Where To Find England's Stars After The 2026 World Cup

England fell short of winning its first World Cup title since 1966 but did finish in third place in 2026 – its highest finish since its sole title.

With Harry Kane and Jude Bellingham leading the way, the Three Lions were able to reach the semifinals for only the fourth time at the tournament. This summer, England started out strong with a 4-2 win over Croatia in Group L, followed by a scoreless draw with Ghana. A 2-0 win over Panama sealed first place in the group, which then saw a 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 32. A memorable 3-2 win over Mexico in the round of 16 followed a 2-1 quarterfinals win over Norway. 

England’s Best Moments 2026 FIFA World Cup™ 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿

That set up an epic semifinals clash with Lionel Messi and Argentina, in which the defending titleholders scored a late goal to deny England a spot in the final. In the bronze final, a pulsating 6-4 win over France sealed third place.

So what's next for the players who led England at the World Cup?

Harry Kane

Forward · England

Harry Kane had a solid showing with six goals in seven appearances as captain for the Three Lions. He drew level with Gary Lineker's England record of six goals in World Cup knockout-stage matches. In the 2–1 defeat against Argentina in the semifinal, he made his 121st international appearance, becoming England's most capped outfield player, with only goalkeeper Peter Shilton having more caps. 

Still searching for his piece of silverware for England, Kane has been prolific on the club level. He's led Bayern Munich to two straight Bundesliga titles and won the 2024-25 Bundesliga Player of the Season award. He's led the league in goals in three straight seasons.

Jude Bellingham

Midfielder · England

With the Beatles' classic song of "Hey Jude" following every match, Jude Bellingham became one of the standout starts at the World Cup. He scored seven goals at the tournament – including a memorable two-goal performance against Mexico in the round of 16 win. He followed that up with another brace against Norway in the quarterfinals. His seven-goal tally is the most ever by an England player in a single World Cup edition.

Bellingham returns to Real Madrid, who'll be under Jose Mourinho – his second time in charge at the club. He helped Madrid win the 2023-24 LaLiga title and Champions League title, but two trophyless seasons since then will put more pressure on Bellingham to deliver in Madrid. 

Anthony Gordon

Forward · England

Anthony Gordon was a pivotal playmaker on the wings for England, especially during the knockout rounds. He provided both assists to Kane in the 2-1 win over DR Congo in the round of 32, and scored England's goal in the 2-1 semifinal loss to Argentina. 

Following three seasons in which he established himself as one of Newcastle United's most dependable stars, Gordon made a blockbuster move to Barcelona prior to the World Cup. 

Declan Rice

Midfielder · England

Declan Rice battled some injury and fitness issues during the World Cup, but the Arsenal midfielder proved worthy at the World Cup with his set-piece contributions and steady play. With Kane sitting out the bronze match, he wore the captain's armband and scored a goal in the 6-4 win over France. 

Rice was one of the main reasons why Arsenal were finally able to win the Premier League after a 22-year drought and nearly captured a Champions League trophy before a loss on penalties to PSG. Expect Rice and the Gunners to be firmly in the mix for more silverware this season. 

Bukayo Saka

Forward · England

Saka's role at the World Cup differed from his leading man performances at Arsenal, partly as he was plagued with some injury issues. Coming on as a substitute, he finished the tournament with three assists becoming just the third player to do so at a World Cup for England, after David Beckham and Harry Kane. In the bronze final against France, he scored a hat trick in the win. 

Much like Rice, Saka was key for Arsenal in its Premier League-winning season. He should once again be pivotal for the club as it aims to bring more silverware to North London.

Dan Burn

Defender · England

"Big Dan" became a bit of a folk hero during the summer as the 6-foot-7 center back shined as a defensive substitute and clearance specialist, especially in the win over Mexico. In that win over El Tri, Burn set a World Cup record for most clearances in a single game. 

Burn will be back in action with Newcastle United in the Premier League.