Stars Live Up To Expectation

O ne of the positive takeaways from the recently concluded World Cup is that renowned stars largely li­ ved up to expectations. The tourna­ ment’s best player, Rodri of Spain; who plays for English club Manchester City; is evidently the world’s best in his role as a defensive midfielder and orchestrator. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was the en­ gine of the Spanish team. France’s Kylian Mbappé also delivered. The Real Madrid forward has won the Golden Boot (top scorer) in two FIFA World Cups (2022 and 2026). The captain of the French natio­ nal team, has repeatedly stepped up when needed. His latest feat was a brace in the third-place match against England, even though France lost 4–6. That per­ formance helped him become the all- time leading scorer in FIFA World Cup his­ tory with 22 goals. Lionel Messi of Argentina, at 39, conti­ nues to defy age and expectations. Playing more than 120 minutes in matches and still producing top-level performances is extraordinary but true. Argentina might have been eliminated well before the quarterfinals without their magical captain. Messi pushed until the final, though this edition was not ul­ timately his. He finished second in the Golden Boot race of the 2026 World Cup with eight goals and four assists. Jude Bellingham o...