In every World Cup, a number of outstanding rising stars emerge; in 2010, the stars of players such as Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, and Luis Suarez shone brightly. In 2014, James Rodriguez became a prominent name after leading Colombia to the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time in its history.

The last two tournaments saw the brilliance of Benjamin Pavard (France), Hirving Lozano (Mexico), Enzo Fernandez (Argentina), Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), and others. Emerging as a star during a World Cup does not necessarily guarantee future success. Lozano and Ounahi are the most prominent examples of players who delivered dazzling performances in a 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 Rodriguez, who had a fantastic first season with Real Madrid in 2014-2015, but his subsequent career was greatly affected by injuries and inconsistent form. And of course, there is also a player like Luis Suarez, who later became one of the best players of the last decade at Liverpool and then Barcelona.

Perhaps the 2026 World Cup did not feature the dazzling displays from rising stars that we saw in previous tournaments. Instead, the most prominent feature was the brilliance of several already-established stars - Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, and Erling Haaland - who are playing at very high levels. Nevertheless, according to ESPN, we saw some talents who surprised some with what they offered:

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

Yan Diomande: Left winger, Leipzig (Ivory Coast)

Some may consider him unsuitable for inclusion in 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 third 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 to participate in the World Cup amid great anticipation for what he would offer 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 characteristics 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 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 statistics, French star Kylian Mbappe is the only one who created more chances than Diomande in the World Cup through dribbling (9 chances for Mbappe 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, where we saw his excellent 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 Hincapie with his constant changes of pace. Later in the second half, he moved to the left wing position and became more aggressive in shooting. Diomande's performance in subsequent matches before Ivory Coast's elimination by Norway in the round of 32 did not match his stunning performance in the first match, although he still 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 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, Villarreal (United States)

During his first four matches of the 2026 World Cup, the US national team performed well 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 taking into account the strength of the opponents, it can be said that it was the best series of matches the US national team has played. What made the US national team look better than expected was its optimal use of its strengths; Sergino Dest and Anthony Robinson occupied advanced positions as overlapping full-backs to pose a threat to the opponent. The US team also focused on direct attacking through the runs of Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman through midfield. These two factors helped them successfully break through the opponent's defenses in the middle of the pitch.

To make this strategy work, the US national team needed a defender capable of playing in multiple positions, able to provide the necessary support in different areas, and Freeman was the ideal choice for that. 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 possession in the final third. One of the great passes we saw throughout the US team's World Cup campaign was Freeman's pass to McKennie as he ran on 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 crucial interventions to deny clear-cut chances. Of course, the US national 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 is 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 chances of him becoming one of the stars the US team needs by 2030 are slim, but he showed in this tournament signs of being a complete top-class defender.

Yohan Manzambi: Playmaker, Freiburg (Switzerland)