In the scintillating realm of football’s greatest stage, the 2018 FIFA World Cup, certain players etched their names into the annals of history.
From stunning goals to jaw-dropping saves, these athletes left an indelible mark on the tournament. Join us on a journey back in time as we celebrate the brilliance and magic of the best World Cup players in 2018.
Whether you’re a die-hard football fan or just love reliving extraordinary moments, this article is your ticket to nostalgia.
Our List of The 80+ Best World Cup Players In 2018 (Updating)
1. Luka Modric (Midfielder) – $75 million
Age: 38 years old
Country: Croatia
Club: Real Marid CF
Luka Modric – A masterful playmaker, Modric has been integral to Real Madrid’s and Croatia’s successes. Known for his vision, technical skill, and control, he’s been pivotal in Madrid’s Champions League triumphs and Croatia’s impressive World Cup run, even earning a Ballon d’Or.
2. Kevin De Bruyne (Midfielder) – $70 million
Age: 32 years old
Country: $70 million
Club: Manchester City F.C.
Kevin De Bruyne – A midfield maestro, De Bruyne is renowned for his exceptional vision, passing, and scoring ability. At Manchester City, he has been instrumental in their Premier League and domestic cup successes, known for creating numerous goal-scoring opportunities.
3. Antoine Griezmann (Forward) – $90 million
Age: 32 years old
Country: French
Club: Atlético de Madrid
Antoine Griezmann – A versatile forward, Griezmann has been key for Atletico Madrid, Barcelona, and the French national team. Known for his technical skill, intelligence, and goal-scoring ability, he played a crucial role in France’s 2018 World Cup victory.
4. Eden Hazard (Winger) – $100 million
Age: 32 years old
Country: Belgian
Club: Real Madrid CF
Eden Hazard – Known for his dribbling, creativity, and scoring ability, Hazard was a key player for Chelsea and Belgium. His ability to change games with individual brilliance has made him one of the top forwards in European football.
5. Harry Kane (Striker) – $63.8 million
Age: 30 years old
Country: England
Club: Bayern Munich
Harry Kane – England’s captain and one of the Premier League’s top strikers, Kane is known for his goal-scoring, vision, and ability to link play. He has been a consistent top scorer for Tottenham Hotspur and a key player for the national team.
6. Kylian Mbappe (Forward) – $180 Million
Age: 24 years old
Country: French
Club: Paris Saint-Germain F.C.
Kylian Mbappe – A prodigious talent, Mbappé’s speed, skill, and scoring ability have made him one of the most exciting forwards in soccer. Key in France’s 2018 World Cup win, his performances for Paris Saint-Germain have cemented his status as a top global talent.
7. Raphael Varane (Defender) – $79 million
Age: 30 years old
Country: French
Club: Manchester United F.C.
Raphael Varane – A composed and skillful centre-back, Varane’s time at Real Madrid was marked by his defensive prowess and ability to play the ball out from the back. A World C
8. Mohamed Salah (Forward) – $90 million
Age: 31 years old
Country: Egypt
Club: Liverpool F.C.
Mohamed Salah – Known for his incredible pace, dribbling, and scoring ability, Salah has been instrumental in Liverpool’s recent successes, including the Premier League and Champions League victories. He’s consistently been one of the top scorers in the Premier League.
9. Luis Suarez (Striker) – $70 million
Age: 36 years old
Country: Uruguay
Club: Grêmio Foot-Ball Porto Alegrense
Luis Suarez – A prolific striker, Suarez is known for his strength, finishing, and creativity. He has been a key player for clubs like Liverpool, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid, consistently ranking among the top scorers in Europe.
10. Robert Lewandowski (Striker) – $85 million
Age: 35 years old
Country: German
Club: FC Barcelona
Robert Lewandowski – One of the world’s premier strikers, Lewandowski’s goal-scoring record for Bayern Munich is extraordinary. Known for his positioning, finishing, and physicality, he’s been a consistent top scorer in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.
