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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)
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)
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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)
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.

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Sabalenka Downs Muchova to Win WTA Finals Opener

09 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Czech's Karolina Muchova of Czechia during their ladies singles group stage match on day two of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. (dpa)
09 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Czech's Karolina Muchova of Czechia during their ladies singles group stage match on day two of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. (dpa)
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Sabalenka Downs Muchova to Win WTA Finals Opener

09 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Czech's Karolina Muchova of Czechia during their ladies singles group stage match on day two of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. (dpa)
09 November 2026, US, Indian Wells: Belarusian tennis player Aryna Sabalenka in action against Czech's Karolina Muchova of Czechia during their ladies singles group stage match on day two of the FAGE WTA Finals tennis tournament at Indian Wells. (dpa)

Aryna Sabalenka battled past Karolina Muchova in straight sets to make a winning start at the season-ending WTA Finals in Indian Wells on Monday.

Former world number one Sabalenka was forced to dig deep before finally prevailing 7-6 (7/2), 7-5 in just under two hours.

Second-seeded Sabalenka is chasing her first ever WTA Finals victory after suffering defeats in the 2022 and 2025 finals.

The four-time Grand Slam champion from Belarus looked to be in trouble after conceding a break of serve to go 5-4 down in the opening set.

But she broke back immediately for 5-5 and subsequently went on to hold her nerve in the tie-break 7-2 to seize the early initiative.

Both players struggled on serve in the second set, with Sabalenka suffering her fourth break as she served for the match at 5-4 up.

Crucially though, Sabalenka responded to that stumble by breaking back immediately to lead 6-5 and she made no mistake when serving for the match again, wrapping up victory when Czech opponent Muchova netted a backhand.

"I'm just trying to win every match I play, and at the same time trying to stay in the moment and focus on my game on each point and trying to stay calm and in control," Sabalenka said afterward.

In Monday's other group game, WTA Finals debutant Mirra Andreeva motored past Ukraine's Elina Svitolina in straight sets, winning 6-4, 6-0, despite overcoming pre-match tightness.

Third-seed Andreeva, the 19-year-old reigning French Open champion, took control with a break to open up a 4-2 first-set lead and never looked back against her sixth-seeded opponent.

She duly held serve to close out the first set, and then demolished Svitolina in the second set, rattling off three service breaks to wrap up victory.

"I was so tight, I felt I was moving like a turtle," the teenager said afterwards. "I felt like I couldn't really hit the ball so I'm just very happy to get through the match and control my emotions."

Andreeva will face Sabalenka in her second round robin game on Wednesday.

This year's WTA Finals were scheduled to be held in Saudi Arabia but in July were moved to Indian Wells after US military strikes on Iran in February and the subsequent war in the region.

Sports

PTPA Presses Player Fatigue Concerns after Rybakina's WTA Finals Withdrawal

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan practices prior to the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 05, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan practices prior to the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 05, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
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PTPA Presses Player Fatigue Concerns after Rybakina's WTA Finals Withdrawal

Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan practices prior to the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 05, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)
Elena Rybakina of Kazakhstan practices prior to the FAGE WTA Finals at Indian Wells Tennis Garden on November 05, 2026 in Indian Wells, California. (Getty Images/AFP)

The Professional Tennis Players Association (PTPA) ‌reiterated its criticism of the tennis schedule on Monday, saying world number one Elena Rybakina withdrew from the season-ending WTA Finals as "her body had nothing left to give".

Defending champion Rybakina said on Saturday she was not physically ready to compete at the tournament, with organizers citing a viral illness for the Kazakh's withdrawal.

Rybakina, who won two Grand Slam titles this year, also withdrew from the Tokyo quarter-finals last month because of a neck ‌injury.

"She finishes ‌2026 with two Grand Slam titles and ‌four ⁠titles overall. And ⁠still, by the season’s final event in November, her body had nothing left to give," the PTPA said in a post on social media.

"Players shouldn't reach the biggest event of the year running on empty. The PTPA continues to push for a season that leaves ⁠players healthy enough to finish it."

The WTA ‌Tour did not immediately respond ‌to a Reuters request for comment.

The elite women's tour has ‌previously said athlete welfare is a top priority and ‌that it has listened to players' views on the calendar.

Concerns over player workload are echoed on the men's ATP Tour, with American Taylor Fritz saying on Sunday that the sport's ‌brief off-season left players with little opportunity to recover.

