Candid Tunnel Photos Capture World Cup 2026 Stars
Footballers are known for their eclectic matchday rituals: Lionel Messi likes to drink maté with teammate Rodrigo De Paul at exactly 9.30am, while Harry Kane always dons the left side of his kit first. These candid photos show the 2026 World Cup’s elite players finalising their mental and physical preparations in the tunnel before matches.
Luka Modric reacts in the tunnel before playing Panama at Toronto Stadium. Photograph: Joosep Martinson/FIFA/Getty Images. Ørjan Håskjold Nyland of Norway closes his eyes and concentrates before their group match with Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Fifa/Getty Images.
Stars in Focus: Messi, Ronaldo, Mbappé
Lionel Messi leads Argentina out of the tunnel for their warm up before playing Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. Photograph: Maja Hitij/FIFA/Getty Images. A wide-eyed David Alaba of Austria before the second half against Algeria at Kansas City Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/FIFA/Getty Images. Aleksandar Pavlovic of Germany looks focused before playing Curaçao at Houston Stadium. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Getty Images.
Ritsu Doan and Shogo Taniguchi of Japan walk under a spotlight in the tunnel at half-time of their game against the Netherlands at Dallas Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Fifa/Getty Images. Jackson Irvine of Australia glances up before a group match against Paraguay at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Fifa/Getty Images. Cristiano Ronaldo is seen smirking in the tunnel before Portugal’s game against Uzbekistan at Houston Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Fifa/Getty Images.
Intense Moments and Relaxed Vibes
France’s Kylian Mbappé looks steely before playing Norway at Boston Stadium. Photograph: Patrick Smith/Fifa/Getty Images. Viktor Gyökeres of Sweden is seen in the players’ tunnel during the group match between Japan and Sweden at Dallas Stadium. Photograph: Julian Finney/Fifa/Getty Images. The Netherlands defender Virgil van Dijk waits with teammates before playing Sweden at the Houston Stadium. Photograph: Paul Ellis/AFP/Getty Images.
Ben Hmida of Tunisia reacts with dismay in the tunnel after their 3-1 loss to the Netherlands at Kansas City Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Fifa/Getty Images. Dominik Kotarski of Croatia smiles in the tunnel before their group match with Ghana at Philadelphia Stadium. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Fifa/Getty Images. Team captains Rodri of Spain and Salem Aldawsari of Saudi Arabia lead their players out before their group match at Atlanta Stadium. Photograph: Patrick Smith/Fifa/Getty Images.
Captains and Key Players
Curaçao’s players look relaxed in the tunnel during their game against Germany at Houston Stadium. Photograph: Julian Finney/Fifa/Getty Images. Emiliano Martínez of Argentina gears up for their group match with Austria at Dallas Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Fifa/Getty Images. Denzel Dumfries of Netherlands shoots a sideways glance as he exits the tunnel before the warm-up against Tunisia at Kansas City Stadium. Photograph: Maja Hitij/Fifa/Getty Images.
Yasin Ayari of Sweden sits in the tunnel before their group game with Tunisia at Monterrey Stadium. Photograph: Héctor Vivas/Fifa/Getty Images. Harry Kane leads the England team out of the tunnel for their game against Croatia at Dallas Stadium. Photograph: Alex Pantling/Fifa/Getty Images. Edgar Yoel Barcenas of Panama stares intently before taking on Croatia at Toronto Stadium. Photograph: Joosep Martinson/Fifa/Getty Images.
Final Preparations
Achraf Hakimi of Morocco catching a sliver of light as he runs out of the tunnel for the warm-up before playing Scotland in Boston. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Fifa/Getty Images. A laser-focused Erling Haaland of Norway awaits the start of their group game with Senegal at New York New Jersey Stadium. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Fifa/Getty Images. Luka Modric of Croatia focuses in the tunnel before a game with Panama. Photograph: Joosep Martinson/Fifa/Getty Images.
Côte d’Ivoire players are seen looking animated in the tunnel before the second half of their match with Curaçao in Philadelphia. Photograph: Sean M Haffey/Fifa/Getty Images. Matías Galarza of Paraguay runs his fingers through his hair before playing Australia at San Francisco Bay Area Stadium. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Fifa/Getty Images. Djibril Sow of Switzerland catches a pool of warm sunlight in the tunnel before their group match with Canada in Vancouver. Photograph: Sarah Stier/Fifa/Getty Images.
John Souttar of Scotland walks out of the tunnel with teammates before playing Morocco at Boston Stadium. Photograph: Maddie Meyer/Fifa/Getty Images. England’s Jude Bellingham keeps his gaze low as he heads out to warm up before playing Ghana at Boston Stadium. Photograph: Patrick Smith/Fifa/Getty Images.
