Trossard shines but Saka fails: Ranking all 16 of Arsenal’s players at the World Cup this summer

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Arsenal had plenty of players at the World Cup this summer and in the end, things have turned out good for some and poorly for others.

The Gunners’ four-man England contingent crashed out in the semi-final once again, while the Brazilians involved for Arsenal suffered a disappointing exit at the hands of Norway.

But with the third place game and the final to come this weekend, just who has shone and who has underwhelmed? We’ve taken a look and given our take on proceedings here.

Tell us who have been Arsenal’s BEST and WORST player at the World Cup this summer?

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Arsenal’s best players at the 2026 World Cup

If we go for a top eight first to separate things out, there are some obvious names who need to be included.

The recently departed Leandro Trossard excelled for Belgium, creating more chances than any other player, while Martin Odegaard showed he belonged at the top level with some fine showings for Norway.

Declan Rice played through the pain barrier, as did William Saliba, while Mikel Merino has come up trumps for finalists Spain on more than one occasion.

All things considered, you have to say Trossard was the standout player, although an argument could be made for Merino if he somehow impacts the game again on Sunday.

While Martinelli and Havertz crashed out earlier than expected, they did at least seize their own moments with Martinelli getting a crucial winner against Japan, and Havertz netting three times.

Piero Hincapie also performed admirably for a spirited Ecuador side and rightly gets a mention.

Arsenal’s most underwhelming World Cup players

While we’ve had some success stories, others haven’t quite been at the races or have suffered thanks to their own team’s failings.

Jurrien Timber didn’t get far with the Netherlands, while England trio Saka, Madueke and Eze, all had limited impact on the tournament.

Viktor Gyokeres offered little for Sweden in the end, while David Raya hasn’t played and Martin Zubimendi has been kept out by Spain’s superb midfield.

Of course, these placings are all subjective and it would be interesting to see who people believe has been Arsenal’s best performer.

Thankfully, the Gunners do have players still in the tournament. Indeed, should Spain win it, then Zubimendi, Raya and Merino will become only the second lot of players after Emmanuel Petit to win a World Cup while an Arsenal player.