "EVERYTHING" in 2009: Busquets to leave as the last man of that team

The former Barcelona captain won 9 La Liga titles. Not only that, he won 7 Spanish Cups and Spanish Super Cups as well for the Catalan club.

However, his biggest achievement in club football was to win three UCL titles for Barcelona. His latest trophy is the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners with Inter Miami CF.

5. Maxwell (38 trophies)

Maxwell, the Brazilian left back might be the only unknown player on this list. The defender achieved most of his success playing for PSG in France.

However, he found success with FC Barcelona as well. But, joined PSG to find more chances as well.

Maxwell's first trophy was with Cruzeiro, winning the Brazilian Cup in 2000. Soon the joined Ajax, wining two Dutch League titles.

His move to Barcelona via Inter Milan and FC Empoli saw him winning the UEFA Champions League title in 2011. But his most success came with PSG, winning the Ligue 1 four times in a row from 2013 to 2016.

Read Also: Messi vs Ronaldo: The hat-trick battle

4. Gerard Pique (39 trophies)

Another player from that legendary Spanish and Barcelona team, who features in this list. Although known for his career at FC Barcelona, Gerard Pique had success with Manchester United as well.

It might be quite revealing for many that, he played alongside Cristiano Ronaldo, against whom he had some tough battles later.

Read Also | Reliving Barcelona's Golden Era: A Tribute to Footballing Brilliance

Pique won 9 La Liga titles for Barcelona to go with 3 UCL titles for the club. But before reaching there he had won the Premier League and Champions League for United in the 2007-08 season.

He was also an integral part of the Spanish team which won the FIFA World Cup in 2010 and UEFA Euro in 2012.

3. Andres Iniesta (39 trophies)

Probably the best midfielder of the modern era, Andres Iniesta with 41 trophies is the third most successful footballer ever.

Another important player of that iconic Spanish and Barcelona team, Iniesta found success early in his career. He won his first major trophy with Spain U-17 team winning the U-17 Euros in 2000. He followed that up with the U-19 Euro title next year.

His Barcelona career started in 2002 which continued till 2018. In those 17 year at Barcelona, he won 32 trophies. Post that, he joined Japanese club Viseel Kobe where he won three trophies as well.

Read Also | Andres Iniesta: Who has won the most trophies for FC Barcelona?

Along with all club level success, Iniesta's greatest achievement was to win the 2010 FIFA World Cup alongside lifting the 2008 and 2012 Euro Cup. His goal in the 2010 World Cup final to hand Spain their first-ever World Cup, is regarded as one of the greatest World Cup moments.

Iniesta called it a day in 2024 after spending a year at the Emirates Club. 

2. Dani Alves (43 trophies)

Before Lionel Messi took over as the player with most trophies in football history, it was Dani Alves who had the record. The defender won 23 trophies in eight years at Barcelona.

Dani Alves won six La Liga and three Champions League titles with Barcelona. He then won 19 more titles while playing for Juventus, PSG, and Sao Paulo. He won domestic titles in Italy, France, Brazil and Spain as, which makes him one of the greatest of his era.

Read Also: All the FIFA World Cup winners and runners-up since 1930

The defender won six major titles with his national team, Brazil. He started his Brazil career by winning the U-20 FIFA World Cup in 2003. Alves then won two Copa America titles in 2007 and 2019. He concluded his international career by winning the Olympic gold in 2021.

Despite the recent off-field controversies, with 43 trophies in his cabinet, Dani Alves is one of the greatest ever to play the game.

1. Lionel Messi (46 trophies)

Leo Messi is the player with the most trophies in football history. With his latest triumph at the 2024 Supporters’ Shield winners, the magician from Argentina won his 46th trophy in his career.

Messi won back-to-back four international trophies with Argentina within three years. He won the Copa America 2021 and then went on to win the Finalissima 2022. Then he capped off his greatest achievement by winning FIFA World Cup 2022.

The Argentine maestro has also won the Olympic Gold Medal with his country in 2008. His latest international success came in Copa America 2024.

In club football history, Messi is the most successful player with 41 club trophies to his name. He started his career with his boyhood club Barcelona and played 18 seasons for the club, scoring a record 672 goals.

Read Also | Top 10 La Masia Graduates who ruled football

The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner won four Champions League titles with Barcelona. Alongside European success, he won 10 La Liga titles as well, most for Barcelona. He has also won Spanish Cup seven times.

After his great stint at Barcelona, Messi went to the French League to play for PSG. However, he was unable to bring the UCL to the French giant, he won the French League with them. In addition, he won the French Super Cup for the season 2022-23 with PSG.