11. David de Gea (Goalkeeper) – $75 million
Age: 33 years old
Country: Span
Club: Manchester United F.C.
David de Gea – Recognized as one of the best goalkeepers in the world, De Gea has been a key figure for Manchester United with his remarkable shot-stopping abilities and reflexes, contributing significantly to the team’s success over the years.
12. Manuel Neuer (Goalkeeper) – $50 million
Age: 37 years old
Country: German
Club: FC Bayern Munich
Manuel Neuer – Often considered one of the greatest goalkeepers, Neuer is known for his shot-stopping, command of the area, and skill with the ball at his feet. His performances for Bayern Munich and Germany have earned him numerous accolades.
13. David Silva (Midfielder) – $55 million
Age: 37 years old
Country: Spain
Club: Real Sociedad
David Silva – A creative force, Silva’s finesse and playmaking ability were crucial for Manchester City’s domestic success. Known for his vision and ability to find and create scoring opportunities, he was instrumental in City’s transformation into a Premier League powerhouse.
14. N’Golo Kante (Midfielder) – $21 million
Age: 32 years old
Country: French
Club: Al-Ittihad Club
N’Golo Kante – Celebrated for his incredible work rate and defensive prowess, Kanté has been a key player for Chelsea and the French national team. His ability to intercept, tackle, and cover ground is unparalleled.
15. Toni Kroos (Midfielder) – $25 million
Age: 33 years old
Country: German
Club: Real Madrid CF
Toni Kroos – A central midfielder known for his passing accuracy, vision, and composure, Kroos has been integral to Real Madrid’s and Germany’s successes, including multiple Champions League victories and a World Cup.
16. Thiago Silva (Defender) – $45 million
Age: 39 years old
Country: French
Club: Chelsea F.C.
Thiago Silva – A central defender known for his leadership, aerial ability, and skill, Silva has been a key figure for clubs like Paris Saint-Germain and Chelsea, as well as the Brazilian national team, contributing significantly to their defensive strength.
17. Andres Iniesta (Midfielder) – $120 million
Age: 39 years old
Country: Spanish
Club: FC Barcelona
Andres Iniesta – A midfield maestro, Iniesta is celebrated for his exceptional vision, ball control, and clutch performances, most notably for FC Barcelona and Spain. His career is distinguished by pivotal roles in Spain’s World Cup 2010 victory and Barcelona’s numerous Champions League and La Liga titles.
18. Sergio Aguero (Striker) – $80 Million
Age: 35 years old
Country: Argentina
Club: Manchester City F.C.
Sergio Aguero – Renowned for his goal-scoring ability, Aguero made a significant impact at Manchester City, becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer. His finishing, movement, and ability to score in crucial moments were key to City’s success.
19. Gabriel Jesus (Forward) – $27 million
Age: 26 years old
Country: Brazil
Club: Arsenal F.C.
Gabriel Jesus – A Brazilian forward known for his versatility and work rate, Jesus has been a key player for Manchester City and now Arsenal, contributing both goals and assists, and showing his potential as a top forward.
20. Philippe Coutinho (Midfielder) – $60 million
Age: 31 years old
Country: Brazil
Club: Aston Villa F.C.
Philippe Coutinho – Known for his skill, vision, and ability to score from midfield, Coutinho has been influential at Liverpool and showed glimpses of his talent at Barcelona and Bayern Munich.
21. Thibaut Courtois (Goalkeeper) – $115 million
Age: 31 years old
Country: Belgian
Club: Real Madrid CF
Thibaut Courtois – A top goalkeeper known for his reflexes and presence in goal, Courtois has been key for Real Madrid and the Belgian national team, contributing to their successes with numerous crucial saves.
22. Lionel Messi (Forward) – $600 million
Age: 36 years old
Country: Argentina
Club: Inter Miami F.C.
