In every World Cup, a number of standout emerging players shine. In 2010, stars like Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil, and Luis Suárez rose to prominence. In 2014, James Rodríguez became a household name after leading Colombia to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in their history.

The last two tournaments saw the emergence of Benjamin Pavard (France), Hirving Lozano (Mexico), Enzo Fernández (Argentina), Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), and others. Breaking out at a World Cup does not necessarily guarantee future stardom. Lozano and Ounahi are prime examples of players who delivered dazzling 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 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 last decade at Liverpool and then Barcelona.

Perhaps the 2026 World Cup did not witness dazzling performances from emerging stars as we saw in previous tournaments. Instead, the most notable feature was the shine of several already illustrious stars—Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, Erling Haaland—who played at very high levels. However, according to ESPN, we did see some talents that surprised many with what they offered:

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

Yan Diomande: Left winger for RB Leipzig (Ivory Coast)

Some may consider him out of place in this list; in the 2025-2026 season, at age 18, he scored 20 goals and provided 20 assists in the German Bundesliga with Leipzig, who finished third in the Bundesliga. Even in a league that allows attacking talents to shine, young emerging players rarely deliver such impressive performances, and he fully deserved his World Cup call-up amid high expectations. However, for those who saw Diomande for the first time, he showed his potential to become a top-class striker. His most important attributes are that he may already be one of the most exciting dribblers in European football, with incredible bursts of speed and immense physical strength despite being only 19. Add to that his proficiency with 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 player who created more chances from dribbles than Diomande in the World Cup (9 for Mbappé vs 8 for Diomande), noting that the French star played three additional matches. The best example of Diomande's abilities was in Ivory Coast's opening group match against Ecuador in Philadelphia; we saw his brilliant dribbling skills and chance creation, including a wonderful pass to Eli Wahi in the first half. When Diomande was positioned on the right wing, he exhausted Arsenal defender Piero Hincapié with constant changes of pace. Later in the second half, he switched 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 match his stunning display in the first match, though he still showed some exceptional glimpses. But it is unsurprising 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, Diomande 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)

In his first four matches of the 2026 World Cup, the US national team performed well without any notable weaknesses. They achieved convincing victories over Paraguay and Australia in the group stage, before overcoming Bosnia and Herzegovina 2-0 in the round of 32. Even considering the strength of the opponents, it was arguably the best run 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 played advanced roles as overlapping full-backs to create danger for 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 break through opposing defenses in midfield.

To make this strategy work, the U.S. needed a defender capable of playing in multiple positions and providing necessary support in different areas, and Freeman was the ideal choice. He often played as a third center-back on the right side of the defense, but had the flexibility to move forward when the U.S. had possession in the final third. Throughout the U.S. team's World Cup campaign, we saw excellent passes, including Freeman's pass to McKennie as he burst into space on the right flank. 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 zones. This included covering space on the flanks and defending one-on-one when needed. It also required him in some situations to make crucial interventions to clear clear-cut chances. Of course, these good performances from the U.S. team did not last, as they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat to Belgium. This loss (especially since the current Belgium team was the weakest in over a decade) sparked debate about the strength of the U.S. 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 a star the U.S. team needs by 2030 are slim, but he showed in this tournament signs of being a complete top-class defender.

Johan Manzambi: Playmaker for Freiburg (Switzerland)