5 Up-And-Coming Teenagers Who Could Emerge at the World Cup

Brazil's forward Endrick attends a training session at the Granja Comary training center in Teresopolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 29, 2026, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. (AFP)

11:16-3 June 2026 AD ـ 18 Thul-Hijjah 1447 AH

Brazil's forward Endrick attends a training session at the Granja Comary training center in Teresopolis, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, on May 29, 2026, ahead of the FIFA World Cup 2026. (AFP)

Some famous teenagers have had their breakthrough moment at the World Cup, including Pelé, who became one of football's all-time greats.

Pelé was 17 when he helped lead Brazil to the World Cup title in 1958. Kylian Mbappé was 19 when he cemented his superstar credentials by leading France to the World Cup title in 2018. Two decades earlier, England's Michael Owen had a coming-of-age moment as an 18-year-old at the 1998 World Cup in France.

The 2026 tournament will feature 22 teenagers, according to the official rosters of the 48 teams published by FIFA.

A few of them have already established themselves with top European clubs, including 18-year-old Lamine Yamal and 19-year-old Pau Cubarsí, the Spaniards who have been thriving with Barcelona for some time. Germany's 18-year-old Lennart Karl just had his breakthrough season with Bayern Munich.

Other already established players are older than 19 but are set to make their first World Cup appearances, including 20-year-old Warren Zaïre-Emery and 21-year-old Désiré Doué, the France internationals who have been regulars with two-time defending Champions League winner Paris Saint-Germain.

Other 21-year-olds who have been around for some time but will possibly debut at the tournament include England's Nico O’Reilly of Manchester City and Türkiye's Arda Güler of Real Madrid. Nico Paz, another 21-year-old, made Argentina’s World Cup squad after thriving with Como in the Italian league, helping the club qualify for the Champions League for the first time.

Here’s a look at five up-and-coming teenagers who could have breakthrough performances during soccer’s showcase event:

Gilberto Mora

One of Mexico’s most promising prospects in years, Mora could become the youngest Mexican player to appear in a World Cup at age 17. He is the youngest player among the rosters of the 48 teams playing at the tournament this year.

The midfielder has been making waves in Liga MX with Tijuana. He started for the Mexico team that won the Gold Cup in 2025.

In August 2024, he was the youngest to start and score in the Mexican first division at age 15. In January 2025, he was the youngest to debut for Mexico at 16.

Some of the top clubs reportedly scouting the teenager include Real Madrid, Barcelona and some Premier League teams.

Yan Diomande

The 19-year-old winger will star for Ivory Coast at the World Cup after impressing with Leipzig in the German league.

He moved to the United States at a young age and excelled while playing high school soccer in Florida. Diomande had trials with Major League Soccer teams Colorado and Charlotte but ended up moving to Spanish club Leganes in 2024.

It wasn’t long before Leipzig signed the promising star last year. He also debuted for the national team last year, featuring in the Africa Cup of Nations.

Endrick

The 19-year-old striker will have a chance to shine with Brazil after finishing the season well with Lyon in the French league.

Endrick thrived with Brazilian club Palmeiras before moving to Real Madrid as the next top prospect from Brazil. He had a rough start with the Spanish powerhouse and was sent on loan to Lyon, where he thrived this last season.

It was enough for new Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti to include him on the World Cup squad, where he will compete with the likes of Neymar, Vinícius Júnior, Raphinha and another up-and-coming teenager in 19-year-old Rayan, who impressed with Bournemouth in his first Premier League season.

Ibrahim Mbaye

The 18-year-old Mbaye became the youngest Senegalese goal scorer in the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this year, helping Senegal reach the final. He was 17 at the time.

The forward was a member of PSG’s academy and made his French league debut as a 16-year-old in 2024.

He made his Champions League debut last year and progressively got more playing time with PSG this season, including in the top European club competition won by the French club.

Kendry Páez

The 19-year-old attacking midfielder has been a regular with Ecuador.

Chelsea struck a deal in 2023 to sign Páez from Ecuadorean club Independiente del Valle when he turned 18 in 2025. Chelsea loaned him to French club Strasbourg last year, and he is currently playing on loan with Argentine powerhouse River Plate.

A strong World Cup is likely to bring Paéz, who is known for his nifty dribbling and explosive changes of pace, back to Europe.

