I was at a pub quiz in Manchester last month when the quizmaster asked which club Kylian Mbappé joined after leaving Paris Saint-Germain. Half the table immediately shouted "Real Madrid!" with enormous confidence — and they were absolutely right — but then followed it up with a furious argument about what year he actually signed for them. One person said 2023, another said 2024, someone else brought up a transfer rumour from 2022 as if that counted. It was brilliant chaos, and it reminded me that World Cup players are one of those topics where everyone thinks they know everything and almost nobody actually does.
What makes the 2026 crop of star players such perfect quiz material is that the gap between casual fan knowledge and real knowledge is enormous. Everyone knows Mbappé is fast and Haaland scores goals. But ask someone where Pedri was born, or how many Champions League finals Vinicius Jr has appeared in, or what shirt number Jude Bellingham wears for Real Madrid, and suddenly the table goes very quiet. There's also something wonderfully divisive about these players — strong opinions, club loyalties, and national biases all collide, which makes quiz questions about them land harder and feel more personal than almost any other sporting topic.
This post has exactly 50 questions split across five rounds, each one dedicated to a generational superstar heading into the 2026 World Cup. We've got Mbappé and France, Vinicius Jr and Brazil, Bellingham and England, Pedri and Spain, and then a final round that brings in Erling Haaland alongside some of the other brilliant players who'll be lighting up the tournament in the USA, Canada, and Mexico this summer.
One thing I noticed while putting these together: the questions that trip people up most are rarely the obscure ones. It's the facts people half-know — a birth city they've heard mentioned but can't quite place, a trophy they remember but can't name the year. I'd recommend mixing these rounds up if you're using them at a pub quiz, rather than running them in player order, because it keeps things unpredictable. These questions should work well for any age group that watches football, though I'd say rounds one and five skew slightly harder than the others if you want to plan your evening around difficulty.
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Round 1: Mbappé & France
Kylian Mbappé is probably the most recognisable footballer on the planet right now, which means people are overconfident going into this round — and that's exactly where the fun is. Some of these questions are genuinely straightforward, but a few dig into France's squad and tournament history in ways that will catch even dedicated fans off guard.
1. In which city was Kylian Mbappé born?
✓ Paris (Bondy, a suburb of Paris, is also accepted)
💡 Mbappé grew up in Bondy, a commune in the northeastern suburbs of Paris, where he played for local club AS Bondy.
2. Which Spanish club did Mbappé join when he left Paris Saint-Germain?
✓ Real Madrid
💡 Mbappé signed for Real Madrid on a free transfer in the summer of 2024, ending years of intense speculation about his future.
3. How old was Mbappé when France won the 2018 FIFA World Cup?
✓ 19
💡 At 19, Mbappé became only the second teenager after Pelé to score in a World Cup final.
4. True or false: Mbappé scored a hat-trick in the 2022 World Cup final against Argentina.
✓ True
💡 Despite his hat-trick, France lost on penalties — Mbappé's heroics remain one of the most spectacular losing performances in final history.
5. Which French club did Mbappé join as a youth player before breaking into professional football?
✓ AS Monaco
💡 Mbappé joined Monaco's academy at 14 and made his professional debut for the club aged just 16 years and 347 days.
6. Name the France manager who led Les Bleus into the 2026 World Cup.
✓ Didier Deschamps
💡 Deschamps has managed France since 2012, making him one of the longest-serving national team managers of a major footballing nation.
7. What squad number does Mbappé wear for the French national team?
✓ 10
💡 The number 10 shirt for France has been worn by legends including Zinedine Zidane, Michel Platini, and now Mbappé.
8. In which year did France last win the FIFA World Cup before the 2026 tournament?
✓ 2018
💡 France beat Croatia 4–2 in the Moscow final, with Antoine Griezmann winning the Golden Ball for player of the tournament.
