Rating every Liverpool player's performance after their opening World Cup matches

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Still only 27 years old, you’d have to think he’ll leave quite the record to beat when he hangs up his boots for Les Bleus.And, of course, Lionel Messi's unforgettable hat-trick performance against Algeria to draw level with Miroslav Klose as the top goalscorer in World Cup history. But there are seven Liverpool players representing five nations in the tournament, so fans still have plenty to keep tabs on.Here is how Liverpool's World Cup stars fared in their opening group-stage games.Alisson Becker: 6.5/10 (Brazil 1-1 Morocco)The first Liverpool star in action was Brazilian goalkeeper Alisson Becker.

In a match where his Brazil team failed to live up to expectations, head coach Carlo Ancelotti will be relieved his goalkeeper maintained focus right up until the final whistle.Virgil van Dijk: 7.5/10 (Netherlands 2-2 Japan)Virgil van Dijk has just had his highest-scoring season for Liverpool with eight goals, and he’s carried that form into this World Cup. Van Dijk's overall display was solid, but he will need to do a better job of organizing things at the back in the Netherlands’ upcoming games.Ryan Gravenberch: 8/10 (Netherlands 2-2 Japan) If Liverpool fans spent parts of last season wondering whether Ryan Gravenberch's 2024/25 campaign was a flash in the pan, his World Cup opener offered renewed hope.

It was a statement opening night for the midfielder.Netherlands v Japan: Group F - FIFA World Cup 2026 | Omar Vega/GettyImagesCody Gakpo: 5.5/10 (Netherlands 2-2 Japan) Gakpo is usually a strong performer for the Oranje, but he will have wanted more from his World Cup opener against Japan. The winger scored in all three Netherlands group games at Qatar 2022, but he struggled to replicate that sort of form in his first match here.