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England have advanced to the semi-finals of the World Cup, but intriguingly, only two players have been responsible for scoring all but one of their goals so far.

It was very much the Jude Bellingham show in the quarter-final victory over Norway, as the midfielder struck twice to draw level with Harry Kane on six goals for the tournament.

Marcus Rashford remains the only other English player to have found the net at this World Cup – and that was back in the opening group match against Croatia.

This naturally raises the question: are England relying too heavily on Bellingham and Kane?

We analysed the statistics to determine which of the four semi-finalists depend most on individual players.

Here are the five players who have been involved – either through scoring or assisting – in the largest proportion of their teams’ goals among the remaining nations.

Spain goals: 11

Scored by Oyarzabal: 4

Assisted by Oyarzabal: 1

Before the tournament began, most fans would have expected Spain’s attack to centre around Lamine Yamal. However, the Barcelona prodigy has contributed just one goal and no assists so far. Even Mikel Merino has now surpassed him in terms of goal involvement at this World Cup.

Instead, Mikel Oyarzabal has emerged as Spain’s key attacking threat. Fresh off his most productive La Liga campaign with Real Sociedad, the winger-turned-striker has alternated between quiet and decisive performances while leading the line throughout Spain’s six matches.

Oyarzabal scored twice against Saudi Arabia in the group stage and repeated the feat against Austria in the round of 32. Although he failed to score in other matches – most notably against Cape Verde – his assist against Saudi Arabia means he has been directly involved in nearly half of Spain’s goals.

Nevertheless, Luis de la Fuente’s team are the lowest scorers among the semi-finalists, and six players across the tournament have scored more goals than Oyarzabal.

England goals: 13

Scored by Kane: 6

Assisted by Kane: 1

Harry Kane has once again been a central figure for England at the World Cup, matching Bellingham’s tally with six goals and one assist each. Although Kane has logged more minutes than Bellingham, giving him a slightly weaker minutes-per-goal ratio, their overall impact remains almost identical.

In England’s opening fixture against Croatia, Kane opened his account with a brace. The following match against Ghana ended goalless, but Kane found the target in the next three matches – scoring twice against DR Congo and once each against Panama and Mexico. He also provided an assist in the Mexico game.

Kane was relatively subdued in the quarter-final against Norway as Bellingham stole the spotlight, yet the Bayern Munich striker remains a strong contender for the Golden Boot.

England goals: 13

Scored by Bellingham: 6

Assisted by Bellingham: 1

Bellingham’s double against Norway brought him level with Kane in terms of total goal contributions this tournament. It marked his second successive brace following his heroics against Mexico, having previously netted once each against Croatia and Panama during the group stage.

His assist also came in the Panama match, meaning he played a direct role in both goals of England’s 2-0 victory. The 23-year-old now has as many World Cup goals this summer as he managed in La Liga for Real Madrid during the 2025–26 season.

Argentina goals: 17

Scored by Messi: 8

Assisted by Messi: 2

Four years ago, the World Cup represented one of the few remaining milestones in Lionel Messi’s extraordinary career. When the 2022 edition in Qatar arrived, it was evident that Argentina’s players were united in their mission to help him lift the trophy – and they succeeded.

This time, it appears Messi is returning the favour, driving Argentina towards another shot at glory. That’s not to overlook his crucial role in 2022, but there is something distinct about his performance at this tournament.

Even at 39, Messi remains on another level compared to his peers. Whether playing for Inter Miami or Argentina, his brilliance continues to set him apart. With eight goals and two assists, he has become the all-time leading scorer in World Cup history and has reached double figures in goal contributions this campaign.

Although Argentina possess considerable talent beyond Messi, which will be vital when he eventually retires, their number 10 remains the heartbeat of the side – and undoubtedly the biggest obstacle to England’s chances of reaching the final, as he looks to captain Argentina to back-to-back titles.

France goals: 16

Scored by Mbappe: 8

Assisted by Mbappe: 3

Kylian Mbappe thrives on the World Cup stage. He won it as a teenager in 2018, scored a hat-trick in the 2022 final, and if not for Messi’s record-breaking run, he might have been the competition’s most prolific scorer in 2026.

France’s attacking depth is extraordinary. Had this ranking extended to the top ten, Ousmane Dembele would have been sixth with a 43.8% goal involvement (seven contributions), Michael Olise seventh with 31.3% (five assists), and Bradley Barcola tenth with 18.8% (three contributions).

Yet Mbappe stands well above the rest. With eight goals and three assists, he has directly contributed to all but five of France’s goals. Next up for him is Spain, offering the Real Madrid forward an opportunity to silence critics who point to his lack of major silverware over the past two seasons.

The World Cup remains Mbappe’s ultimate stage, and despite the star-studded cast around him, France’s attacking rhythm continues to revolve around his brilliance.