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

The last two tournaments saw the rise of Benjamin Pavard (France), Hirving Lozano (Mexico), Enzo Fernández (Argentina), Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), and others. However, a breakout during the World Cup does not necessarily guarantee future stardom. 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 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 subsequent career was heavily 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 the dazzling displays from rising stars as seen in previous tournaments. Instead, the most notable feature was the brilliance of already-established superstars—Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland—who are performing at very high levels. However, according to ESPN, we did see some talents that surprised others with what they offered:

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

Yan Diomandé: Leipzig left winger (Ivory Coast)

Some may see him as unfit for this list; in the 2025–26 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 in the Bundesliga. 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 what he would do in the tournament. Still, for those who saw Diomandé for the first time, he showed his potential to become a top-class striker. His most important strengths lie in that he may already be one of the most exciting dribblers in European football, with stunning bursts of pace and immense physical strength despite being only 19 years old. Add to that his prowess with both feet, which makes him a tough opponent for any defender.

According to analysts at Opta statistics, 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 stage match against Ecuador in Philadelphia; we saw his superb dribbling and chance creation, including his brilliant pass to Eli 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 to become more aggressive in shooting. Diomandé’s performances in subsequent matches before Ivory Coast’s exit against Norway in the round of 32 did not reach the level of his stunning first match, though he produced 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 continued development, it would not be surprising if by 2030, Diomandé is regarded as one of the world’s best players.

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

Alex Freeman: Villarreal defender (United States)

During his first four matches in the 2026 World Cup, the US national team performed well without any notable gaps. They achieved convincing wins over Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, before defeating Bosnia and Herzegovina 2–0 in the round of 32. Even taking into account the strength of the opponents, it was arguably 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 full-backs to pose a threat to the opponent. The US also focused on direct attacking through runs from Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman through midfield. These two factors helped them successfully penetrate the opponent's defense in the middle of the pitch.

To make this strategy work, the US needed a defender capable of playing multiple positions and providing 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 defense on the right side, but he had the flexibility to push forward when the US had possession 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 ran down the right side into space. Freeman led all defenders in forward passes with 28.

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 space on the flanks and defending in one-on-one situations when needed. It also required him, in some situations, to make decisive interventions to clear clear-cut chances. Of course, the US team's good run did not continue, as they suffered a heavy 4–1 defeat to Belgium. This loss (especially given that the current Belgium 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 was one player who could hold his head high despite this result, it was Freeman. While the odds of him becoming one of the stars the US needs by 2030 are slim, he showed in this tournament signs of being a top-class all-round defender.

Johann Manzambi: Freiburg playmaker (Switzerland)