Best Players
30 May 2026 153 comments
FPL Marc FPL Marc
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We’re going position by position on the FIFA World Cup Fantasy 2026 game, picking out the best players ahead of Matchday 1.

Next up, a look at some goalkeepers priced lower than the big names.

GREGOR KOBEL ($4.7m)

  • Matchday 1: Qatar
  • Matchday 2: Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Matchday 3: Canada

As mentioned in our Switzerland team preview, Murat Yakin is going for stability, as eight players started in each of their qualifiers, including Kobel and an established back four. Therefore, only England conceded fewer than their two goals in six.

And, although the Swiss let in four during March’s defeat to a Florian Wirtz ($7.5m)-inspired Germany, a few days later they stopped Erling Haaland ($10.5m) from scoring in a 0-0.

In such a nice-looking group, Kobel – who took over after Yann Sommer’s 2024 international retirement – should get clean sheets.

YASSINE BOUNOU ($4.7m)

  • Matchday 1: Brazil
  • Matchday 2: Scotland
  • Matchday 3: Haiti

Also at a cost that makes ‘low-priced’ a bit debatable, Bounou was actually born in Canada, though none of Morocco’s group games will be there. He’s mostly known for a few years at Sevilla and helping The Atlas Lions reach the 2022 World Cup semi-finals.

In that run, only one goal was conceded in their first five matches, before eventually succumbing to France. As of now, they’re the Africa Cup of Nations champions, officially allowing just once all tournament but, of course, that final against Senegal has a huge asterisk beside it.

Regardless, Morocco is a nation that puts their defence first. They let in two goals while winning all eight qualification games, boasting 0.46 non-penalty expected goals conceded (NPxGC) per 90 minutes.

Letting both Ecuador and Paraguay score in March friendlies may slightly concern some, but Bounou has Noussair Mazraoui ($4.4m), Nayef Aguerd ($4.3m) and the world-class Achraf Hakimi ($6.0m) playing in front. There’s also the newly naturalised Issa Diop ($4.5m).

Not a name to consider in Round 1 – but one very much on the radar for Round 2 Wildcarders.

CAMILO VARGAS ($4.3m)

  • Matchday 1: Uzbekistan
  • Matchday 2: DR Congo
  • Matchday 3: Portugal

Facing Uzbekistan and DR Congo is very useful for those planning a Matchday 3 Wildcard. So it’s no wonder that Vargas is a popular cheap choice online.

Then again, Colombia conceded more goals than South America’s other five qualifiers (18), where four of their seven shutouts came in late 2023. They also rank sixth for NPxGC (15.84).

Knowing this, there are definite question marks over Los Cafeteros, but three of their subsequent six outings brought clean sheets

37-year-old Vargas has never played for a European club, but was the main goalkeeper as Colombia reached 2024’s Copa America final. What’s concerning is that he didn’t start three of the four closing qualifiers, then Alvaro Montero ($3.8m) began three of the latest five friendlies.

HERNAN GALINDEZ ($4.2m)

  • Matchday 1: Ivory Coast
  • Matchday 2: Curacao
  • Matchday 3: Germany

Now it’s time for an even more senior CONMEBOL goalkeeper, from a nation that kept 13 clean sheets throughout 18 qualifiers, conceding exactly once in the other five.

In fact, it’s extraordinary to see that Ecuador let in only one goal during the final 11 occasions. Eight matches ended 0-0.

What helps is that 39-year-old Galindez has high-quality, quick and strong defenders in front of him, like Piero Hincapie, Willian Pacho and Joel Ordonez.

Meanwhile, midfielder Moises Caicedo won’t be suspended for Matchday 1 anymore. Originally supposed to, the potential of a Cristiano Ronaldo ($10.0m) ban panicked FIFA into a rule change.

Round 3 Wildcarders can move Galindez out before the Germany test.

MAXIME CREPEAU ($4.0m)

  • Matchday 1: Bosnia-Herzegovina
  • Matchday 2: Qatar
  • Matchday 3: Switzerland

Finally, co-hosts Canada have no qualification data, but we have friendlies and the 2024 Copa America to check out.

They actually reached the semi-finals of the latter, having shut out Peru and Chile. After last year’s disappointing quarter-final Gold Cup exit, Jesse Marsch’s side has kept six clean sheets in eight friendlies, including against Colombia, Romania and Wales.

Group B lacks any global giants, so a cheap pick like Crepeau could start the Matchday in goal, then be switched out should he dodge points.

The issue is that, since Copa America, he hasn’t started two in a row because of Dayne St Clair‘s ($3.8m) existence. Keep an eye out for some useful Marsch quotes.


FPL Marc Broadcaster, writer and overthinker. Hoping that ‘differential potential’ will catch on.

153 Comments Login to Post a Comment
  1. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Extra time it is then.

    Currently looking PSG winning, but let's see what happens.

    1. Moon Dog
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 1 Year
      1 month, 16 days ago

      All it takes is one small moment. A Dowman wondergoal would be cinema.

      1. Moon Dog
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 1 Year
        1 month, 16 days ago

        All 6 subs used nm!

  2. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Eze 🙂

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      He will be the difference

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        For PSG

  3. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    What’s with the kick off from Rice again. Just punts it up into the air, gives away possession immediately just to make their defenders nervous for a brief second

  4. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Rice about to cry

    1. lilmessipran
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Cried Rice

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Not a pen for me

        1. Hughes Your Daddy
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 16 days ago

          Yeah never a pen - dont have the prem VAR team backing them up like they are used to 🙂 https://www.bbc.com/sport/football/articles/cvgzl2gmvrzo

  5. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    So who’s on pens? Gyok, Eze, Madueke, Rice, Marti?

