In every World Cup, a number of standout emerging players come to the fore; in 2010, stars like Alexis Sanchez, Mesut Ozil, and Luis Suarez shone. In 2014, James Rodriguez became a prominent 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 Fernandez (Argentina), and Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco), among others. A star's emergence during the World Cup does not necessarily guarantee future success. Lozano and Ounahi are prime examples of players who delivered dazzling performances in the World Cup and continued their careers successfully, but they did not capture as much attention this time as they did in 2018 and 2022, respectively.

The same applies to Rodriguez, 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 Suarez, who later became one of the best players of the past decade at Liverpool and then Barcelona.

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

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

Yann Diomande: Left winger of Leipzig (Ivory Coast)

Some may consider him out of place 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 for Leipzig, who finished third in the league. Even in a league that allows attacking talents to shine, rarely do young emerging players deliver such dazzling performances, and he fully deserved his World Cup call-up amid high expectations for what he would deliver in the tournament. Nevertheless, for those who watched 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 ability to play with both feet, which makes him a tough opponent for any defender.

According to analysts at Opta statistics, French star Kylian Mbappe is the only player who created more chances than Diomande in the World Cup through dribbling (9 chances for Mbappe compared to 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, where we saw his superb dribbling 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 Hincapie 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 elimination by Norway in the round of 32 did not match his stunning display in his first match, although he produced some exceptional moments. But it is no surprise 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 of Villarreal (United States)

In its first four matches of the 2026 World Cup, the US team performed well without any notable gaps. It 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 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; Sergino Dest and Antonee Robinson occupied advanced positions as wing-backs to pose a threat to the opponent. The US team also focused on direct attack through the runs of Weston McKennie and Malik Tillman through midfield. These two factors helped it successfully break through 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 able to provide the necessary support in different areas, and Freeman was the ideal choice. He often played as a third center-back on the right side, but he had the flexibility to move forward when the US team had possession in the final third. Among the remarkable passes we saw throughout the US team's World Cup campaign was Freeman's pass to McKennie as he sprinted on the right side into open 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 interventions to clear clear-cut chances. 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 given that the current Belgium side is the weakest in over a decade) sparked debate about the strength of the US team, including the lack of enough emerging 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 indications that he is a complete top-class defender.

Yohann Manzambi: Playmaker of Freiburg (Switzerland)