In every World Cup, a number of outstanding emerging players stand out; in 2010, players such as Alexis Sánchez, Mesut Özil, and Luis Suárez shone. In 2014, James Rodríguez became a household name after leading Colombia to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in its history.

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

The same applies to Rodríguez, who had a magnificent first season with Real Madrid in 2014-2015, but his subsequent career was greatly affected by injuries and inconsistent performances. 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 dazzling performances from rising stars like previous tournaments. Instead, the most prominent feature was the brilliance of already luminous stars - Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappé, and Erling Haaland - who played at very high levels. Nevertheless, according to ESPN, we saw some talents that surprised some with what they offered:

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

Yan 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, which finished the season in third place. Even in a league that allows attacking talents to shine, young emerging players rarely produce 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 characteristic is that he may already be one of the most exciting dribblers in European football, with amazing bursts of speed, tremendous 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 analysts at Opta, 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 stage match against Ecuador in Philadelphia; we saw his wonderful dribbling skills and chance creation, including his brilliant 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 exit against Norway in the Round of 32 did not match his stunning performance in his first match, although he provided some exceptional glimpses. However, 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: Defender for Villarreal (United States)

During his first four matches of the 2026 World Cup, the US national team performed well without any notable flaws. 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 played. 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 attacking full-backs to create danger for the opponent. The US team also focused on direct attacks through the runs of Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman through midfield. These two factors helped them successfully penetrate the opponent's defenses in the middle of the pitch.

To make this strategy work, the US team 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 he had the flexibility to move 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 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. In some situations, he was also required to make crucial interceptions to clear clear-cut chances. Of course, these good performances of the US team did not last, as they suffered a heavy 4-1 defeat against 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 a 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 he showed in this tournament signs that he is a complete top-class defender.

Yohan Manzambi: Playmaker for Freiburg (Switzerland)