While the second round of group-stage matches is still underway, the 2026 World Cup flops conversation has already begun to dominate headlines.
As the newly expanded 48-team tournament got underway, many fans expected a new generation of young stars to announce themselves on football’s biggest stage – and several have done exactly that with outstanding performances.
Expectations were just as high for the game’s established veterans. Supporters looked to these experienced stars to lead their nations, deliver when it mattered most, and showcase the quality that has made them some of football’s biggest names.
So far, after two rounds of matches, many of those “big” players have struggled to live up to those expectations, leaving their teams searching for inspiration after the opening rounds.
2026 World Cup Flops: Six Players Yet to Show Their Quality
1) Romelu Lukaku
Napoli striker Romelu Lukaku is one of the few players from Belgium’s golden generation in the current squad.
He has so far failed to inspire the country’s young attacking talents as they continue their search for their first victory of the 2026 World Cup.
After draws against Egypt and Iran, the Red Devils sit on just two points from their opening two Group G matches, leaving their campaign uncertain.
Before the tournament, Belgium were widely tipped to dominate their group thanks to a squad packed with players competing at Europe’s top clubs.
Instead, their campaign has been surprisingly flat, and has lacked the leadership and experience expected from one of the tournament’s most experienced squads.
Romelu Lukaku’s 2026 World Cup has been particularly underwhelming. Although he made an immediate impact off the bench against Egypt by forcing an own goal, his performance against Iran highlighted many of Belgium’s attacking problems.
Faced with a disciplined and compact defensive block, Belgium’s all-time leading goalscorer failed to impose himself on the game.
As a striker who thrives as a target man, he received little service and failed to make the intelligent runs needed to stretch Iran’s defence, making him relatively easy to defend against.
With a must-win clash against New Zealand still to come, the pressure is now firmly on Lukaku and his team’s senior stars to deliver.
2) Kevin De Bruyne
Kevin De Bruyne joins his Belgium teammate Romelu Lukaku on the 2026 World Cup flops list after failing to begin his campaign with the level of influence fans have come to expect.
The former Manchester City midfielder, who recorded 108 goals and 177 assists for the Premier League club, is regarded as one of the finest midfielders of his generation, but has performed well below his usual elite standards.
His trademark defence-splitting passes have lacked their usual precision, while his decision-making has appeared slower than expected. Across 173 minutes against Egypt and Iran, De Bruyne has failed to register either a goal or an assist.
For a player of his calibre, failing to produce a goal or assist against opponents many expected Belgium to overcome comfortably raises serious concerns.
With Belgium’s hopes of qualifying for the round of 32 now resting on their final group game, both Lukaku and De Bruyne must rediscover the form that made them among the world’s best.
Otherwise, two of the biggest names from Belgium’s golden generation risk being remembered as some of the 2026 World Cup flops, rather than the leaders who guided Belgium into the knockout stages.
3) Federico Valverde
Coming off the back of a disappointing season with Real Madrid, despite enjoying a solid individual campaign that saw him register 20 goal contributions, Federico Valverde arrived in North America expected to lead Uruguay from the midfield.
Instead, the Uruguay captain has found himself at the centre of a major tactical crisis under manager Marcelo Bielsa, leaving him firmly on the growing 2026 World Cup flops list.
Despite entering the tournament in the prime of his career, Valverde’s 2026 World Cup performances have failed to influence matches, with Uruguay picking up just two points from their opening two games following consecutive draws against Saudi Arabia and Cape Verde.
As one of Real Madrid’s most influential midfielders, Valverde was expected to be the box-to-box engine driving Uruguay’s campaign, but Bielsa’s tactical approach has prevented him from making his usual impact.
Against Saudi Arabia, Valverde was deployed on the right wing, a role that completely isolated him from the central areas where he has played most of his career.
Against Cape Verde, Bielsa reverted to a 4-3-3 formation with Valverde back in midfield, but his partnership with Rodrigo Bentancur lacked the defensive balance and chemistry needed to control the game, leaving Uruguay exposed to dangerous counterattacks and costly defensive lapses.
Known for his powerful long-range strikes and relentless energy, Valverde has yet to register a goal or an assist after 180 minutes of 2026 World Cup football against lower-ranked opposition.
He has struggled to impose himself on games, failing to dictate the tempo or provide the midfield dominance Uruguay desperately need.
Now heading into their final World Cup group stage fixture, Uruguay face a confident Spain side fresh from a commanding 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia.
