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Who Could Be the 2026 World Cup’s Breakout Star?

Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)
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Who Could Be the 2026 World Cup’s Breakout Star?

Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)
Paris Saint-Germain's French midfielder #14 Desire Doue celebrates his team victory at the end of the French L1 football match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on May 13, 2026. (AFP)

World Cups are where rising stars of football quickly transform into global icons.

AFP Sport looks at five of the contenders to become the game's next superstar at this year's finals in the United States, Mexico and Canada:

Nico Paz (Argentina)

The son of former Argentine international Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions despite being born and raised in Spain.

A rising star in the Real Madrid academy, Paz has flourished in two years working under Cesc Fabregas since a move to Como in Italy.

Madrid are reportedly set to exercise their buyback option on the 21-year-old.

His technical ability and eye for goal from range has alerted Europe's other top clubs.

Paz could have the daunting task of filling in for Lionel Messi with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni expected to manage the 38-year-old's minutes during the champions' title defense.

Desire Doue (France)

Doue has already lit up the biggest stage in club football, winning the man-of-the-match award and scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain's Champions League final thrashing of Inter Milan last year.

But this will be the 20-year-old's first taste of a major international tournament.

Doue has a battle just to ensure he starts for Les Bleus among a dazzling display of attacking talent that includes Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d'Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich's Michael Olise.

But Doue gave Didier Deschamps a timely reminder of his quality with his first two international goals in a 3-1 friendly win over Colombia in France's last outing in March.

Nico O'Reilly (England)

O'Reilly, 21, has already earned the trust of Pep Guardiola to become a regular for Manchester City.

Scorer of two goals from left-back in City's League Cup final win over Arsenal in March, O'Reilly began his career as a goalscoring midfielder.

Guardiola has harnessed his blend of height, speed and skill as an attacking weapon from deep and may have solved a problem position for England coach Thomas Tuchel in the process.

England reached the final of Euro 2024 without a natural left-back for the majority of the tournament due to Luke Shaw's lack of fitness.

"What a player," said Guardiola. "He has made an incredible step up and he has had a lot of minutes, but he deserves it."

Endrick (Brazil)

A teenage prodigy who made his Palmeiras debut at 16 and was snapped up by Real Madrid before his18th birthday, Endrick's hopes of shining at the World Cup have been rekindled by a successful loan move at French club Lyon.

Endrick burst onto the international scene by scoring the winner against England at Wembley two years ago and becoming Brazil's youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo in the process.

Relegated behind international team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe after his big move to Madrid two years ago, the 19-year-old has found his scoring touch since his switch to France in January.

Often compared to another Brazilian great Romario for his squat but powerful physique, Endrick will be hoping to recreate the former's success in scoring five goals as Brazil won the World Cup on US soil in 1994.

Pedri (Spain)

Spain's latest passing metronome, Pedri has proven to be a fitting heir to Xavi Hernandez for both club and country.

After first rising to prominence as an 18-year-old at Euro 2020, Pedri was key to Spain's run to conquering Europe two years ago in Germany, but injury prevented him from featuring in the semi-finals and final.

For Barcelona he has put his fitness troubles behind him under Hansi Flick, playing a starring role in back-to-back La Liga title triumphs over the past two seasons.

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Three Talking Points from the Italian Grand Prix

Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli holds his trophy as he celebrates with his team members after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit in Monza, northern Italy on September 6, 2026. (AFP)
Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli holds his trophy as he celebrates with his team members after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit in Monza, northern Italy on September 6, 2026. (AFP)
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Three Talking Points from the Italian Grand Prix

Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli holds his trophy as he celebrates with his team members after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit in Monza, northern Italy on September 6, 2026. (AFP)
Mercedes' Italian driver Kimi Antonelli holds his trophy as he celebrates with his team members after winning the Italian Formula One Grand Prix at the Autodromo Nazionale Monza circuit in Monza, northern Italy on September 6, 2026. (AFP)

Rarely has a race, or a singular drive, stirred the emotions as did Kimi Antonelli's spectacular home triumph in Sunday's stunning and wildly-entertaining Italian Grand Prix.

It was a season-defining performance, a display foreseen by his team boss as a "walk on water" demonstration of pure talent.

AFP Sport looks at three talking points from a weekend of the unexpected at Monza where Ferrari fervor turned to Italian joy in celebration of a first home winner for 60 years:

- Antonelli: 'Generational genius' -

It was less about the history and the statistics, impressive as they are, but much more a show of precocious speed and talent as the boy from Bologna, who turned 20 two weeks ago, won from 19th on the grid.