The No.10 jersey in football is always an iconic one. Be it for any club, country or any team playing in a local tournament, usually the best player of the team or the attacker wears the No.10 jersey for the team. 

FC Barcelona, one of the best and historical clubs in the World, had some of the greatest players ever to wear the No. 10 jersey for them. Today, in this article, we will discuss 10 legendary Barcelona players who have worn the jersey no. 10. 

To give you the context of the article, let me remind you that, after a great 2024-25 season, Lamine Yamal is set to wear the No.10 jersey for FC Barcelona in the next season, only if Ansu Fati leaves the club. 

Read Also | Football jersey numbers: Significance of jersey numbers in football

1. Lionel Messi (2008-2021)

If you talk about any stats or legendary things about FC Barcelona, there is a chance that you will have to mention the little man from Argentina, Lionel Messi. Most goals, most trophies, most assists, most Ballon d'Ors, and many more records for the club - Messi has everything to his name.

Messi had 672 goals and 303 assists in 778 appearances for FC Barcelona and left the club with the most number of titles. The 8-time Ballon d'Or winner wore the No.10 jersey for the first time in 2008 when Ronaldinho left the Catalan club to join AC Milan. 

Since then, Messi has worn the iconic jersey for 14 years, before leaving the club as the greatest Barcelona player. 

Read Also | 11 players who have won the most trophies in football history

2. Diego Maradona (1982–1984)

An Argentine legend followed by another one. One of the greatest footballers ever, Diego Maradona, who is known for his time at Italian Club Napoli, spent two seasons at FC Barcelona as well. 

Although Maradona's stint at Barcelona was full of controversies and injuries, he scored 38 goals in 58 matches and won the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup for FC Barcelona. 

3. Ronaldinho (2003–2008)

With his Samba magic and flair, Ronaldinho is regarded as one of the greatest Barcelona players ever. The Brazilian legend was there when Messi made his debut and gave him all the support to fill his shoes later. Before Messi, it was Ronaldinho, who used to wear the No. 10 jersey for FC Barcelona. 

Ronaldinho scored 94 goals and provided 71 assists in 207 matches for FC Barcelona. 

Alongside winning two La Liga titles, he also won the 2006 UEFA Champions League for the Spanish club.

Read Also | Top 10 Greatest EL Clasico Matches of All Time

4. Gary Lineker (1986–1989)

Gary Lineker is one of the greatest English players ever to play for FC Barcelona. From 1986 to 1989, Lineker played for FC Barcelona in 138 matches, wearing the famous No. 10 jersey. 

Lineker scored 51 goals for the Catalan club and helped them win the Copa del Rey in 1988 and the European Cup Winners’ Cup in 1989.

5. Rivaldo (1997–2002)

Rivaldo, the Brazilian legend and captain, joined FC Barcelona in the 1997 season and played 235 games for the Catalan, the most he played for any club in his career. The attacking midfielder scored 130 goals for Barcelona and won four titles, including two La Liga titles. 

Not only that, during his stint at Barcelona, he won the FIFA Best Player Award and Ballon d'Or award in 1999. 

Read Also | Football Facts: Players With Champions League, World Cup and Ballon d'Or

6. César Rodríguez (1939–1955)

Since there was no consistency in jersey numbers during the 1930s and 1940s era, it is quite unclear how many games he played wearing the No. 10 jersey for FC Barcelona. But Cesar, who wore the No. 10 jersey occasionally for FC Barcelona, played 344 games for the club.

In those games, he scored 226 goals and won 11 trophies for the club, including 5 La Liga titles. With 28 goals, he also finished the 1948-49 season as the top scorer of La Liga.

7. Juan Román Riquelme (2002–2005)

Another Argentine legend is on the list of legendary players to wear the No. 10 jersey for FC Barcelona. Riquelme, the legendary Argentine attacking midfielder, though he only played 42 games for FC Barcelona, made his mark before leaving for Villarreal and Boca Juniors. 

8. Michael Laudrup (1989–1994)

Laudrup, the Danish playmaker, was an integral part of Johan Cruyff’s dream team. The stylish midfielder played 226 games for FC Barcelona and scored 54 goals for the club. Along with his goals, Laudrup assisted 26 times as well. 

Laudrup won 9 trophies for FC Barcelona, including 1 UEFA Champions League, 4 La Liga titles, 1 UEFA Supercup and 2 Spanish Super Cups. Post becoming FC Barcelona.

After his successful 1992 and 1993 seasons, Laudrup joined Real Madrid the next season. 

