Barcelona midfielder Pedri picks Mbappe, Haaland and Yamal in 'world top six'

The Barcelona midfielder, who had been a key figure for both club and country, included two of his team-mates as he listed six players he felt stood above the rest.

"(Kylian) Mbappe, Lamine, (Mohamed) Salah, (Erling) Haaland, Raphinha or Julian Alvarez are the best in the world," Pedri said in an interview with Esquire magazine.

The Spain international singled out Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal for special mention, while also naming Raphinha alongside established global stars from across Europe.

"I want to play against all of them, except Lamine, who plays with us," Pedri added. "Even more so with Haaland and Salah, because I haven't faced them yet."

Spain are drawn in Group H for the 2026 World Cup alongside Cape Verde, Saudi Arabia, and Uruguay, following the final draw in Washington D.C. on December 5. Pedri believes La Roja have the quality to compete with football's elite.

"It's not an exaggeration," he said. "Winning a World Cup is always very complicated because there are great teams. Argentina, the current champions, will be there. England, Germany, France and Brazil are always strong. But so are we."

Pedri has continued to play a key role for both club and country, and Spain will rely on his creativity and intelligence as they aim to progress from the group stage and beyond.