In becoming the first Italian driver to win at Monza since 1966 -- to move 66 points clear of nearest rival and teammate George Russell in the title race -- he proved Italy still produces winners and champions.

Only a series of catastrophes in the remaining 10 races can prevent Antonelli becoming the first Italian to win the world title since Alberto Ascari in 1953.

This was Antonelli's seventh win this year, lifting him level with Russell, who was the pre-season favorite, in career victories, despite the Briton having made 128 more race starts.

As he said in the ecstatic aftermath of the race, as thousands of Ferrari fans, in a weekend record crowd of 403,666, thronged below the podium, this win "is great, but the best is yet to come".

Mercedes team boss Toto Wolff, who recruited Antonelli to his junior team and developed him as a protege of extraordinary potential, said he felt sure one of his two protagonists would win.

"I felt it on Saturday," he said. "I chatted with his father Marco. He saw it coming, too. I knew one of the two would win -- George, because he was at the front, or Kimi, because he was going to walk on water."

Antonelli took advantage of a red flag and a virtual safety car to pit twice for new tires while Russell did so only once, for hards, leaving him vulnerable on the final laps.

But, Wolff pointed out, it was something more than tires or tactics that took his curly-mopped youngster through the field to glory.

"I've seen it with other great ones in the past," said Wolff, who oversaw six of Lewis Hamilton's seven championship-winning seasons with Mercedes.

"When a driver and a car are as one, then there's just nothing that can stop them."

- Ferrari season in peril -

Ferrari's home flop ended with Hamilton sixth, conceding his title dream is over and pointing a finger at his team.

Poor strategy, which saw him not take advantage of the VSC deployment to fit new tires, saw him struggling on worn mediums, while a lack of "rules of engagement" resulted in an opening lap clash with teammate Charles Leclerc, who later crashed out.

"At Mercedes, we had written rules," said Hamilton. "And we never had it too bad.

"Here (at Ferrari), there are no rules. It needs to change."

He added that the team had prevaricated too long over asking Leclerc to support Hamilton in the title race. "It's way too late for that now."

- Verstappen proves point -

Max Verstappen's battling drive to take third behind both Mercedes, but ahead of the two McLarens, went some way in justifying his decision to extend his Red Bull contract and erase the pain of a first-lap crash two weeks earlier at his home Dutch Grand Prix.

"For us to be on the podium is, I think, a very strong result," he said after his fifth top-three finish of a difficult season that is yet to produce a win.

"Mercedes were clearly too strong for us but to be behind them after a very difficult weekend in Zandvoort is very positive for us."

Sports

Belgium Withholds Support for Infantino Over Balogun Red Card Row

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino looks on during the opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 13, 2024. (AFP)
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino looks on during the opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 13, 2024. (AFP)
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Belgium Withholds Support for Infantino Over Balogun Red Card Row

President of FIFA Gianni Infantino looks on during the opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 13, 2024. (AFP)
President of FIFA Gianni Infantino looks on during the opening ceremony of the Africa Cup of Nations (CAN) 2024 at the Alassane Ouattara Olympic Stadium in Ebimpe, Abidjan, on January 13, 2024. (AFP)

Belgium will not support Gianni ‌Infantino's bid for another term as FIFA president unless it receives satisfactory answers over the handling of the Folarin Balogun red-card case at the World Cup and other governance concerns, the country's football federation (RBFA) said on Monday.

Belgium has sought explanations over the disciplinary process involving Balogun, whose automatic red-card ban was suspended by FIFA, allowing the US striker to face Belgium in their World Cup last-16 clash after US President Donald Trump personally urged Infantino to review the case.

The RBFA said ‌football's world ‌governing body had yet to provide adequate ‌justification ⁠for its decision ⁠or explain how similar cases would be handled in the future.

"It is essential that such cases are handled in a transparent and rigorous manner, in the interests of FIFA, the good governance and the credibility of international football, with clear safeguards for the future," RBFA said in a statement.

The federation has ⁠asked FIFA to place the Balogun case ‌on the agenda for the ‌next FIFA Council meeting on October 15.

The other issue centers on FIFA ‌Forward Enterprise, where the RBFA said several decisions and ‌assessments had not been sufficiently justified, raising broader concerns about transparency and governance.

