Rising Stars to Watch in the 2026 World Cup

The World Cup is one of the best places for players to showcase their talents, as all footballing fans watch eagerly, creating the ultimate platform. Over the years, we have seen the World Cup transform players’ careers, with the biggest clubs in Europe watching on and often spotting breakthrough stars. Many of these talents have performed well at the club level, with the World Cup bringing new challenges with added pressure in the vital knockout rounds.

At the World Cup, these younger players often bring a sense of freedom that experienced players often lack, making them a spectacle for all. These talents are less weighed down by tournament pressure and more willing to take risks in pursuit of glory. These are the sorts of players that football fans pay attention to when researching World Cup betting odds.

Forwards

As these players are most likely to play a part in match-defining moments, forwards commonly gather the most attention from World Cup tournaments. 

Lamine Yamal

Despite already being an established name for Barcelona and the Spanish national team, Lamine Yamal is expected to be one of the hottest talents in the upcoming World Cup. For Barcelona, Lamine Yamal has showcased incredible ability at such a young age, though he is getting better each year. Yamal quickly became an essential player at Barcelona, earning a starting role at 16 years of age. Lamine Yamal has broken numerous records in his time as a professional footballer, one of which is the youngest-ever goalscorer for Spain, just 57 days after his 16th birthday. 

Yamal has already experienced glory with Spain, playing a huge role in the Euro 2024 triumph, where he won the young player of the tournament award. For the upcoming 2026 World Cup, Yamal is expected to be one of Spain’s leading players and a true star to keep an eye on.

Nico Paz

Since leaving Real Madrid for Como in 2024, Nico Paz has impressed notably, quickly becoming one of the most talked-about talents in Europe. Nico Paz has been instrumental to Como's success in the 2025/26 Serie A campaign, contributing to a push in European football. Aged 21, Nico Paz is in his breakthrough years and is expected to be called upon for his first FIFA World Cup campaign in 2026. Nico Paz operates mainly as a central attacking midfielder and will have the ultimate mentor in the 2026 World Cup: Messi.

The young attacking midfielder made his debut for Argentina in 2024 and has since made 7 further appearances, including scoring his first goal.

Midfielders

Breaking through on the international stage as a midfielder is challenging for all, requiring incredible technical abilities and footballing IQ to create attacks and dictate tempo.

Elliot Anderson

There is little doubt about Elliot Anderson's quality, and the young midfielder is expected to suit up for England beside Declan Rice in the midfield. Anderson left his boyhood club Newcastle United in 2024 in search of regular first-team football, and he has since come on leaps and bounds. In his second Premier League campaign with Nottingham Forest, Anderson has emerged as one of the best midfielders in the league, despite the challenges in the league. 

Elliot Anderson was awarded his debut England cap in 2025 during the FIFA World Cup qualifiers, where he quickly impressed, and has become a certainty for the World Cup squad.

Ayyoub Bouaddi

Ayyoub Bouaddi has broken through for Lille in recent years, becoming an important part of their midfield, and will be looking to earn his first France call-up in the upcoming World Cup. Bouaddi is widely regarded as one of the world's best talents, aged 18 and in his second season of consistent first-team football with Lille. The highly rated 18-year-old is commonly deployed as a defensive midfielder, though he has also been used in central midfield and at right-back, showcasing versatility. 

Despite not yet being selected for the French national team, Bouaddi has represented France from U16S to U21S, and a first-team call-up seems imminent. 

Defenders

Defenders often go under the radar, though they are imperative for all teams; in a World Cup campaign, they are vital to avoiding early exits in the knockouts. 

Nico O’Reilly

In the 2025/26 season, Nico O’Reilly has broken through at Manchester City, becoming an essential for Pep Guardiola, starting in over 27 games. O’Reilly is not a traditional left-back, as he often seems positionless, roaming around the pitch, commonly inverting to become a midfielder whilst in possession. 

Nico O’Reilly has recently made his debut for England under Thomas Tuchel and is expected to be the starting left-back for England at the World Cup.

Luka Vuskovic

Luka Vuskovic was signed by Tottenham Hotspur in 2025 and quickly loaned out to Hamburger SV in the Bundesliga, where he has impressed massively. The 19-year-old central defender has become one of the highest-rated talents in the world, a star player for Hamburger SV as they secured top-flight survival after numerous years in the second tier.

As a result of his impressive performances in the Bundesliga, Vuskovic was called up for the Croatia national team, where he has made four appearances. It is certain that Vuskovic will be part of the Croatian World Cup squad.