Top 5 Players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup

The 2022 FIFA World Cup was filled with stunning goals, fairy-tale storylines and an epic finale between two of the best players in the world. There have also been plenty of outstanding individual performances from superstars across the four weeks in Qatar, and here are our top five players from the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

5. Joskvo Gvardiol (Croatia)

Joskvo Gvardiol may have been embarrassed by Lionel Messi in the semi-finals, but barring that one moment of humiliation, the Croatian was flawless at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. The 20-year-old was the best defender at the tournament in the group stages and finished with the most clearances at the World Cup. Gvardiol also showed off his superb quality on the ball, playing plenty of line-breaking passes from the back, and became Croatia’s youngest goal-scorer at a World Cup with his goal in the third-place play-off.

4. Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)

Enzo Fernandez completely revitalised the Argentina midfield after finding his way into the starting XI in their final group match against Poland and was a vital cog for the South Americans as they won their first World Cup title in 36 years. The 21-year-old scored a screamer against Mexico in the group stages and delivered a performance for the ages in the final against France, making the most successful passes (77) and tackles (10) to help Argentina lift the trophy. The Benfica midfielder was also named the young player of the tournament for his efforts, and his performances in Qatar would have caught the attention of every single major club in Europe.

3. Antoine Griezmann (France)

Antoine Griezmann continued to shine on the grandest stage for France and the Atletico Madrid star was one of the key reasons why Les Bleus reached back-to-back World Cup finals. Griezmann showed his versatility and adaptability at this World Cup, excelling in a different role for the national team as a midfielder tasked with linking the defence and attack and progressing the ball up the pitch.

2. Kylian Mbappe (France)

Kylian Mbappe added eight goals to the four he scored at the FIFA World Cup in 2018 in Russia and was nigh-on impossible to stop in Qatar, helping France reach consecutive finals. The 23-year-old is the youngest player to score 12 goals at the FIFA World Cup and is also just the second player in history to score a hat-trick at the World Cup final after Geoff Hurst for England in 1966.

1. Lionel Messi (Argentina)

And finally, the best player at the 2022 FIFA World Cup has to be Lionel Messi. The 35-year-old produced arguably the best performance by a player at the tournament since Diego Maradona at the 1986 World Cup, single-handedly dragging Argentina to the title with his genius. Messi added seven goals and three assists in Qatar and became the first player to score a goal in every knockout round of a single World Cup.