Mentality Key to Premier League Revival for Spurs, Says De Zerbi

Tottenham Hotspur's manager Roberto De Zerbi reacts during the Sydney Super Cup football match between English Premier League teams Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur at Stadium Australia in Sydney on August 1, 2026. (AFP)

11:29-11 August 2026 AD ـ 27 Safar 1448 AH

Mentality Key to Premier League Revival for Spurs, Says De Zerbi

Tottenham Hotspur manager Roberto ‌De Zerbi said restoring the team's spirit and mentality would be crucial to their revival after two seasons spent near the bottom of the Premier League table.

The 47-year-old, who took over in March and steered the club to safety by finishing one place above the relegation zone, said a busy summer recruitment window alone would not be enough to deliver long-term success.

Spurs have recruited ‌Sandro Tonali, ‌Mateus Fernandes, Jan Paul van Hecke, ‌Andy ⁠Robertson, Marcos Senesi, ⁠Cole Ramsey and Martin Dubravka.

"In the transfer market, we're not finished yet. We're looking forward to start another season with different ambitions and results," De Zerbi said on the Men in Blazers YouTube channel.

"We have to find the condition to ⁠build a strong team, than the ‌last seasons to compete ‌again for the top of the table.

"I usually think about ‌the soul, passion, spirit and mentality of ‌the team and then the improvement we can do in the future, because I can't stay with the focus just on the present."

The Italian said he wanted ‌supporters to recognize his side not only through its style of play but ⁠also ⁠through their commitment and character.

"I would like when we go to play in the Premier League... the people recognize one's soul, passion, value of the player," he said.

"The qualities of the players are not enough. If you don't put something more, something of yourself, something you feel inside of you, it's very tough to now compete with the top teams in the world, in the Premier League."

Spurs begin their Premier League campaign against Brentford on August 22.

Sports

Swiatek Dominates Shnaider to Set Up Toronto Semi with Svitolina

Iga Swiatek of Poland celebrates while playing Diana Shnaider during the quarterfinals on day nine of the National Bank Open Presented by Rogers at Sobeys Stadium on August 10, 2026 in Toronto, Ontario. (Matthew Stockman/Getty Images/AFP)

09:21-11 August 2026 AD ـ 27 Safar 1448 AH

Swiatek Dominates Shnaider to Set Up Toronto Semi with Svitolina

Former world number one Iga Swiatek cruised into the Toronto Masters semi-finals on Monday to set up a clash with Elina Svitolina who fought back from a set down to reach the last four.

Poland's Swiatek, a six-time Grand Slam champion, took just 64 minutes to sweep past Russia's Diana Shnaider 6-2, 6-1.

Ukraine's Svitolina, the ninth seed, beat Russia's Ekaterina Alexandrova 3-6, 6-0, 6-3.

Swiatek reached just her second WTA semi-final this year after Rome and is seeking her first final appearance since winning the Korea Open almost a year ago in Seoul.

"From the beginning I went for it. I felt like I could dominate," Swiatek said after dropping just three points on her first serve.

"I was quite happy with the way I played. It was a tricky match with the wind.

"I thought I needed to adjust to that. I just wanted to be more solid," added the 25-year-old world number eight.

Svitolina won eight consecutive games after losing the first set on the way to dispatching Alexandrova in 93 minutes.

Swiatek leads Svitolina 4-3 in their WTA career rivalry, but lost both their meetings this year.

"I'm gonna talk with my team to adjust a little bit for Iga's game," said Svitolina.

"Of course she's a great champion. She plays really well this tournament. I have to bring my best."

Swiatek established a 5-2 lead in the first set when she broke Shnaider a second time, courtesy of the Russian netting a backhand, and served out to take it in 31 minutes.

The Pole broke for a 2-1 lead in the second when Shnaider netted. A forehand winner gave Swiatek a 4-1 lead and a third break sealed victory.

Svitolina had more of a battle after sending a backhand long on serve to drop an evenly matched first set.

It fired up the Ukrainian who reeled off four breaks to blank Alexandrova in the second set and take a 2-0 lead in the third.

Svitolina served for the match in the eighth game of the final set only for a double fault to allow Alexandrova a lifeline.

But a pumped-up Svitolina roared back, broke to love and finished the match with a searing return winner.