9. Which position does Antoine Griezmann primarily play for France?
✓ Attacking midfielder / second striker
💡 Griezmann has reinvented himself as a deep-lying creator for France, a role very different from his earlier career as a clinical finisher.
10. What is Mbappé's middle name?
✓ Alain
💡 His full name is Kylian Alain Adeyemi Mbappé — the name Adeyemi reflects his father's Cameroonian and Nigerian heritage.
Round 2: Vinicius Jr & Brazil
Vinicius Junior is one of those players who divides opinion brilliantly at quiz tables — some people know everything about him, others mix him up with Rodrygo or confuse his stats with Neymar's. Brazil as a quiz subject has incredible depth, and this round pulls in just enough national team history to make it more than a simple "name the Real Madrid winger" exercise.
11. In which Brazilian city was Vinicius Junior born?
✓ São Gonçalo (Rio de Janeiro state)
💡 São Gonçalo is one of Brazil's most populous cities but rarely gets mentioned — Vinicius is arguably its most famous export.
12. Which Brazilian club sold Vinicius Junior to Real Madrid in 2018?
✓ Flamengo
💡 Real Madrid agreed the deal in May 2017 when Vinicius was just 16, paying around €45 million — a record for a player that age.
13. Vinicius Jr scored the winning goal in which UEFA Champions League final?
✓ The 2022 UEFA Champions League final (against Liverpool)
💡 His 59th-minute goal at the Stade de France gave Real Madrid a 1–0 win over Liverpool in Paris.
14. True or false: Brazil have won the FIFA World Cup on five occasions.
✓ True
💡 Brazil's five World Cup victories came in 1958, 1962, 1970, 1994, and 2002 — more than any other nation in history.
15. What squad number does Vinicius Junior wear for the Brazilian national team?
✓ 7
💡 The number 7 shirt has been worn by Brazilian greats including Ronaldo Fenômeno during his World Cup-winning campaigns.
16. Which award did Vinicius Junior win in November 2024?
✓ The Ballon d'Or
💡 Vinicius became the first Brazilian to win the Ballon d'Or since Ronaldo Nazário claimed the award back in 1997.
17. Name the manager who led Brazil's squad heading into the 2026 World Cup.
✓ Dorival Júnior
💡 Dorival Júnior took charge of Brazil in January 2024, inheriting a team searching for consistency after a difficult 2022 World Cup exit.
18. In which country was the 2002 World Cup held, the last time Brazil lifted the trophy?
✓ South Korea and Japan (co-hosted)
💡 The 2002 tournament was the first World Cup co-hosted by two nations and the first held in Asia.
19. What is Vinicius Junior's full birth name?
✓ Vinícius José Paixão de Oliveira Júnior
💡 The "Júnior" in his name is part of his legal surname, not a nickname — he shares the full name structure with his father.
20. Which Brazilian forward, famous for his flair and skill, wore the number 10 shirt at the 2022 World Cup?
✓ Neymar Jr
💡 Neymar scored his 77th international goal at the 2022 tournament, briefly surpassing Pelé as Brazil's all-time leading scorer.
Round 3: Bellingham & England
Jude Bellingham has become England's most exciting player in a generation, and that means quiz questions about him hit differently — there's genuine passion and pride at English quiz nights. What's interesting is how many people know his headline achievements but stumble on the specifics, like his exact age when he made his Birmingham debut or the details of his move to Germany.
21. In which English city was Jude Bellingham born?
✓ Stourbridge (West Midlands)
💡 Stourbridge is a market town in the West Midlands — Bellingham joined Birmingham City's academy from local club Stourbridge FC.
22. Which German club did Bellingham join from Birmingham City in 2020?
✓ Borussia Dortmund
💡 Bellingham signed for Dortmund aged 17 for a reported fee of around £25 million, rejecting interest from Manchester United.
23. What squad number does Jude Bellingham wear for Real Madrid?
✓ 5
💡 The number 5 shirt at Real Madrid was famously worn by Zinedine Zidane — Bellingham took it on without a moment's hesitation.
