On July 14th, the FIFA World Cup semifinals are about to begin. Before the matches, "The Athletic" released its editorial board's selection of the top 50 players of this FIFA World Cup so far. Messi ranked first, followed closely by Mbappe and Bellingham, but Cristiano Ronaldo was not on the list.

TA's Top 50 Stars of the FIFA World Cup (before the semifinals):

1. Messi, Argentina

2. Mbappe, France

3. Bellingham, England

4. Kane, England

5. Haaland, Norway

6. Olise, France

7. Dembele, France

8. Hakimi, Morocco

9. Vini Jr., Brazil

10. Laporte, Spain

11. Cubarsí, Spain

12. Upamecano, France

13. Saliba, France

14. Lamine Yamal, Spain

15. Sabiri, Morocco

16. Diogo Costa, Portugal

17. Quiñones, Mexico

18. Rodri, Spain

19. Anderson, Scotland

20. Oyarzabal, Spain

21. Rice, England

22. Trossard, Belgium

23. Gordon, England

24. Alvarado, Mexico

25. Pedri, Spain

26. Guimaraes, Brazil

27. Sarr, Senegal

28. Balogun, USA

29. Brahim, Morocco

30. Porro, Spain

31. Luis Díaz, Colombia

32. Schjelderup, Norway

33. Lisandro Martínez, Argentina

34. Doué, France

35. Cucurella, Spain

36. Kobel, Switzerland

37. Ødegaard, Norway

38. De Ketelaere, Belgium

39. Rabiot, France

40. Mac Allister, Argentina

41. Merino, Spain

42. Saka, England

43. Tielemans, Belgium

44. Kimmich, Germany

45. Davinson Alexis, Colombia

46. Enzo, Argentina

47. Wirtz, Germany

48. Barcola, France

49. Diomande, Ivory Coast

50. Álvarez, Argentina

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