Are Ronaldo, Messi still the largest World Cup draws, or is Mbappe bigger?

As the greatest sporting show in the world begins next week, all eyes will be on football’s two household names of the last quarter-century: Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Ronaldo and Messi are not just living legends – they are active legends, still playing at an elite standard for club and country. Recommended Stories list of 4 items end of list For the past five World Cups, they have been the names on everyone’s lips, but as the 2026 tournament begins, has a new player emerged to challenge their mainstream appeal with fans and brands alike? The player most often mentioned in that conversation is sublimely talented Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe, who jumped straight into the two legends shoes as one of the best and most recognisable stars in Europe once they departed the continent to begin new football chapters in the Middle East (Ronaldo) and the United States (Messi). Mbappe’s World Cup career arc has, in some ways, already surpassed the Ronaldo-Messi duo: World Cup winner at just 19, Golden Boot winner at 23. In comparison, Messi was 35 when he attained a World Cup trophy, and Ronaldo is yet to win one. Now, with Ronaldo, 41, and Messi, 38, playing in what is almost certainly their last World Cup, has the popularity torch already been passed to Mbappe as we enter the 2026 edition? With the World Cup about to kick off, Al Jazeera Sport breaks down some key metrics to determine who has more star power heading into football’s global showpiece: 1. …