The RBFA had opposed FIFA's proposed sale of a stake in World Cup commercial rights, saying it remained committed to "a strong, ‌independent and sustainable model for international football."

"My team at the RBFA communicated with FIFA in ⁠a composed ⁠and constructive manner, both during and after the World Cup, in order to obtain clarity in the Balogun case. Two months after the events, we note that our questions remain unanswered to date," RBFA President Pascale Van Damme said.

"Given the importance of transparency and clarity for all parties involved, we request the necessary explanations and, at the same time, wish to explore where improvements to the current processes are possible."

The Belgian federation said it remained in close contact with European soccer's governing body UEFA over both issues and would continue pushing for greater transparency in FIFA decision-making.

Sports

PSG Go for Three in a Row as Champions League Returns

28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)
28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)
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PSG Go for Three in a Row as Champions League Returns

28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)
28 August 2026, France, Villeneuve-D'ascq: Paris Saint-Germain coach Luis Enrique stands on the touchline during the French Ligue 1 soccer match between Lille OSC (LOSC) and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) at Pierre Mauroy Stadium. (dpa)

Another UEFA Champions League season gets going this week with the beginning of the league phase as Paris Saint-Germain bid to join the tiny band of clubs to have won the competition three years running.

PSG successfully defended their title last season when they beat Arsenal on penalties in Budapest, retaining the trophy they won for the first time in their history 12 months earlier.

Luis Enrique's side have already secured their status as one of the competition's greatest teams by winning it back-to-back, something only Real Madrid had previously achieved since the inception of the modern Champions League in 1992.

Winning three in a row would be on another level entirely. Real did exactly that under Zinedine Zidane between 2016 and 2018, The only other teams to manage such a feat are Ajax (1971-73) and Bayern Munich (1974-76), while Madrid also won the first five editions of the European Cup from 1956 to 1960.

"Our objectives are clear. I want to win important trophies and there are none more important than the Champions League," said Luis Enrique, who also led Barcelona to glory in 2015.

The back-to-back titles for the French giants have coincided with the introduction of the new Champions League format, with 36 teams in the league phase now playing eight games against eight different opponents.

The Parisians struggled in the league phase in each of the last two campaigns, finishing outside the top eight and having to come through the additional play-off round to make the last 16.

Tough draws were partly responsible for that, and PSG will face some familiar opponents this time in Manchester City, Barcelona and Aston Villa.

With each passing year, the prospect of a team other than one of Europe's super clubs winning the Champions League seems more remote.

- Arsenal to take next step? -

The Premier League's financial strength means all of its representatives can be expected to feature prominently, with Arsenal chief among them.

Over the last three years, the Gunners have lost in the quarter-finals, the semi-finals, and then the final. There is therefore a logical next step for Mikel Arteta's side,

Arsenal topped the league phase last season with a perfect record. They have a tough start this time away to Napoli.

There are five English clubs involved, with Manchester City and Liverpool joined by the returning Manchester United and Villa.

Bayern Munich are formidable, while Jose Mourinho has returned to Real Madrid charged with the task of leading them back to continental glory. Barcelona are itching to get their hands on the trophy again.

It is hard to see beyond one of those clubs, although Inter Milan could have a say and Atletico Madrid will be desperate to reach a final to be held in their stadium.

- Debutants -

The only club outside Spain, England, Germany, Italy and France to have won the Champions League in the last 30 years remains Mourinho's Porto in 2004.

Plenty of new names will add freshness to the competition, including Como, who finished fourth in Serie A last season under Cesc Fabregas to qualify at the expense of AC Milan and Juventus.

Viking Stavanger are in the Champions League proper for the first time after winning a first Norwegian title in 34 years.

Sabah start with a trip to Old Trafford after winning a first Azerbaijani title and coming through four qualifying ties. Their manager, Valdas Dambrauskas, got into coaching with the money he made appearing on the Lithuanian version of "Who Wants to be a Millionaire".

"Since I was 12, when I realized I will not be a professional player, I knew I wanted to be a football coach," he said in an interview with Flashscore.

"I cannot guess what would have happened without this game, but I believe I would have found a way to achieve my dream."

Sabah might not qualify for the next stage -- although compatriots Qarabag did that last season -- but just being in the league phase is worth almost 20 million euros ($23.2m) at a minimum, significant sums for clubs from lesser leagues.

The Champions League winners pocket around 90 million euros in prize money, before adding millions more, notably from television -- it is understood PSG earned around 150 million euros for each of their last two victories.