The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which kicks off on June 11, is expected to see the emergence of new stars. Here are six young players poised to break out and electrify the tournament.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup kicks off on June 11. This will be the first time in history that the tournament is co-hosted by three countries: Canada, the United States, and Mexico. The field will also be expanded from 32 to 48 teams.
Young players have made a name for themselves on the world stage at previous World Cups. France’s Kylian Mbappé, who was 19 when his team won the 2018 tournament in Russia, and England’s Jude Bellingham, who was 19 at the 2022 tournament in Qatar, both left a strong impression.
The North and Central American tournament is also expected to see the rise of young talent, so here are six young players to watch.
Lamine Yamal
https://www.theguardian.com/football/
Lamine Yamal is a prodigious winger who holds the future of both the Spanish national team and Barcelona in his hands.
His greatest strengths are his sharp dribbling ability as he cuts inside from the right wing and his excellent decision-making. Despite being only 18 years old, he consistently creates scoring opportunities with high-precision final passes after drawing defenders in and with sharp left-footed shots.
At the club level, he made his first-team debut at age 15 and has grown into Barcelona’s No. 10. This season, he contributed to the team’s second consecutive league title with 16 goals in 28 league matches. Fans are eagerly awaiting his return from a left hamstring injury sustained late in the season.
With the national team, he broke tournament records one after another at Euro 2024, including becoming the youngest player to appear and score in the competition. He led Spain to the European title and was named the tournament’s Best Young Player.
In his first World Cup, all eyes from around the world are firmly fixed on him.
Endrick
https://x.com/FabrizioRomano/
Endrick is a prodigious striker from the new generation of the Brazilian national team.
Although he stands at just 173 cm tall, he excels as both a center forward and a right winger, showcasing explosive speed and powerful shots from his left foot. True to his Brazilian roots, his occasional flashy moves are also a major draw.
At his home club, Palmeiras, he made his professional debut at 16 years, 2 months, and 16 days—the youngest in the club’s history. He joined Real Madrid in Spain as soon as he turned 18, the age at which international transfers are permitted.
Midway through this season, he was loaned from Madrid to Lyon in France, where he recorded 5 goals and 7 assists in 16 Ligue 1 matches.
For the national team, he made his senior debut in November 2023 at the age of 17 years and 118 days, the fourth-youngest player in history to do so. He has scored 4 goals in 17 appearances so far and is expected to become the next number 9 for the Seleção.
Gilberto Mora
https://www.espn.co.uk/football/
Midfielder Gilberto Mora, hailed as “Mexico’s treasure,” is the youngest player in this tournament at 17 years old.
Nicknamed “Mexico’s Pedri” due to his playing style’s resemblance to that of Spain’s Pedri, he uses precise ball control and quick turns to evade opponents even in tight spaces, creating scoring opportunities with through passes. He possesses a level of intelligence and creativity that belies his 17 years of age.
In Tijuana, Mexico, he made his first-team debut in August 2024 at the young age of 15 years and 10 months. He went on to break one record after another, including the Liga MX’s youngest assist and youngest goal-scoring records at the time.
For the national team, he was selected by head coach Javier Aguirre, who previously managed the Japanese national team. He made his senior national team debut at the 2025 Copa América as the youngest player in history and assisted the winning goal in the semifinals, contributing to Mexico’s 10th title in the tournament.
Expectations are high for his playmaking at the World Cup as well.
Yan Diomande
https://dmeacademy.com/
Yan Diomande, a forward for Côte d’Ivoire national team, is a winger who won the Bundesliga Young Player of the Year award this season while playing for RB Leipzig in Germany.
Known for his explosive speed and sharp dribbling, his precise ball control makes him difficult for defenders to stop. This season, he appeared in 33 Bundesliga matches, recording 12 goals and 9 assists. His total goal involvement exceeded 20.
He is capable of playing on both the left and right wings and excels at drawing defenders in before delivering the final pass.
Diomande was born in Côte d’Ivoire and moved to the United States at the age of 15. He honed his skills at the DME Academy and signed with Leganés in Spain in November 2024.
His performances in 10 matches for Leganés attracted the attention of clubs across Europe, and in July 2025, Leipzig of Germany paid a €20 million release clause to sign him on a permanent five-year contract.
Since his debut with Côte d’Ivoire national team in October 2025, he has already scored three goals in 10 matches and has also found the net in the Africa Cup of Nations, establishing himself as a key piece of the attack at just 19 years old.
Ibrahim Mbaye
https://www.reuters.com/sports/soccer/
Senegal national team player Ibrahim Mbaye is a prodigious talent who set a new record as the youngest player ever to start a match for Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at 16 years, 6 months, and 23 days.
Born in France, he has played in PSG’s youth system since the age of 10 and represented France at various youth levels. Nevertheless, for the senior national team, he chose to represent Senegal, the country of his heritage. He made his international debut in November 2025 and has since scored three goals in 10 appearances.
He started as a right winger in the final of the Africa Cup of Nations, where Senegal finished as runners-up. Playing alongside Mané on the left, he forms a dynamic wing duo and is expected to succeed Mané, who has long been a driving force for the Senegal national team.
Although he has managed only three goals and two assists in 24 matches for PSG this season, his performances in crucial moments have stood out, such as scoring the winning goal in stoppage time of the second half against Reims to lead the team to a fifth consecutive title.
All eyes are on what kind of impact he will make in his first World Cup at the age of 18.
Arda Güler
https://www.realmadrid.com/
Midfielder Arda Güler is known as “Turkey’s treasure,” controlling the game with his precise left-footed passes and shots. The 21-year-old left-footed player is a key member of his club, Real Madrid.
He developed in the youth system of his home country’s prestigious club, Fenerbahçe, making his first-team debut in August 2021 at the age of 16 years and 174 days. His technical ability captivated Europe’s top clubs, leading Real Madrid to sign him on a permanent transfer in 2023. Although he struggled with repeated injuries early in his tenure, he gradually increased his playing time starting in the second half of the 2023–24 season.
This season, he has appeared in 33 La Liga matches as an attacking midfielder or on the left wing, recording 4 goals and 9 assists. In the Champions League, he has also tallied 2 goals and 3 assists in 14 matches.
Since making his debut for the Turkish national team at the age of 17 in October 2022, he has already recorded 6 goals in 30 appearances. He orchestrates attacks from the attacking midfield and both flanks, and in the World Cup European Qualifiers playoffs, he assisted the winning goal in the semifinal against Romania. He contributed to Turkey’s qualification for the World Cup for the first time in 24 years, since the 2002 Japan-Korea tournament.
In the 2002 tournament, forward Ilhan became a hero by leading Turkey to third place. Can Güler follow in his footsteps?
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