6 First-Time World Cup Players Poised To Break Out In 2026

We all know the biggest stars who’ll shine at the World Cup this summer, but it’s equally valuable to highlight some of the young players who will assuredly shine on the planet’s biggest stage this summer. Some of these names aren’t exactly coming out of nowhere, as they have played pivotal roles for their clubs this season. Some are even pushing for major silverware and perhaps a Ballon d’Or nomination. But others may be about to step into the limelight. The most notable takeaway is everyone here is younger than 25 years old, and aside from their audacious talent and impact, that also shows how the modern game — for better or worse — relies on young players more than ever before. The lights will be bright at this summer’s 48-team tournament co-hosted by three countries. It’s undoubtedly their time to shine. Age: 24Position: Right Winger/Attacking MidfielderClub: Bayern Munich How Bayern Munich only paid Crystal Palace a reported $60 million for the services of the talented winger back in the summer of 2024, I’ll never know. It was an absolute steal. Olise has had a magnificent campaign with the Bavarians, who have already been crowned Bundesliga champions and just missed out on a Champions League final after losing to Paris Saint-Germain. But from an individual perspective, the England-born French attacker has been one of the most dominant forces in European soccer. It’s been Ballon d’Or worthy. Olise has 22 goals and 26 assists in all competitions. A remarkable number, especially in a team that demands so much star attention. And that’s why I, unsurprisingly, see Olise as one of the main stars for this summer. He is the kind of player who shines in a sea of jewels for two-time World Cup champion France — one of the favorites to win the entire tournament — and he can be a pivotal factor on the right wing. And if he sees himself isolated against a defender? That deadly inverted curler will almost surely deliver, thanks to his lethal left foot. Age: 23Position: Attacking Midfielder/Left WingerClub: Aston Villa If you are aware of my work, then you’ll know this might appear as a biased decision based on my support for my lifelong club, Aston Villa. But anyone who follows the Premier League and the England national team can tell you that a confident, in-form Rogers is an extremely dangerous weapon and, on his day, unstoppable. It’s true that he has slowed down a little bit in the second stage of the season as his 21 goal contributions in all competitions are not as impressive as his 2024-25 campaign, when he won PFA’s Young Player of the Year after 30 goal contributions. But his presence and longevity for Unai Emery’s side has been fundamental in order to hunt for a top-4 spot in the Premier League, and Villa’s first-ever Europa League final and first European final in 44 years. In fact, no one in the league has covered more ground than Rogers this season. For England, Thomas Tuchel has a tactical dilemma about what to do with the No. 10 role: Use Rogers or his very good friend, Real Madrid star Jude Bellingham? Here’s what I think: Rogers actually doesn’t have a preferred position. He is a nomad of the pitch and loves to hover across the entire front line without restrictions, so Tuchel has a unique opportunity to allow Rogers to be himself and cover pockets that enable him to drive forward in the final third, from wide areas or centrally. This is a skill that exists only with very special players, and Rogers can be that for England. Age: 23Position: Attacking Midfielder/Central MidfielderClub: FC Barcelona Lamine Yamal’s hamstring injury has clearly prompted Spain manager Luis de la Fuente to tinker with the starting lineup. But here’s the thing about La Roja: The creative quality of this national team — from Pedri to Mikel Oyarzabal — is everywhere. One of its key weapons is Yamal’s Barcelona colleague and newly crowned league champion, Fermín Lopez. As an attacking midfielder, Lopez is also a left-winger who likes to come inside and even act as a false nine, so his productivity is multifunctional. That’s why he has the second-highest goal contributions this season (30) for the Catalan club behind Yamal. For Spain, he is used practically anywhere across the front line. And here’s the other characteristic about him: He doesn’t stop running. Ever. I watched him live in preseason last summer and, my goodness, you can see why Barcelona manager Hansi Flick likes him. His energy is almost always unmatched. With or without Yamal, Spain is a major favorite for this summer’s World Cup, and it’s my belief that Lopez will play a decisive role. Age: 21Position: Attacking MidfielderClub: Como 1907 The best thing that happened to the young attacking midfielder was to leave Real Madrid in 2024 and sign with Serie A’s Como, managed by Spanish great Cesc Fàbregas. Since then, he has elevated his game with the Italian club to tremendous levels. Last season, Paz contributed 14 goals for the newly promoted side, but in this campaign, he was exceptional as the team earned Champions League and European football for the first time in history. Paz has earned 20 goal contributions, including 13 goals. He is very much in the mold of a new breed of creative midfielder, a modern version of Croatia’s Luka Modrić, so to speak. And I think Argentina is going to need a lot of playmakers in this World Cup, given the fact that its legendary captain, Lionel Messi, is not getting any younger. There isn’t someone like Angel Di María to make things happen in difficult situations. Paz can be that player. This is a big summer for him as his future is uncertain with Como. Real Madrid, which own half his rights and a limited buy-back clause, might want to try and sign him back. As a result, he has an opportunity to truly impress as part of Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni’s squad, which will do everything possible to retain the World Cup trophy — something only done before by two nations: Italy (1934, 1938) and Brazil (1958, 1962). Age: 22Position: Defensive MidfielderClub: Bayern Munich You know you’re doing something right when one of the best German players in history in your position compliments you, and that’s exactly what World Cup winner and Bayern Munich legend Bastian Schweinsteiger said of Pavlović, calling him world-class and a leader in waiting. “[Joshua] Kimmich must be mentioned first as a leader, and I’d also like to see Pavlović step into that role,” Schweinsteiger told German outlet Abendzeitung. “He has developed superbly at Bayern and plays a key role there.” Pavlović is the future of Germany’s midfield. It’s pure and simple. His work is similar to that of Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos, as he often makes imposing runs and dribbles with tenacity in the opponent’s third. But his ability to lie deep in the middle and analyze danger also makes him a powerful defensive tool. He has a knack for scoring audacious long-range goals too. The scariest part about him? He’s only 22. Age: 18Position: Left Winger/ForwardClub: Paris Saint-Germain In many ways, the young attacker and/or winger from Senegal, who plays for Luis Enrique’s PSG, is a player with two personalities. For PSG, arguably the best team in European football, he has played a big role in Ligue 1 action. He most often comes from the bench, which shouldn’t be surprising, as PSG has an embarrassment of riches in attacking players such as Ousmane Dembélé, Desiré Doué, Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and many others. But for Senegal, that’s where he takes every single opportunity to shine. At the African Cup of Nations tournament in January, the then 17-year-old was electric as he became the youngest scorer ever for his national team after a goal against Sudan in the Round of 16. He also assisted Senegal star Sadio Mané against Congo DR and won a penalty against Benin. There’s a sense that Senegal will do well at this World Cup, but the challenges will come immediately, as it all kicks off with a tasty opener against France. Mbaye — who was born in France and played through the ranks of the French youth system — will see this, like many Senegalese, as an opportunity to do what the team did back in 2002 when the Lions of Teranga earned a historic World Cup debut victory against the then-defending champions.