Lionel Messi – Often considered the greatest player of all time, Messi’s career at Barcelona was legendary, marked by his extraordinary dribbling, vision, and scoring. At Paris Saint-Germain, he continues to show his exceptional talent.
23. Jan Vertonghen (Defender) – $22 Million
Age: 36 years old
Country: Belgian
Club: R.S.C. Anderlecht
Jan Vertonghen – A versatile and reliable defender, Vertonghen has been key for clubs like Tottenham Hotspur and the Belgian national team. Known for his defensive skills, intelligence, and ability to play both centre-back and left-back.
24. Thomas Muller (Forward/Midfielder) – $48 million
Age: 34 years old
Country: German
Club: FC Bayern Munich
Thomas Muller – A versatile player capable of playing across the front line or behind the striker, Muller is known for his movement, space exploitation, and goal-scoring. A key player for Bayern Munich and Germany, he has won numerous Bundesliga titles and a World Cup.
25. Paul Pogba (Midfielder) – $125 million
Age: 30 years old
Country: France
Club: Juventus F.C.
Paul Pogba – A midfielder known for his physicality, skill, and ability to impact the game, Pogba has been a key player for Juventus and Manchester United. His performances for France were instrumental in their 2018 World Cup victory.
Other Best World Cup Players of Our List:
- 26. Edinson Cavani
- 27. Joshua Kimmich
- 28. Christian Eriksen
- 29. Mats Hummels
- 30. Ivan Perisic
- 31. Sergio Ramos
- 32. Kieran Trippier
- 33. Diego Costa
- 34. Raheem Sterling
- 35. Mesut Ozil
- 36. Dele Alli
- 37. Aleksandr Golovin
- 38. Diego Godin
- 39. Romelu Lukaku
- 40. Yerry Mina
- 41. Olivier Giroud
- 42. Sadio Mane
- 43. Paulo Dybala
- 44. Jordi Alba
- 45. Gonzalo Higuain
- 46. James Rodriguez
- 47. Bernardo Silva
- 48. Ousmane Dembele
- 49. Kyle Walker
- 50. Ivan Rakitic
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was the best player at the 2018 World Cup?
Croatian player Luka Modrić was voted the tournament’s best player and won the Golden Ball after that.
Who won Golden Boot 2018 World Cup?
England captain, Harry Kane, won the Golden Boot at the 2018 World Cup in Russia, having scored a total of six goals.
Has Luka Modric won a World Cup?
No
Who has more Golden Boot Messi or Ronaldo?
Lionel Messi is the all time record winner of the award, having won it six times overall. He also holds the record for most goals and most points in a single season (50 and 100 respectively, in 2011–12). Cristiano Ronaldo is second on the all time list, having won four Golden Shoes, as well as two consecutively.
Who won WC 2014?
German national football team
Who won 2006 World Cup?
Italy national football team
Who won 2010 World Cup?
Spain national football team
Will Neymar play 2026 World Cup?
Neymar has hinted that he will prolong his international career with Brazil through to the 2026 World Cup
Who won 1998 World Cup?
French national football team
Who runs faster Messi or Ronaldo?
Bringing the argument back to the Messi vs Ronaldo debate, Cristiano Ronaldo has been faster than Lionel Messi
Who is faster Ronaldo or Mbappe?
Speed in football can be measured in various ways, including top sprinting speed and acceleration. Both Mbappé and Ronaldo are known for their acceleration and sprinting abilities, but Mbappé was often recognized as one of the quickest players on the pitch.
Conclusion
As the final whistle blew on the 2018 World Cup, it left us with memories that will forever be cherished. The best players from around the globe gave their all, leaving spectators in awe.
From Cristiano Ronaldo’s stunning free-kick to Kylian Mbappé’s electrifying speed, these athletes embodied the spirit of the game.
Let’s continue to celebrate their greatness and eagerly await the next chapter in football’s epic journey at https://whogohere.com/.