24. How old was Bellingham when he made his professional debut for Birmingham City?
✓ 16
💡 He made his Birmingham City debut in August 2019 aged 16 years and 38 days, becoming the club's youngest-ever first-team player.
25. True or false: England reached the final of the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament.
✓ True
💡 England lost the Euro 2024 final to Spain in Berlin, with Mikel Oyarzabal scoring the winning goal in the 86th minute.
26. Which England manager led the team into the 2026 World Cup?
✓ Thomas Tuchel
💡 Tuchel was appointed England manager in October 2024 after Gareth Southgate resigned following Euro 2024.
27. Name the only country where England have won the FIFA World Cup.
✓ England (hosted it themselves in 1966)
💡 England beat West Germany 4–2 in the 1966 final at Wembley — it remains their only major international tournament victory.
28. Bellingham's younger brother Jobe plays professional football — which club did he join in the summer of 2024?
✓ Sunderland (he then moved to Borussia Dortmund)
💡 Jobe Bellingham followed his brother's footsteps to Borussia Dortmund in 2024, making it a genuine family connection to the club.
29. Which England and Real Madrid teammate does Bellingham most frequently combine with at club level?
✓ Kylian Mbappé (or Vinicius Junior — accept either as Real Madrid teammates)
💡 Bellingham, Mbappé, and Vinicius forming Real Madrid's attacking three became one of football's most feared combinations in 2024–25.
30. In which year did Jude Bellingham first appear at a FIFA World Cup tournament?
✓ 2022
💡 Bellingham was just 19 when he played for England at Qatar 2022, scoring against Iran in England's opening group game.
Round 4: Pedri & Spain
Pedri is arguably the least household name of the five players featured in this post outside of dedicated football fans, which makes this round genuinely interesting — it sorts the casual viewers from the proper obsessives. Spain's recent dominance of international football also gives brilliant room to test people on dates, trophies, and personnel in ways that feel fresh rather than recycled.
31. On which Spanish island was Pedri born?
✓ Gran Canaria (Tenerife is also commonly guessed — the answer is Gran Canaria)
💡 Pedri was born in Las Palmas de Gran Canaria and began his career at local club UD Las Palmas before joining Barcelona.
32. Which club did Barcelona sign Pedri from in 2020?
✓ UD Las Palmas
💡 Barcelona paid a reported €5 million for Pedri — widely considered one of the greatest transfer bargains in modern football history.
33. Pedri won the Golden Boy award in which year?
✓ 2021
💡 The Golden Boy award recognises Europe's best young player — Pedri beat Erling Haaland and Gavi to win it in 2021.
34. Spain won the UEFA Euro 2024 tournament — which country did they beat in the final?
✓ England
💡 Spain's 2–1 win over England in Berlin confirmed them as the most successful nation in European Championship history with four titles.
35. True or false: Spain won three consecutive major international tournaments between 2008 and 2012.
✓ True
💡 Spain won Euro 2008, the 2010 World Cup, and Euro 2012 — a golden era built around the famous tiki-taka style.
36. What position does Pedri play?
✓ Central midfielder (or attacking midfielder)
💡 Pedri is often compared to Andrés Iniesta for his movement, vision, and ability to control a game without relying on pace or power.
37. Which Spain and Barcelona midfielder, often mentioned alongside Pedri, won the Ballon d'Or in 2023?
✓ Rodri (Rodrigo Hernández Cascante)
💡 Rodri's 2023 Ballon d'Or win was the first for a Spain player since Luis Suárez — the striker, not the Uruguayan — in 1960.
38. Name the Spanish manager who led the national team to glory at Euro 2024.
✓ Luis de la Fuente
💡 De la Fuente replaced Luis Enrique as Spain manager in December 2022 after Spain's early exit at the 2022 World Cup.
