Every World Cup has its established stars, but the real excitement often comes from the players still writing the first major chapters of their careers.
The 2026 FIFA World Cup will be packed with proven names, but it will also offer a major stage for the next generation. Some are already famous. Others are still waiting for the wider football world to properly discover them.
Lamine Yamal will be the obvious headline name. The Barcelona winger is no longer just a prospect. He is already one of the most influential young players in world football. But beyond him, the tournament includes several Gen Z talents who could use this summer to move to another level.
From Europe to Africa, South America and North America, these are seven young players worth watching closely.
Lamine Yamal, Spain
Lamine Yamal arrives at the World Cup with a level of expectation rarely placed on a teenager.
The Barcelona forward is a left-footed winger who usually starts from the right, where he can cut inside, attack the full back, combine with midfielders or deliver dangerous balls into the penalty area. His game is built on balance, timing and confidence. He does not simply run at defenders for the sake of it. He waits, reads the body shape of the opponent and then chooses whether to go outside or come inside.
What makes Yamal special is his maturity. Many young wingers have pace and flair, but few have his decision-making. He already understands when to slow the game, when to accelerate and when to release the ball. That is why he is so difficult to defend against. He can create for others, score himself and force opponents to double up on him.
For Spain, he gives width, creativity and unpredictability. In a team that usually wants to control possession, Yamal provides the individual spark that can break a tight defensive block.
He is already one of the faces of this Spanish side. If Spain go deep in the tournament, Yamal will almost certainly be central to their story.
Désiré Doué, France
Désiré Doué gives France another exciting attacking option in a squad already packed with elite talent.
The Paris Saint-Germain player can operate as an attacking midfielder, on either wing or in the half spaces behind the striker. That versatility makes him valuable in tournament football, where matches can change quickly, and managers often need players who can adapt to different situations.
Doué is quick, direct and technically gifted. He carries the ball with confidence and can beat players in one-on-one situations. He is not only a dribbler, though. He can combine with teammates, move between the lines and create problems in crowded areas.
What makes him promising is the mix of flair and tactical flexibility. He can stretch a defence from wide areas, come inside to link play or offer fresh energy from the bench. In a France squad with players such as Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé, Michael Olise and Bradley Barcola, Doué may not have to carry the team, but he could still become an important weapon.
His challenge will be earning minutes in a squad full of attacking depth. But if he is given the chance, he has the personality and quality to make an impact.
For France, Doué represents another reminder of the country’s remarkable production line of young attacking talent.
Can Uzun, Türkiye
Can Uzun is one of the most interesting young attacking players in the Türkiye squad.
He can operate as a number 10, a second striker or even as a more advanced forward. That versatility could make him extremely useful for Vincenzo Montella, especially in matches where Türkiye need someone who can connect the midfield with attack.
Uzun is not only a technical player. He has a sharp eye for goal and the ability to arrive in dangerous areas at the right time. His movement between the lines is one of his strongest qualities. He finds pockets of space, receives under pressure and is comfortable turning towards goal.
His recent performance against North Macedonia, where he scored and assisted, came at the perfect time before the World Cup. It showed that he is not afraid of responsibility with the national team.
Türkiye already have exciting attacking options, but Uzun brings a different profile. He is intelligent, composed and capable of producing a decisive moment from central areas. In tournament football, that type of player can become very important very quickly.
If he earns regular minutes, he could be one of Türkiye’s breakout names.
Esmir Bajraktarević, Bosnia and Herzegovina
Bosnia and Herzegovina arrive at the World Cup with experience, emotion and a squad trying to balance different generations.
Edin Džeko remains the leader and reference point, but Esmir Bajraktarević represents the future.
Bajraktarević is an attacking player who can play wide or inside. He brings energy, directness and the willingness to carry the ball forward. That is important for Bosnia, especially in matches where they may spend long periods without possession and need players who can turn defensive moments into counter-attacking opportunities.