  6. Absolutely Muñozed
    1 month, 16 days ago

    is Raya capable on penalties? I think Arsenal on disadvantage if it goes to Penalties

    1. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Have you read the other posts on the last page? 😉

    2. The Bandit
      • 15 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Maybe they will let Raya take one, so he feels involved

    3. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      it's a lottery

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        It’s not. It’s a test of nerve between taker and keeper.

  7. g40steve
    • 8 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Pens

  8. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Stream crashed.

  9. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 12 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Pens are brutal

  10. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Sleazy

    1. It’s gonna Ben Mee
      • 12 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      All fart no poo

  11. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Raya 😯

  12. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Horrible miss from Eze.

  13. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Rice and easy does it

  14. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Not a great one from Rice there but keeper didn’t move

  15. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Massive save from Raya.

  16. The Bandit
    • 15 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Great from Marti

  17. FPL Blow-In
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Hope Gabriel Doesn’t miss of all People

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Poor guy.

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Eze is the one to blame

        1. FPL Blow-In
          • Fantasy Football Scout Member
          • 13 Years
          1 month, 16 days ago

          Eze had the worst pen for sure. He was waiting for the keeper to move and when he didn’t it threw him completely

          1. FPL Blow-In
            • Fantasy Football Scout Member
            • 13 Years
            1 month, 16 days ago

            Gabriel has just been the heart and soul of that Arsenal team in many ways, really feel for him

  18. Wolfman180
    • Fantasy Football Scout Member
    • 12 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    LOLz

  19. Mr. O'Connell
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Think they got the order a bit wrong there

  20. It’s gonna Ben Mee
    • 12 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Absolutely brutal! You could see that how the pressure was getting to him as he walked up.

    1. mixology
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Should have used his head

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Lol

  21. Kvarken SS
    • 2 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Absolutely wonderful!

  22. Hughes Your Daddy
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Arsenal letting the England treble down.

    1. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      At least Eze can’t take a penalty at the World Cup

      1. The Bandit
        • 15 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Neither can Madueke

      2. Hughes Your Daddy
        • 14 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Surprised he took one tbh, he missed a fair few for us with his weird pen taking style.

  23. CoracAld2831
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Tough loss for Arsenal.

    After being undefeated all of the competition, they lose at the worst possible time and the worst possible way.

    1. *Reformed-Character*
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Outclassed

      1. FPL Blow-In
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 13 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        That’s a stretch. Stats will show PSG with possession etc but few shots from distance, created little to nothing and scored via a penalty

        1. *Reformed-Character*
          • 9 Years
          1 month, 16 days ago

          So XG means nothing then.....OK

        2. *Reformed-Character*
          • 9 Years
          1 month, 16 days ago

          What did arsenal create?

  24. TheBiffas
    • 5 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Football wins.

  25. Mr. O'Connell
    • 14 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Need to pick themselves up, the parade is tomorrow afternoon.

  26. Absolutely Muñozed
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Arsenal didn't have good pk takers either

    1. Mr. O'Connell
      • 14 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Playing for pens, but subbing off all your good pen takers is a bold strategy.

      1. *Reformed-Character*
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Spot on

    2. FPL Blow-In
      • Fantasy Football Scout Member
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Gyokeres, Rice, and Martinellinjad good pens.

      Eze took pens at Palace. Gabriel was an odd one. Odegaard, Saka and Havertz all off and can take pens

      1. Baps Hunter
        • Fantasy Football Scout Member
        • 8 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Eze was poor on pens imo. But someone can check his stats. I don't trust my memory 100%

        1. Hughes Your Daddy
          • 14 Years
          1 month, 16 days ago

          Yep, I mentioned above he has missed a fair few for us.

    3. Charlie Price
      • 5 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Many of Arsenal’s best pen takers not even on the pitch when they were needed. Otherwise Gabriel would not have been in the first five takers. Blame Arteta.

  27. *Reformed-Character*
    • 9 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Deserved - PSG by FAR the better team....

    1. The Mandalorian
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Not really. PSG rest all their best players for the champions league so they can play this high intensity football.

      PSG win their farmers league with the reserve team and could only beat Arsenal on penalties.

      1. *Reformed-Character*
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        Arsenal don't detected

      2. jacob1989
        • 4 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        This has always gone against bayern.. so not an excuse

    2. jacob1989
      • 4 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Not really. Neither team was good today.

      1. *Reformed-Character*
        • 9 Years
        1 month, 16 days ago

        PSG where the better side today ....end off

  28. Wirtzle Gummidge
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Gérard Depardieu!

  29. Don Be Zeelly
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Arsenal robbed (Newcastle supporter).

    1. *Reformed-Character*
      • 9 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      Robbed? They were dominated for 90 minutes...

    2. The Mandalorian
      • 13 Years
      1 month, 16 days ago

      No way could the ref see from behind whether that was a pen against Madueke.

      1. Don Be Zeelly
        1 month, 16 days ago

        It was a call at the very least. A pretty obvious one, imo.

  30. The Mandalorian
    • 13 Years
    1 month, 16 days ago

    Madueke should have come on around 65 mins, PSG couldn't cope with him.

    Saka looked tired, stopped tracking back and in attack offered nothing.