Lamine Yamal and 9 teenage sensations set to turn the 2026 World Cup on its head

Lamine Yamal is not just the most striking teenager at this summer’s World Cup. There is a good chance he will also be thestandout player in North America, such is the talent of the FC Barcelona and Spain winger. Since making his international debut at the age of sixteen with a stunning goal against Georgia, Yamal has been a regular in manager Luis de la Fuente’s squad.

Yamal has already shown that he is not intimidated by playing in a major tournament, having put in a stellar performance at EURO 2024 when La Roja triumphed in Germany. Yamal’s opening goal against France in the semi-final was a true work of art, and his form for his club since then suggests there could be more of the same in store, as he hopes to win the World Cup on 13 July, just six days after turning nineteen.

However, Yamal may not be the only teenager in the Spanish squad. Pau Cubarsí started in four of Spain’s six World Cup qualifiers at the end of 2025 and looks set to become a regular in De la Fuente’s plans, having been somewhat surprisingly omitted from Spain’s squad for the successful 2024 European Championship.

The 19-year-old has been a mainstay of Hansi Flick’s Barcelona for over two years, with Cubarsí’s composure on the ball and passing ability complementing his top-class defensive instincts. There is now a chance that he will form a highly talented central defensive partnership with Real Madrid’s Dean Huijsen.

Apart from Yamal, Estêvão is the teenage debutant most people are eagerly looking forward to seeing at the World Cup. The Chelsea winger has produced a number of magical moments during his first season in European football, enabling him to secure a starting place in the Brazilian national team by the end of 2025.

Estêvão scored five goals in his four starts for manager Carlo Ancelotti’s side between September and November, putting him in a strong position amidst the intense competition for places in the Seleção’s attack. He was not included in the squad for the friendly matches in March due to the minor injury problems that have plagued him in recent weeks. However, the 18-year-old should be fully fit again this summer to make a real impact for the five-time world champions.

Elsewhere in South America, Ecuadorian midfielder Kendry Páez is one of the most experienced teenagers in terms of international caps who will be in action this summer. The young Chelsea player, who is currently on loan at River Plate, has been tipped as a potential World Cup star since 2023, when he made his international debut at the age of sixteen.

A few weeks later, Páez became the youngest player ever to score in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers, but since the 2024 Copa América he has mainly been used as a substitute at international level. That is not to say that the 18-year-old cannot make a big impression in North America. Páez has enough magic in his feet to stand out for one of the tournament’s outsiders.

Perhaps more than ever before, a number of players are facing a choice regarding their international allegiance. Many potential World Cup participants are on the verge of representing countries they might never have imagined playing for during their youth. Ibrahim Mbaye, for example, played for France at every level up to and including the Under-20s during his youth, but decided in November to accept an invitation from Senegal.

The 18-year-old winger scored on his second appearance for Les Lions de Teranga, becoming the West African nation’s youngest ever goalscorer. He then played a key role in the run-up to the Africa Cup of Nations final, scoring once and providing two assists. The Paris Saint-Germain forward will therefore be confident that he can make his mark at his second major tournament in 2026.

As a co-host, Mexico has been under immense pressure for some time now, even before failing to progress beyond the group stage in 2022. El Tri is now on the hunt for new heroes, and all eyes are now firmly on Gilberto Mora.

The 17-year-old midfielder, nicknamed ‘The Mexican Pedri’, was thrown in at the deep end for the knockout stages of the 2025 Gold Cup, and he ultimately played a key role as manager Javier Aguirre’s side lifted the trophy. This made Mora the youngest player ever to win a major international tournament, breaking the record set by Yamal twelve months earlier. The Club Tijuana star has been sidelined since January due to injury, but confidence is growing that Mora will be fit again before Mexico kick off their World Cup campaign on 11 June.

This summer, the spotlight will once again be on Croatia’s veterans, with 40-year-old Luka Modrić leading the way at the fifth World Cup of his illustrious career. But behind these familiar names, a new generation of talent is emerging, with Luka Vuskovic undoubtedly one of the most promising players. All this follows a season in which he has emerged as one of the most promising young centre-backs in Europe.

The player, on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, shone during his spell at Hamburger SV, which led to interest from Barcelona, whilst he played his first two international matches during the World Cup qualifiers. The 19-year-old Vuskovic is not only a top-class defender but also a real threat from set-pieces. He could even start in the starting line-up for manager Zlatko Dalic’s side this summer, as Josko Gvardiol is in a race against time to be fit for the World Cup.

Although all the players mentioned above already had international experience by the start of 2026, a few young players are now on the verge of making their real breakthrough. The most intriguing of these ‘surprises’ is Lennart Karl, who is enjoying a fantastic breakthrough season at Bayern Munich, having scored eight goals and provided six assists across all competitions. This is despite having to compete for playing time with Ballon d’Or candidates Michael Olise and Luis Díaz.

The 18-year-old attacking midfielder only made his debut for Germany’s Under-21s in November. But Karl has what it takes to make a difference for a German side that has been crying out for extra creativity since the European Championship.

Rodrigo Mora already has an international medal to his name, having been part of the Portuguese squad that won the UEFA Nations League final in 2025. However, the FC Porto playmaker did not feature in the match and was overlooked by national team manager Roberto Martínez for the rest of the year.

Having turned down a lucrative move to Saudi Arabia in August, Mora has not quite managed to match the sensational form he displayed during his breakthrough season in Portugal. But the 18-year-old attacking midfielder remains one of Europe’s greatest talents and has been selected for the Portuguese squad for the friendly matches against Mexico and the United States. The World Cup is therefore very much on the cards for Mora.

Last November, Nathan De Cat was still playing at the Under-17 World Cup in Qatar. But now the midfielder has a real chance of breaking into the senior squad this summer, having been called up to the Belgian national team for the first time.

The Anderlecht star, who is naturally a defensive midfielder, has taken his game to the next level in recent weeks after being deployed as a number 10. Clubs such as Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are now preparing to make a bid in the summer. His value will, of course, only rise if he secures a place in manager Rudi Garcia’s squad for the World Cup.