"Very pleased with my performance. With the fighting spirit," said Svitolina.

"She was playing really well in the first set. I had to really step into like a fighting mode."

Sports

Trump Says Would Be ‘Terrible Mistake’ to Oust Embattled Infantino

19 July 2026, US, East Rutherford: FIFA President Gianni Infantino (L) and US President Donald Trump applaud during the award ceremony of the 2026 FIFA World Cup final match between Spain and Argentina at New York-New Jersey Stadium (MetLife Stadium). (dpa)

09:02-11 August 2026 AD ـ 27 Safar 1448 AH

Trump Says Would Be ‘Terrible Mistake’ to Oust Embattled Infantino

US President Donald Trump said on Monday it would be "a terrible mistake" to replace Gianni Infantino, the embattled FIFA president who tried, and failed, to sell off part of the World Cup to private investors.

Infantino came under renewed fire in an open letter signed by three confederations -- Europe's UEFA, North and Central America's CONCACAF and Asia's AFC -- accusing the world football boss of breaking trust "through deception".

But Trump backed Infantino, who awarded the US president a "FIFA Peace Prize" at the World Cup draw ceremony last year.

"FIFA would be making a terrible mistake if, for any reason, they even considered replacing President Gianni Infantino," Trump posted on Truth Social.

Trump called Infantino "fantastic" and said he "presided over the most successful World Cup, by four times, ever presented".

"If he is gone, it will never be as successful or profitable again!" added Trump, who attended the World Cup final with Infantino last month.

Trump's backing of Infantino is at odds with US Soccer, who joined the voices lining up against the FIFA president.

Infantino launched, and then withdrew in the face of scathing criticism, a plan to bring private investment into FIFA competitions, including World Cups.

FIFA hit back on Saturday at efforts "to undermine" football's governing body and Infantino.

However, Monday's joint letter from UEFA, CONCACAF and the AFC retorted: "Leadership in football is not a possession. It is not about holding -- or demanding -- power to be held.

"When trust is broken through deception, when an individual places himself above the collective that entrusted him with authority, that duty has been abandoned."

- UEFA boycott threat -

CONCACAF president Victor Montagliani is viewed as a potential challenger to Infantino, who will be up for re-election for a fourth and final term at the FIFA Congress in March 2027. Candidates have to be declared by November 18.

Infantino had looked certain to be unopposed for a fourth term after overseeing a successful World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada until his plans were revealed.

The 56-year-old Swiss, who has been in situ for 10 years, has received the backing of the Confederation of African Football (CAF) while South American governing body CONMEBOL is largely supportive.

Individual member associations, not confederations, vote in the FIFA election,

Infantino has received support from CONCACAF's Mexico and two AFC members -- Kuwait and 2022 World Cup hosts Qatar.

- 'Shabby, backroom deal' -

UEFA's threat to boycott World Cups if the private investment plan went ahead proved pivotal in Infantino withdrawing his sell-off plan.

UEFA had called it "a shabby, opaque, backroom deal" and lashed out at Infantino again on Monday for a "failure of judgment".

After the furore, Infantino received "full support" of senior FIFA directors in an emergency meeting in Morocco last week, but the three confederations said that was meaningless.

The recent meeting, where "a select number of members of the FIFA Management Committee" were present, they said, "represents a continuation of the very pattern of conduct that brought us to this moment".

"It is not the conduct of a custodian of the game, but of one who believes the game is answerable to him."

Infantino had been basking in the afterglow of the largest ever World Cup involving 48 teams until his plans divided the sport.

"The growth over the past decade has been real. But that progress was never the work of one individual," declared the letter.

"It was the product of FIFA, the Confederations, the Member Associations, and the thousands of people who dedicate their lives to the game.

"The expanded tournaments... were shared achievements, agreed together, delivered together."

Under Infantino's leadership "there is silence where there should be accountability, distance where there should be openness", they said.

"That is why we have taken this stance: not lightly and not alone, but together, and out of duty to the game we serve.

"Football's strength has always been its unity."

5 Up-And-Coming Teenagers Who Could Emerge at the World Cup

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Mentality Key to Premier League Revival for Spurs, Says De Zerbi

Swiatek Dominates Shnaider to Set Up Toronto Semi with Svitolina

Trump Says Would Be ‘Terrible Mistake’ to Oust Embattled Infantino

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