Undav surprises and is named the best striker in the group stage of the World Cup by FIFA
Deniz Undav was recognized as the best striker in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup, surpassing Messi and Mbappé, according to the FIFA Power Ranking.
It's not Lionel Messi, nor Kylian Mbappé. According to the new FIFA Power Ranking, the best striker in the group stage of the 2026 World Cup is Deniz Undav. The player from Germany, who often entered the field as a weapon in decisive games, managed to stand out against two of the biggest stars in world football, thanks to an evaluation system based solely on data. This special classification was developed by FIFA, using algorithms created by a group of experts led by Arsène Wenger.
The model considers three parameters: offensive phase, creativity and defensive contribution, assigning a score from 0 to 10 for each player in each match, as long as they have played at least 20 minutes. It is in the attacking category that Undav stands out, reaching a rating of 8.36, ahead of Messi (8.34) and Mbappé (8.13). His incredible finishing efficiency was crucial: in just 90 minutes played, he scored three goals, becoming the best "super sub" of the tournament.
When it comes to creativity, Frenchman Michael Olise stands out with the highest score (8.03), while Canadian Luc de Fougerolles leads the defensive rating with 7.38, surpassing Spaniards Rodri and Aymeric Laporte. Among the goalkeepers, Ronwen Williams from South Africa stands out in building the game, while Orlando Gill from Paraguay is the best in protecting the goal. In contrast, Manuel Neuer occupies a much lower position, being second to last in goal defense and 19th in ball possession.
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