9. Luis Suárez Miramontes (1955–1961)

One of the greatest Spanish midfielders, Luis Suárez Miramontes, is also one of the greatest FC Barcelona players. Luis Suárez Miramontes, in 176 games for FC Barcelona, scored 80 goals and assisted 21 times. 

Suarez won two La Liga titles and two Spanish Cup titles for FC Barcelona before moving to Inter Milan, where he flourished as a striker and went on to win two Champions League titles as well. 

But before leaving for Inter Milan, he won the 1960 Ballon d'Or while playing for FC Barcelona.

10. Hugo Sotil (1973–1976)

Hugo Sotil, the Peruvian striker, was one of the key players for FC Barcelona during the Johan Cruyff era. In 70 games, he scored 18 goals and helped FC Barcelona win the 1973–74 La Liga title.

Hugo was one of the key members of Barcelona's resurgence in the 1970s. 

The controversy over the potential increase in the 2030 FIFA World Cup roster to 64 teams has gained momentum, with key football officials coming out to oppose it. The Concacaf and the Asian Football Confederation (AFC) have joined forces against this controversial suggestion.

Should the 2030 World Cup be expanded to 64 teams❓🌎 🏆

Alejandro Dominguez, president of CONMEBOL, is proposing a one-time expansion of the 2030 Men's World Cup to 64 teams to mark the tournament’s 100th anniversary.

The centenary edition is set to begin with matches in 🇺🇾,… pic.twitter.com/hxbslrotyM

— 433 (@433) April 11, 2025

Concacaf chief Victor Montagliani has joined the increasing call to oppose the plan to increase the World Cup teams to 64, claiming increasing the number of teams "would not be the right move".

AFC president Shaikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa also warned against the expansion to 64 teams and the ‘chaos’ it could lead to, telling Agence France Press (AFP), “Personally, I don’t agree."

AFC and CONCACAF Presidents show concerns over expansion

In March's FIFA Council, Uruguayan football chief Ignacio Alonso proposed expansion of the 2030 World Cup. FIFA later announced that it would study the proposal.

Since then, Conmebol president Alejandro Dominguez has been the frontrunning campaigner for an expansion to 64 teams. FIFA president Gianni Infantino has been silent on the idea, but according to sources close to FIFA, he favours the plan and came up with it in the first place.

🚨 An official proposal to expand the 2030 World Cup to 64 teams has been put forward by the South American Football Confederation. 🌍🏆

(Source: @BBCSport) pic.twitter.com/LDTfggf3BA

— Transfer News Live (@DeadlineDayLive) April 11, 2025

Conmebol have often been his path to market for alterations that he desires – the most stunning of these recently having been for a biennial World Cup cycle.

Last week, Dominguez supported a tournament extension from 48 teams to 64 teams in the 2030 World Cup as a once-off for the centenary celebrations for the global finals. Dominguez said:

We are convinced that the celebration of the centenary will be something unique, because it has only once been 100 years old. And for this reason, we are proposing, for one, to carry out this anniversary with 64 teams, across three simultaneous continents. So that all countries have the opportunity to live a world experience, and so that no one is left out of this party even if it is played everywhere, it is our party.

With Victor Montagliani joining the mounting anti-64-team World Cup campaign, he is joined by fellow FIFA vice presidents Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa (AFC president) and UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin.

Following Infantino, they are the next three strongest political officials in the world governing body. Montagliani told ESPN:

At Concacaf, we’ve shown that we are open to change by supporting the Women’s World Cup expansion and the continuous evolution of our Confederation’s men’s and women’s national team and club events,”

I don’t believe expanding the men’s World Cup to 64 teams is the right move for the tournament itself and the broader football ecosystem, from national teams to club competitions, leagues, and players.

Yesterday, AFC president Sheikh Salman bin Ibrahim Al Khalifa cautioned against expansion to 64 teams and the 'chaos' it might bring, telling Agence France-Presse: "Personally, I don't agree." He further stated:

If the question is open to amendment, then the door will not only be open to increasing the tournament to 64 teams,"

But somebody will come along and insist on increasing the amount to 132 teams. Where would we get to then? It would be chaos.

Even the president of UEFA, Aleksander Ceferin, who also serves as FIFA vice president, joined the chorus of criticism. He stated:

It is not a good idea for the World Cup itself, and it's not a good idea for our qualifiers as well," 

I don't know where it came from, but it's odd that we didn't know anything prior to this proposal at the FIFA Council."

Would you like a World Cup with 64 teams? 🤔

The 2022 tournament had 32, and 48 will compete in 2026 🏆 pic.twitter.com/sJyyEtaBIE

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) April 3, 2025

Future World Cups and logistical issues

Excitement is rising for the first-ever 48-team World Cup to be staged in 2026 by the United States, Canada, and Mexico.

