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It is safe to say that the 2026 World Cup has been a great platform for young players to shine under the brightest spotlight.
Many of these players laid the foundations to become dominant figures in international football for years to come. Here are the top 10 players aged 21 and under in the 2026 World Cup:
Age: 18
Position: Central midfielder
Club: Lille
Ayyoub Bouaddi is one of the main reasons for Morocco’s rise in international football. Born and raised in France, Bouaddi previously represented French youth teams, but decided to represent Morocco shortly before the World Cup. Bouaddi has already impressed at club level with Lille since the age of 16.
One of the highlights of his career began with a victory against Real Madrid in the Champions League on his 17th birthday. At the World Cup, he impressed and helped Morocco control the midfield in a 1-1 draw against Brazil. He will likely move to a top club for a huge fee soon. For Morocco, he will ensure that the Atlas Lions remain a top team for years to come.
Age: 19
Position: Central defense
Club: Barcelona
Most fans knew Cubarsí before this tournament after the 19-year-old anchored Barcelona’s rearguard to the La Liga title. But this World Cup put Cubarsí on the verge of becoming a global superstar.
Before the final, Spain only conceded one goal and Cubarsí played a big role in that. Although he is a teenager, he could be the best central defender in the world.
Age: 19
Position: Winger
Club: RB Leipzig
After an excellent club season with RB Leipzig where he was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Season and is now reportedly set to join Paris Saint-Germain, expectations were very high for Diomande ahead of this tournament.
He didn’t score and had just one assist in a win over Curacao. But there were plenty of times where his elite dribbling was on display, and it helped open up the game for his teammates. He was notably explosive during Ivory Coast’s victory against Ecuador and dangerous during the narrow defeat against Germany.
Age:21
Position: Winger
Club: Paris Saint-Germain
Doué is one of several high-profile young French players to transition from the 2024 Olympic squad to the 2026 World Cup squad. He has won the Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year twice and won the UEFA Champions League twice. He also won the Best Young Player award in the Champions League and Club World Cup.
At this World Cup, he played well in wins against Senegal, Norway, Paraguay and Morocco, living up to what is already a remarkable resume for a player of his age. He scored in France’s victory over Norway and then assisted in the opening goal of the victory against Morocco.
Age:21
Position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Freiburg
Apart from the first match, Switzerland has been very good in this World Cup. If Johan Manzambi was healthy and able to play against Argentina, the tournament could have been completely different. Unfortunately for Switzerland, Manzambi was injured just before the match against Colombia in the round of 16 and did not participate in the last two matches.
But what Manzambi showed against Bosnia-Herzegovina, Canada and Algeria was enough to easily make him one of the best young players in the tournament with three goals and two assists in those three matches. Manzambi can play every position on offense, and he combines elite athleticism with a high skill level that makes him difficult to defend. He is rumored to be joining Newcastle United in the near future.
Age: 17
Position: Attacking midfielder
Club: Club Tijuana
Even if it did not reach the quarter-finals, Mexico took many positive points from this World Cup. They won their group convincingly, then easily beat Ecuador in the round of 16. It was only after their dramatic 3-2 defeat to England that they finally conceded a goal.
But Gilberto Mora’s arrival on the international scene may have been the biggest positive for El Tri, as Mora has been exceptional in Mexico’s last three matches. He handled the pressure of the start of home knockout matches well and led his team’s attack at times.
Club Tijuana has a very valuable player on its hands. It will be interesting to see Mora’s next steps.
Age:21
Position: Winger
Club: RB Leipzig
All Norway wants to do on offense is find ways to get the ball to Erling Haaland. This usually happens via the team’s wingers and luckily for Norway, Antonio Nusa has developed a strong chemistry with Haaland that will only continue to pay off through Euro 2028 and the next World Cup.
Nusa was contained in the quarter-final defeat to England, but he played a key role in the team’s success earlier in the tournament. In the 2-1 victory against Ivory Coast in the round of 16, Nusa scored an important goal.
Age:21
Position: Left rear
Club: Manchester City
O’Reilly started five of England’s matches at this World Cup, those which the Three Lions won. He plays the fullback position in a very modern way, which requires a lot of athleticism to defend well and push aggressively in attack. His absence from the starting XI against Argentina was surprising, but he will be an important part of the team for years to come.
As a starter at Manchester City, he has now performed well in the World Cup, Champions League and Premier League, making him one of the best left-backs in the world.
Age:21
Position: Right back, central defender
Club: Villarreal
Just 18 months ago, Alex Freeman was a second player on Orlando City’s MLS team, with no national team experience and limited experience on the US youth national teams. Since then, he has become one of the best defenders in the league, transferred to Villarreal and become a starter for the full national team.
During this World Cup, Freeman offered head coach Mauricio Pochettino great tactical flexibility with his ability to defend and go on the attack. His elite athleticism was on display at several points, and he even scored an important goal in the win over Australia.
Age: 19
Position: Winger
Club: Barcelona
As a 2025 Ballon d’Or finalist, Yamal is the most exciting young attacking player in the world. Heading into Sunday’s final, Yamal has just one goal in this tournament, but he was instrumental in opening the match and making the Spanish attack more dangerous. Against France, he took a penalty and helped set up the team’s second goal. It fits perfectly with Luis de la Fuente’s system.
Honorable mentions
Rayan (Brazil)
João Neves (Portugal)
Lucas Herrington (Australia)
Ibrahim Mbaye (Senegal)
Mbekezeli Mbokazi (South Africa)
