Giants starting to fall in World Cup knockout phase – will a Liverpool player lift the trophy?

After an unwieldy group stage in which it took 72 matches to eliminate just 16 teams, the 2026 World Cup is now into the knockout rounds, and the safety net has been removed from underneath the tightrope.

The ‘no second chances’ nature of knockout football has already seen some big hitters exiting the tournament before the round of 16, with Germany and Netherlands the two highest-profile names to fall.

Their exits brought an abrupt end to four Liverpool players’ involvement in the competition (Florian Wirtz, Virgil van Dijk, Cody Gakpo, Ryan Gravenberch), with Alexander Isak soon joining them in the departures lounge after France dispatched Sweden.

The World Cup 2026 betting focus is being narrowed all the time, but with plenty of high-profile contenders still involved, could there be an active LFC player lifting the trophy in New Jersey on 19 July?

As of the morning of 2 July, there are three members of Andoni Iraola’s squad who still hold out hope of becoming world champions (potentially for the second time, in one instance).

Which Liverpool players could still win the World Cup?

Alisson Becker (Brazil)

So far, the goalkeeper is the only Liverpool player definitely through to the round of 16, where Brazil will come up against Norway (and, of course, Erling Haaland, who our number 1 has faced a few times already at club level).

The five-time world champions have only been in the semi-finals once since their last triumph in 2002, and that occasion was the infamous 7-1 drubbing by Germany on home soil 12 years ago.

Carlo Ancelotti’s side left it late to break Japanese hearts in the round of 32 – was that merely a stay of execution, or will it be a moment from which they never looked back?

Alexis Mac Allister (Argentina)

The Albiceleste were one of only three teams to end the group stage with a 100% record, which suggests they have a more than plausible chance of becoming the first team since Brazil in 1962 to win back-to-back World Cups.

The other two ‘perfect’ sides (France and Mexico) are both through to the last 16, and the Liverpool midfielder will be expected to join them as his nation are heavy favourites to get the better of Cape Verde on Friday night.

The African side have already drawn with Spain, though, and their hitherto unbeaten status indicates that they ought not to be taken lightly. Argentina have been forewarned!

Victor Munoz (Spain)

Liverpool’s new recruit has yet to play in the World Cup, having suffered a minor injury throughout the group stage, but it’s hoped that he could yet feature in the tournament, depending on his fitness and how far Spain progress.

The European champions are in round-of-32 action on Thursday as they face Austria, who staved off early elimination with a 96th-minute equaliser in a pulsating clash against Algeria in their final group game.

La Roja will expect to be involved at the business end of the tournament, despite not making it to the quarter-finals since their last triumph in 2010. If they do, hopefully thr new Reds winger will play some part in North America.