"It's just so year-round, round-the-clock," he ⁠said ⁠on "The Running Interview Show". "We have a one-month off-season and, if you take that off-season off, you'd be showing up without practice at the beginning of the year.

"So, essentially, you can only really take, max, two weeks off, and then you have to be training. So we essentially get no time off ever. You are literally living out of a suitcase."

The ATP has said players retain choices over their schedules and that it is working to create incentives for an appropriate number of matches to be played during the season.

Sports

Three Things We Learned from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Max Verstappen of Red Bul celebrates his second place in the 2026 Formula One Grand Prix of Sao Paulo at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 08 November 2026. (EPA)
Max Verstappen of Red Bul celebrates his second place in the 2026 Formula One Grand Prix of Sao Paulo at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 08 November 2026. (EPA)
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Three Things We Learned from the Sao Paulo Grand Prix

Max Verstappen of Red Bul celebrates his second place in the 2026 Formula One Grand Prix of Sao Paulo at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 08 November 2026. (EPA)
Max Verstappen of Red Bul celebrates his second place in the 2026 Formula One Grand Prix of Sao Paulo at the Interlagos racetrack in Sao Paulo, Brazil, 08 November 2026. (EPA)

Lando Norris won the race and newly-crowned world champion Kimi Antonelli's Mercedes clinched the teams' title, but it was Max Verstappen who delivered the loudest message for 2027 and beyond.

In his in-laws' homeland, Red Bull's 29-year-old Dutchman delivered a now-familiar bravura drive from 21st on the grid to second behind McLaren's 26-year-old Briton and ahead of his team-mate Isack Hadjar.

After a tempestuous Interlagos race, AFP Sport looks at three things we learned from Sunday's dramatic Sao Paulo Grand Prix:

Relaxed Verstappen eyes fifth title

With his eighth consecutive podium and 10th in 11 outings, the four-time champion confirmed he is not only a man for all seasons, and circuits, but also that he and Red Bull will be the team to beat next year.

Confident in his car and team after a year of upheaval following the departure of Christian Horner, Verstappen is back to his best, if not in even better shape thanks to a settled family life and relaxed approach to his work.

During Saturday's 90-minute stoppage for rain in qualifying, he retreated to rescue some fun from what he called "a wasted day" as he knew that wherever he qualified he would start Sunday's race from the back of the grid.

So, while others studied computer screens and analyzed data, he watched English football on television.

"A lot of different games," he said.

"But Nottingham Forest and Manchester City was the last one before I got back into the car. It was 3-1 and, actually, I saw a great goal just before I climbed in."

It demonstrated how easily Verstappen glides from racer to normal bloke.

On Sunday, he gave his helmet to Ole Schack, the departing front-end mechanic for his car and a Red Bull lifer after 20 years. He had been busy as Verstappen had a new power unit fitted and took a penalty.

Speaking of Schack, who is returning to Denmark for a quieter life, Verstappen was succinct. "He's unbelievable."

In return, the mechanic said: "Max is an incredibly relaxed guy when he's not in the car. He enjoys a laugh and he's great to be around.

"He's like Ronaldo or Messi. But in an F1 car, he has that little bit extra that you simply cannot teach."

No longer the "Mad Max" of his early Red Bull years, this matured version is a master of his craft and ready for more success with a team-mate who offers serious support.

Norris signals McLaren can challenge

Norris was his usual self-effacing self after his 14th career win, signaling that McLaren's revised car was capable of fighting at the front again after an inconsistent season.

It was only his third win this year -- all since July -- after seven on the way to the drivers' title last year.

"It's certainly up there with the best I've had," he said before playing down the outgoing champion team's chances next year.

"The stats show we are generally a tenth or two off the top and the upgrades work. But it's still not enough."

If Oscar Piastri, who parted company with his manager Mark Webber on Monday, returns to his 2025 form, McLaren could go close to Mercedes and revitalized Red Bull next year, but Ferrari need a late-season boost to stay in touch.

Lawson shows character

Liam Lawson continued to punch above his and Racing Bulls' weight by finishing seventh after Ferrari's Charles Leclerc was penalized five seconds for colliding with him -- to boost his hopes of retaining his seat.

Left in limbo by the Red Bull-owned team, Lawson has shown his likeable character with a run of five points-scoring finishes and sits ninth in the drivers' standings.

Yet Racing Bulls decline to give him a new contract.

Sometimes, the cheerful 24-year-old New Zealander recognized, F1 works in curious -- commercial or political -- ways.

"I'm just trying to enjoy driving the car because with everything else that is going on, I don't really know what else I'm meant to do."