World Cup: Five Standout performances from Ligue 1 Players (MD1)
From Folarin Balogun’s brace, to Bouaddi’s midfield dominance against Brazil, we take a look at the Ligue 1 McDonald’s players that stood out during the opening week of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Folarin Balogun (AS Monaco / USA) vs Paraguay
The pressure was on during the United States’ opening fixture against Paraguay, but it was AS Monaco’s in-form striker Folarin Balogun who struck twice (31’ and 45+5’) in Los Angeles to get Mauricio Pochettino's men off to an ideal start the tournament as hosts.
Ayoubb Bouaddi (Lille / Morocco) vs Brazil
The Atlas Lions of Morocco began their World Cup with a daunting clash against Brazil, but took a point from Carlo Ancellotti’s side in a match which saw Lille midfielder Ayoubb Bouaddi deliver a coming-of-age performance in the centre of midfield. He only joined Morocco last month, after France and Didier Deschamps had tried to convince Lillois to represent Les Bleus.
Bradley Barcola (PSG / France) vs Senegal
The Paris Saint-Germain winger’s positive goal-scoring form for his national team continued during France's opener against Senegal. Barcola was on hand to latch onto a perfectly-placed ball from former Marseille man Adrien Rabiot, before he raced down on Edouard Mendy and completed a deft chip over the Senegal goalkeeper to double Les Bleus’ lead.
João Neves (PSG / Portugal) vs RD Congo
Despite Portugal’s disappointing 1-1 draw with DR Congo, João Neves emerged as the standout performer. The 21-year-old Paris Saint-Germain midfielder scored on his World Cup debut, was named FIFA’s Man of the Match, and impressed with his energy, movement, and a 97% pass completion rate. To top it off the midfielder rose high with a flicked header to open the scoring for Portugal, after which he dedicated his goal to his mother.
Keito Nakamura (Reims / Japan) vs Netherlands
The Stade de Reims man was once again a key player for his nation, stepping up in the absence of Brighton’s Karou Mitoma. It was an entertaining match between Japan and the Netherlands, as the Samurai Blue managed to peg back the Dutch twice after going behind. Nakamura was the first to equalise for Japan, with a low strike from the edge of the box after driving inside on the left.
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