His main strength is his ability to attack space. He is not afraid to run at defenders and he gives Bosnia a younger, more aggressive option in the final third. He can also operate between midfield and attack, which gives the team tactical flexibility.
What makes him promising is not only his technical ability, but also the timing of his emergence. Bosnia are entering a period where the old core cannot last forever. Bajraktarević is one of the players who can help move the team into a new cycle.
For him, this World Cup is a major opportunity. A strong tournament could establish him as one of the new faces of Bosnian football.
Gilberto Mora, Mexico
Gilberto Mora may be one of the most exciting stories of the tournament.
At just 17, he is the youngest player at the 2026 World Cup and will carry the attention of a Mexican public desperate for a new star to believe in. Playing a World Cup partly on home soil adds even more weight to his story.
Mora is an attacking midfielder who can also play further forward. He is technically clean, brave in possession and comfortable receiving the ball in tight spaces. He has the kind of close control that allows him to escape pressure and the confidence to try things that older players sometimes avoid.
What stands out is how natural he already looks in senior football. His age is extraordinary, but he does not play like someone simply enjoying the experience. He wants to influence matches.
Mexico will not want to overload him too early, but Mora has the qualities to change the rhythm of a game from the bench or, if trusted, from the start. He can play between the lines, combine quickly and give Mexico a different attacking edge.
The World Cup has always loved teenage stories. Mora could be one of the biggest.
Kendry Páez, Ecuador
Kendry Páez is one of South America’s brightest young talents.
Ecuador have built a strong reputation in recent years for producing physically powerful, tactically disciplined players. Páez adds imagination to that structure.
He is an attacking midfielder who likes to receive the ball between the lines. He can carry possession forward, combine in short spaces and look for the final pass. His left foot gives him quality in creative zones, while his confidence allows him to take responsibility even at a young age.
What makes Páez so promising is his personality on the ball. He does not hide. He wants possession, especially in areas where pressure is high and decisions have to be made quickly.
For Ecuador, he can be the link between a strong midfield and the attacking line. With players such as Moisés Caicedo offering power and control, Páez can provide the creative spark further forward.
If Ecuador are to hurt bigger nations, they will need more than defensive organisation. They will need someone who can create something unexpected. Páez can be that player.
Ayyoub Bouaddi, Morocco
Ayyoub Bouaddi’s decision to represent Morocco was a major boost for the Atlas Lions.
The Lille midfielder had represented France at the youth level, but FIFA approved his switch to Morocco before the tournament. That gave Walid Regragui another young midfield option at a time when Morocco are trying to build on the historic momentum of their 2022 semi-final run.
Bouaddi is a central midfielder who can play deeper, protect the defence and help the team progress the ball. He is not the loudest type of player, but he is extremely useful. He reads danger, positions himself intelligently and plays with calmness beyond his age.
His maturity is what makes him stand out. At 18, he already looks comfortable in senior football. He does not panic in possession and has the discipline to play an important tactical role.
For Morocco, Bouaddi could be valuable in matches where control is needed. With creative players ahead of him, his job may be to give the team balance, recover possession and make the first pass into midfield.
He may not be the most spectacular name on the list, but he could become one of the most important young midfielders in the tournament.
A World Cup for the next generation
The World Cup is where reputations are built quickly.
One goal, one assist, one big performance against a major nation can change a player’s career. Yamal already arrives as a global name, but players such as Doué, Uzun, Bajraktarević, Mora, Páez and Bouaddi still have the chance to introduce themselves to a wider audience.
They all offer something different.
Yamal brings elite quality from wide areas. Doué brings French flair and versatility. Uzun brings intelligence and a goal threat. Bajraktarević brings direct running and energy. Mora brings fearless creativity at just 17. Páez brings South American flair and imagination. Bouaddi brings maturity and control in midfield.
The tournament will still belong to the stars if they deliver. But every World Cup needs new faces.
These could be the players who make the 2026 edition feel like the start of a new football generation.