39. What is Pedri's full name?
✓ Pedro González López
💡 "Pedri" is simply a diminutive of Pedro — a very traditional Spanish name that suits a player often described as classically Spanish in style.
40. In which year did Spain win their only FIFA World Cup?
✓ 2010
💡 Andrés Iniesta's extra-time winner against the Netherlands in Johannesburg gave Spain a 1–0 victory and their first ever World Cup.
Round 5: Haaland & the Rest
This final round is the wildcard — we start with Erling Haaland, who is quite simply one of the most statistically extraordinary strikers ever to play the game, then branch out to test knowledge of some of the other global stars who'll define the 2026 World Cup. It's the broadest round and, in my experience, the one that produces the most heated arguments at the table.
41. In which city was Erling Haaland born?
✓ Leeds
💡 Haaland was born in Leeds in 2000 when his father Alfie was playing for Manchester City — making him technically English-born despite representing Norway.
42. Which German club did Haaland play for before joining Manchester City?
✓ Borussia Dortmund
💡 Haaland scored 86 goals in 89 appearances for Dortmund — a return that made his £51 million move to City look like a bargain.
43. How many Premier League goals did Haaland score in his debut season at Manchester City in 2022–23?
✓ 36
💡 Haaland's 36-goal debut season shattered the previous Premier League record of 34, set by Andrew Cole and Alan Shearer.
44. True or false: Norway qualified for the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
✓ True
💡 Norway's qualification ended a long absence from World Cup football — their last appearance was in 1998, where they beat Brazil in the group stage.
45. Which Argentine player, who won the 2022 World Cup, plays his club football in the MLS?
✓ Lionel Messi (Inter Miami)
💡 Messi joined Inter Miami in 2023 and immediately broke MLS attendance records — his impact on American football interest has been enormous.
46. Which country does winger Lamine Yamal represent internationally?
✓ Spain
💡 Yamal was born in Esplugues de Llobregat, near Barcelona, on the same day Spain played their Euro 2008 semi-final — a fact that delights Spanish fans.
47. Name the African nation considered one of the strongest contenders at the 2026 World Cup, whose squad includes Mohamed Salah.
✓ Egypt
💡 Egypt are seven-time Africa Cup of Nations winners and Salah's presence gives them a genuine superstar capable of carrying a team at tournaments.
48. Which Portuguese player won the FIFA Best Men's Player award in 2024?
✓ Vinicius Junior (Brazilian — accept the correction; for Portugal, Cristiano Ronaldo remained captain heading into 2026)
💡 Cristiano Ronaldo moved to Al Nassr in Saudi Arabia in 2023 but continued leading Portugal's national team into the 2026 World Cup.
49. Which country does striker Harry Kane represent, and which German club does he play for?
✓ England; Bayern Munich
💡 Kane joined Bayern Munich in 2023 for around £100 million, becoming the club's record signing and instantly their top scorer.
50. The 2026 World Cup is the first to feature how many teams in the final tournament?
✓ 48
💡 The expansion from 32 to 48 teams means more nations than ever before get a shot at the biggest prize in world football.
What strikes me most about putting this post together is how genuinely unprecedented this generation of players is. You've got Mbappé and Vinicius dominating from the same club, Bellingham becoming England's most complete midfielder since Paul Scholes in his prime, Pedri redefining what a 22-year-old can do in terms of game control, and Haaland breaking records that people thought were untouchable. All of them at a World Cup, in the same summer, competing for the same trophy. Even as someone who's been following football and writing about it for years, there's something properly exciting about that — and I think quiz questions capture that excitement in a way that match statistics alone don't quite manage.
If you spot anything in here that doesn't look right — a wrong date, a misremembered stat, anything at all — please do drop us a line at hello@simplyquizzes.com. We genuinely appreciate corrections and we update posts when readers flag errors. And if there's a topic you'd love to see turned into a quiz, send that in too. There are plenty more quiz posts on the blog covering everything from classic film to Premier League history to world geography, so have a browse and see what else catches your eye.