If Uruguay are to avoid a second consecutive humiliating group-stage exit, Federico Valverde must take control of the midfield, impose his authority on the game, and finally deliver an exemplary performance expected of one of the world’s elite midfielders.
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4) Enner Valencia
The World Cup has not gone according to plan for Ecuador captain Enner Valencia, who has earned a place on the World Cup flops list after a disappointing start to the tournament.
The 36-year-old striker, who entered the competition as a seasoned World Cup legend, is playing in his third tournament (2014, 2022 and 2026). However, his form and output in his country’s opening two group stage fixtures have left their World Cup campaign on the brink of collapse.
Having scored six consecutive World Cup goals across the 2014 and 2022 editions, Valencia was brought into the squad with the expectation of him providing the clinical finishing and veteran leadership needed to navigate a difficult Group F.
Instead, Ecuador have managed just one point and no goals after failing to score against Island nation Curaçao, whom Germany thrashed 7-1.
Against the Caribbean nation, Valencia missed four big chances, including a golden opportunity inside the opening three minutes after being played through on goal by Chelsea midfielder Moisés Caicedo.
One-on-one with the goalkeeper, the Ecuador captain failed to convert. That save from Curaçao’s Eloy Room was the first of 15 he produced during the match, making him the first goalkeeper to record 15 saves in a single FIFA World Cup game.
Valencia’s wastefulness in front of goal has earned him a place on the 2026 World Cup flops list.
Now heading into the final World Cup group stage match, Ecuador face a must-win clash against Germany.
Valencia must use his experience against a German side that has scored nine goals in just two games to inspire his teammates and give Ecuador a fighting chance of reaching the 2026 World Cup Round of 32.
If he cannot rediscover his finishing boots and lead from the front, Ecuador’s 2026 World Cup campaign will come to an end, and one of the country’s greatest international careers could conclude on a heartbreaking note.
5) Lautaro Martinez
Argentina’s opening 2026 World Cup match ended in a convincing 3-0 victory over Algeria, with the spotlight firmly on Lionel Messi after he produced his first-ever World Cup hat-trick.
The following game against Austria saw Messi officially break the record for the most goals in the World Cup. His brace took his tally to 18 goals, moving him ahead of Miroslav Klose to become the tournament’s all-time leading scorer.
While the headlines were dominated by Messi’s historic achievement and Argentina’s back-to-back victories, one performance that largely flew under the radar was that of Lautaro Martinez.
The Inter Milan striker, who is widely regarded as one of Europe’s most clinical finishers, has so far struggled to make the impact many expected.
Although he won the penalty that Messi missed, his overall contribution and performance in Argentina’s World Cup games so far have fallen well below expectations.
As his country’s campaign progresses, the reigning champions cannot rely solely on Messi to carry the goalscoring burden.
There will be matches where the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner is rested or simply unable to influence the game in the same way, and that is when Lautaro and teammates will be expected to step up.
Based on the opening two games, however, he did little to inspire confidence that he can consistently be the clinical finisher Argentina need in their pursuit of another World Cup title.
Moving forward, Martinez must now prove he is capable of leading the line by rediscovering his clinical edge, and justify the high expectations placed upon him before the 2026 World Cup began.
6) Ferran Torres
The Barcelona striker’s performances in Spain’s opening two World Cup matches have seen him come under intense criticism from fans on social media and have earned him a place among the 2026 World Cup flops.
One of the biggest surprises of the tournament came in Spain’s frustrating 0-0 draw against Cape Verde, where Ferran Torres endured a nightmare outing. He was dispossessed four times, lost a game-high eight duels, missed a golden opportunity that hit the crossbar, and finished with a disappointing 4.93 player rating.
In Spain’s second World Cup group stage match, Luis de la Fuente’s side responded with a 4-0 victory over Saudi Arabia, but Ferran Torres’ World Cup struggles continued.
Despite the convincing scoreline, his display once again lacked the clinical edge expected from one of Spain’s senior attackers, leading to further criticism over his wastefulness in front of goal.
The 26-year-old, who is naturally a centre-forward, has been deployed on the right wing throughout Spain’s 2026 World Cup campaign, and the tactical adjustment has looked uninspiring.
The role has largely neutralised his strengths, limiting his movement in central areas and leaving him isolated compared to Spain’s other attacking players.
Against Saudi Arabia, while Spain’s other attackers flourished, Torres once again failed to make a meaningful impact.
He thought he had finally ended his goal drought with a late finish, only for the VAR to rule the effort out for offside, capping off another frustrating night in what has so far been a disappointing World Cup campaign.
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