In every World Cup, a number of standout rising players emerge; in 2010, players like Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil, and Luis Suárez shone. In 2014, James Rodríguez became a star after leading Colombia to the World Cup quarterfinals for the first time in their history.

The last two tournaments saw the rise of Benjamin Pavard (France), Hirving Lozano (Mexico), Enzo Fernández (Argentina), Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), and others. A star emerging during the World Cup does not necessarily guarantee future success. Lozano and Ounahi are prime examples of players who delivered impressive performances in the World Cup and continued their careers successfully, but did not capture the spotlight this time as they did in 2018 and 2022 respectively.

The same applies to Rodríguez, who had a brilliant first season with Real Madrid in 2014-2015, but his later career was greatly affected by injuries and inconsistent form. And of course, there is also a player like Luis Suárez, who later became one of the best players of the past decade at Liverpool and then Barcelona.

Perhaps the 2026 World Cup did not feature impressive performances from rising stars as we saw in previous tournaments. Instead, the most prominent feature was the brilliance of already stellar names - Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland - who are playing at very high levels. However, according to ESPN, we did see some talents that surprised some with what they offered:

Diomande showed his potential to become a top-class striker (Reuters)

Yann Diomande: Left winger for Leipzig (Ivory Coast)

Some may consider him unsuitable for this list; in the 2025-2026 season, when he was 18 years old, he scored 20 goals and provided 20 assists in the German Bundesliga with Leipzig, who finished third in the league. Even in a league that allows attacking talents to shine, young rising players rarely deliver such impressive performances, and he fully deserved his World Cup participation amid great anticipation for his performance in the tournament. However, for those who saw Diomande for the first time, he showed his potential to become a top-class striker. His most important traits are that he may already be one of the most exciting dribblers in European football, with amazing bursts of pace and immense physical strength, despite being only 19 years old. Add to that his proficiency with both feet, which means he is a tough opponent for any defender.

According to Opta analysts, French star Kylian Mbappé is the only one who created more chances than Diomande in the World Cup through dribbling (9 chances for Mbappé vs 8 for Diomande), noting that the French star played 3 additional matches. The best example of Diomande's abilities was in Ivory Coast's opening group match against Ecuador in Philadelphia, where we saw his superb dribbling and chance creation, including his wonderful pass to Elye Wahi in the first half. When Diomande was positioned on the right wing, he exhausted Arsenal defender Piero Hincapié with his constant changes of pace. Later in the second half, he moved to the left wing and became more aggressive in shooting. Diomande's performances in subsequent matches before Ivory Coast's elimination by Norway in the round of 32 did not reach the level of his stunning first match, although he did produce some exceptional moments. But it is not surprising that a big club like Paris Saint-Germain is seeking to sign him this summer. Given his continuous development, it would not be surprising if by 2030, Diomande is regarded as one of the best players in the world.

American Alex Freeman's header shakes the Australian net (AP)

Alex Freeman: Villarreal defender (United States)

During his first four matches in the 2026 World Cup, the US team performed at a good level without any notable gaps. They achieved convincing victories over Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, before defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the round of 32. Even considering the strength of the opponents, it could be said that this was the best series of matches the US team has ever played. What made the US team look better than expected was their optimal use of their strengths; Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson occupied advanced positions as wing-backs to pose a threat to the opponent. The US team also focused on direct attacks through runs from Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman through midfield. These two factors helped them successfully break through the opponent's defensive lines in the middle of the pitch.

To succeed with this strategy, the US team needed a defender capable of playing in multiple positions and providing the necessary support in different areas, and Freeman was the ideal choice for that. He often played as a third defender in the center of the defensive line on the right side, but he had the flexibility to move forward when the US team had possession in the final third. Among the great passes we saw throughout the US team's World Cup campaign was Freeman's pass to McKennie as he sprinted down the right side into open space. Freeman topped the list of defenders with the most forward passes with 28 passes.

Freeman is also the type of defender who covers large areas of the pitch, which helps correct mistakes in various parts of the field. This included covering spaces on the flanks and defending in one-on-one situations when needed. It also required him, in some situations, to make crucial interventions to deny clear chances. Of course, these good performances by the US team did not last, as they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium. This loss (especially since the current Belgian team was the weakest in over a decade) sparked debate about the strength of the US team, including the lack of enough rising stars. But if there is one player who can hold his head high despite this result, it is Freeman. True, the odds of him becoming one of the stars the US team needs by 2030 are slim, but in this tournament he showed signs of being a complete top-class defender.

Yohann Manzambi: Freiburg playmaker (Switzerland)