In every World Cup, a number of outstanding rising players emerge; in 2010, stars like Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil, and Luis Suárez shone. In 2014, James Rodríguez became a famous name after leading Colombia to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

The last two tournaments saw the rise of Benjamin Pavard (France), Hirving Lozano (Mexico), Enzo Fernández (Argentina), and Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), among 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 they did not capture attention 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 subsequent career was greatly affected by injuries and inconsistent performance. 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.

The 2026 World Cup may not have witnessed the dazzling performances from rising stars as we saw in previous tournaments. Instead, the most prominent feature was the brilliance of a number of already shining stars - Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland - who played at very high levels. However, according to ESPN, we saw some talents that amazed some with what they offered:

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

Yann Diomandé: Left winger for Leipzig (Ivory Coast)

Some may think he is not suitable to be on 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 the season in third place. Even in a league that allows attacking talents to shine, young rising players rarely deliver such dazzling performances, and he fully deserved his World Cup participation amid great anticipation for what he would show in the tournament. However, for those who watched Diomandé for the first time, he showed his potential to become a top-class striker. His most important qualities are that he may already be one of the most exciting dribblers in European football, with amazing bursts of speed and immense physical strength, despite being only 19 years old. Add to that his ability to use both feet, which makes him a tough opponent for any defender.

According to analysts at statistics company Opta, French star Kylian Mbappé is the only one who created more chances than Diomandé in the World Cup through dribbling (9 chances for Mbappé vs 8 for Diomandé), noting that the French star played 3 additional matches. The best example of Diomandé's abilities was in Ivory Coast's opening group match against Ecuador in Philadelphia, where we saw his excellent dribbling and chance creation, including a wonderful pass to Élie Wahi in the first half. When Diomandé 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. Diomandé's performances in later matches before Ivory Coast's exit against Norway in the round of 32 did not match his stunning display in his first match, though he offered some exceptional glimpses. But it is not surprising that a big club like Paris Saint-Germain is trying to sign him this summer. Given his continuous development, it would not be surprising if by 2030, Diomandé is regarded as one of the best players in the world.

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

Alex Freeman: Defender for Villarreal (United States)

During its first four matches of the 2026 World Cup, the US team performed well without any notable weaknesses. It achieved convincing wins against 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 run of matches the US team has ever had. What made the US team look better than expected was its optimal use of its strengths; Sergiño Dest and Antonee Robinson occupied advanced positions as overlapping full-backs to pose a threat to the opponent. The US team also focused on direct attack through runs from Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman through midfield. These two factors helped them successfully break through the opponent's defenses in the middle of the field.

To make this strategy successful, the US team needed a defender capable of playing in multiple positions and providing the necessary support in different areas, and Freeman was the optimal choice. He often played as a third center-back on the right side of the defense, but he had the flexibility to move forward when the US team had the ball in the final third. Among the brilliant 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 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 decisive tackles to clear sure goals. 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 a 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. It is true that the chances of him becoming one of the stars the US team needs by 2030 are slim, but he showed in this tournament signs that he is a complete high-class defender.

Yohan Manzambi: Playmaker for Freiburg (Switzerland)