This event is a huge rise from the traditional 32-team setup, and any further expansion to 64 would double matches to a mind-boggling 128. Contrary to this, the forthcoming 2026 event will host 104 matches to be staged in 16 host cities.

Read Also | FIFA World Cup 2026: Teams qualified so far

The logistical issues for the 2030 World Cup are already significant, with its games spread across three continents. Its initial host nations are Spain, Portugal, and Morocco, but Paraguay, Uruguay, and Argentina will be hosting the milestone opening games, marking a century since the tournament's first edition was held in Uruguay.

FIFA has yet to comment publicly on the feasibility of this proposal, although they did confirm their duty to consider it.

Read Also | FIFA dismisses Morocco's claims about Western Sahara in the 2030 FIFA World Cup bid assessment report

The proposal is expected to be a subject of debate at FIFA's upcoming 75th Congress, which takes place annually on May 15 in Paraguay's capital, Asunción, which houses the headquarters of Conmebol. The congress agenda is yet to be published, but the plan for a 64-team World Cup will supposedly receive intense local lobbying in the backrooms and corridors of FIFA.

It is a childhood dream for everyone to represent their country in a global tournament like FIFA World Cup. But imagine, you are actually a young lad, and yet you are playing the tournament and winning it. For some lucky but no doubt exceptionally talented players, this became a reality. 

In this article from Sportz Point, discover the 5 youngest players to win the FIFA World Cup, including legends like Pele and Ronaldo Nazario, who made history at an early age.

5 youngest players to win the FIFA World Cup:

5. Thierry Henry | 20 Years | France:

Before Kylian Mbappe became a familiar name, there was Thierry Henry in a star-studded French team including the biggest stars like Zinedine Zidane, Lillian Thuram, and Patrick Viera led by Didier Deschamps. Henry at the age of just 20, burst into the limelight with France, winning the 1998 FIFA World Cup, and craved his name among the youngest players to win the FIFA World Cup.

However, Henry did not make an appearance against Brazil, where France won 3-0. He had already played his role, scoring thrice in six matches. During the 2006 FIFA World Cup, Henry was one of the guaranteed starters in the squad.

4. Kylian Mbappe | 19 Years | France:

With astonishing speed and agility, it feels like he is in a sports car on a football field. Kylian Mbappe announced himself at the age of 19. Mbappe became the youngest player to score in the FIFA World Cup final since Pele in 1958, bringing back the title to France after 20 years.

He was one of the most important players for France throughout the season. In the round of 16, Mbappe managed to score a brace in five minutes, knocking out Lionel Messi's Argentina 4-3. Mbappe craved his name among the youngest players to win the FIFA World Cup.

3. Giuseppe Bergomi | 18 Years | Italy:

Giuseppe Bergomi was selected by the Italian national team coach Enzo Bearzot in the 1982 FIFA World Cup squad. He started the tournament on the bench and during the group stage did a great job marking Socrates and Serginho against Brazil in a memorable 3-2 win. Bergomi impressed everyone with his maturity in the Semi-final and the Final.

Giuseppe Bergomi was a FIFA World Cup winner just over a year after making his first appearance in the senior match. Bergomi is one of the youngest players to win the FIFA World Cup. 

2. Ronaldo Nazario | 17 Years | Brazil:

Ronaldo Nazario "The Phenomenon" was a generational talent. If not for a catalog of serious knee injuries, he would probably be known as the greatest ever to play football. In 1994, a 17-year-old Ronaldo was part of the World Cup-winning Brazil team in the United States. However, he only made it to the bench and did not play a single minute. Ronaldo Nazario placed second in this list of the youngest players to win the FIFA World Cup.

Ronaldo scored a staggering 115 goals in 134 games between 1994 and 1999 during two brilliant spells at Barcelona (37 goals, 34 games) and PSV (46 goals in 42 games). By 23, he had scored over 200 goals for club and country.

1. Pele | 17 Years | Brazil:

Pele is the most well-known footballer in the history of the sport and possibly the greatest attacking player of the 20th century. The Brazilian legend was just 17 years and 249 days old in 1958 when Brazil outdid Sweden by 5-2 in the final at the Rashunda Stadium in Solna, Sweden. Pele scored a brace, winning Brazil their first-ever World Cup. 

Pele is the youngest player to win the FIFA World Cup on this list. Brazil’s 5-2 triumph over France in the semi-finals saw Pele become the youngest scorer of a hat-trick in World Cup history. He also won the World Cup in 1962 in Chile. Later on, he went on to claim his third World Cup trophy after eight years in Mexico. He is the only player to have won 3 World Cup trophies.