Mbappé scored 10 goals, but who created them? Michael Olise created more chances than anyone at the tournament, and Rodri's 92 line-breaking passes built Spain's title. The playmakers of 2026.

This guide covers michael olise: the creator of the tournament, rodri: 92 line-breaking passes, the other great providers, and what the assist numbers tell us. Each section explains the topic with concrete examples, so you can use what you learn straight away.

France's Michael Olise created more chances than any player at the 2026 World Cup, rewriting a record for chance creation that had stood since 1970. Olise was also named in the team of the tournament with a 7.9 rating, and created the second-most goalscoring chances in the competition. His crossing and through balls made France dangerous even when Mbappé was marked, and he was the tournament's most creative player by every measure.

Spain's Rodri completed a tournament-high 92 line-breaking passes at 93.9% accuracy, 34 more than the leader at the 2022 World Cup. He also completed 200 forward passes, the most of any midfielder, and 756 passes overall, more than any player in the tournament. Rodri's passing was not just safe sideways football: it was the mechanism that moved Spain from defence to attack, and it won him the Golden Ball.

Ousmane Dembélé created 18 goalscoring chances for France, the second-most in the tournament, and was rated 7.9 in the team of the tournament. Jude Bellingham's driving runs created space and chances for England, while Pedri's through balls were Spain's main weapon against deep defences. Kylian Mbappé, as well as scoring 10 goals to win the Golden Boot, was involved in creating chances for France, showing that the best attackers in 2026 were complete players.

The 2026 World Cup rewarded creators as much as scorers: the team of the tournament was full of players who made chances, not just players who finished them. The best teams had at least two creators, because one playmaker can be marked out of a game, but two cannot. For young players watching at home, the lesson is clear: learning to create is as valuable as learning to score.