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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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Egypt Believes It Has a Strong Roster Around Salah as It Prepares to Face Belgium in World Cup

Egypt's Mohamed Salah exercises with his teammates during a training session ahead of their team's World Cup Group G soccer match against Belgium in Seattle, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Egypt's Mohamed Salah exercises with his teammates during a training session ahead of their team's World Cup Group G soccer match against Belgium in Seattle, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
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Egypt Believes It Has a Strong Roster Around Salah as It Prepares to Face Belgium in World Cup

Egypt's Mohamed Salah exercises with his teammates during a training session ahead of their team's World Cup Group G soccer match against Belgium in Seattle, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Egypt's Mohamed Salah exercises with his teammates during a training session ahead of their team's World Cup Group G soccer match against Belgium in Seattle, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)

Egypt's World Cup opener against Belgium on Monday will pit former Liverpool standout Mohamed Salah in an underdog role against longtime Manchester City stalwart Kevin De Bruyne and his talented teammates.

Egypt has never won a World Cup match and has led only once in seven games. Still, the Pharaohs insist they are to be taken seriously in Group G.

Aside from Salah, who has yet to decide where he will play next after a nine seasons with Liverpool, Egypt’s attack features Omar Marmoush of Manchester City. The tandem of Salah and Marmoush has caught the eye of Belgium manager Rudi Garcia, who coached the former when he played for Roma.

“Obviously, they’ve got other qualities, they’ve got other players,” Garcia said Sunday in French. “This is a team that is always raring to go. They’re a solid team that needs to be respected.”

Egypt coach Hossam Hassan was quietly confident ahead of the match. Hassan, Egypt's career scoring leader with 69 international goals, netted one against Algeria in 1990 to propel Egypt to one of its four World Cup appearances.

Hassan said Egypt's goal is to advance past the group stage in the expanded field.

“We have some negative perception here because we have not participated, except for four times in the World Cup,” Hassan said in Arabic. “But I think now we have a generation that deserves to be here.”

Even so, the odds will be against Hassan’s squad for reasons beyond having to play at noon local time amid a heat wave in Seattle. The Belgian side features holdovers from the “Golden Generation” like De Bruyne and goalkeeper Thibault Courtois, as well as rising stars such as winger Jérémy Doku.

“As I said at the outset, the Belgian squad is an amazing one, a star-studded one,” Hassan said. “I respect the Belgian national team. It goes without saying that the entire world is very well aware of what they are capable of.”

Yet Egypt believes it can compete, having beaten Belgium three times in four exhibition matches.

“We would like to have history repeat itself,” Hassan said.

Belgium faces pressure to avoid repeating its performance in 2022 in Qatar, when it did not advance beyond the group stage. The Belgians finished third in 2018 in Russia.

Belgium will need to shut down Salah, or at the very least slow down the four-time Premier League Golden Boot winner. Salah, who slumped by his standards in his final season with Liverpool, had nine goals and three assists in six World Cup qualifying matches.

“It goes without saying that Mohamed Salah is important,” Hassan said. “(But), everyone is important.”

Hassan believes Egypt can pull off an upset because of the players around Salah.

“We have many talents besides Salah, besides Marmoush,” Hassan said. “We have very good players, and, God willing, people will watch them and they will be a contributing factor to their country.”

Sports

Netherlands Coach Koeman Defends Tactics After Frustration Against Japan

FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Netherlands v Japan - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, US - June 14, 2026 Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman reacts. (Reuters)
FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Netherlands v Japan - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, US - June 14, 2026 Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman reacts. (Reuters)
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Netherlands Coach Koeman Defends Tactics After Frustration Against Japan

FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Netherlands v Japan - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, US - June 14, 2026 Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman reacts. (Reuters)
FIFA World Cup 2026 - Group F - Netherlands v Japan - Dallas Stadium, Arlington, Texas, US - June 14, 2026 Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman reacts. (Reuters)

Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman defended his tactics and substitutions after Dutch hopes of victory in their World Cup opener were foiled by a late Japan goal in the 2-2 draw on Sunday.

Two well-taken goals by captain Virgil van Dijk and Crysencio Summerville either side of Keito Nakamura's conversion put the Netherlands in the lead twice, but a deflected Daichi Kamada strike two minutes from time saw the spoils shared.

Six minutes after Summerville's 64th-minute ‌goal, Koeman took ‌off the winger in a triple ‌substitution ⁠and later added ⁠a third center back in Nathan Ake.

The more defensive setup backfired, though, with Japan seizing the initiative and Ogawa firing a header goalward to set up Kamada's equalizing deflection.

Koeman, however, said he had no regrets about his tactics and that shoddy defending was to blame.

"There was also a problem ⁠with pressure on the flanks. So if ‌you look at the game, both ‌goals, well, we didn't defend well," he told reporters.

"Football is ‌a funny game because, after Japan scored the second goal, ‌they started defending as well.

"So we could have scored a third goal. So I don't regret my choices."

A day after declaring Memphis Depay as fit to start after recent thigh trouble, Koeman ‌had Netherlands' all-time top goal-scorer come off the bench in the second half, replacing ⁠the lively ⁠Donyell Malen.

Depay earned a yellow card for a rough challenge and was unable to make a difference.

The Netherlands, quarter-finalists at Qatar 2022, have nearly a week's break before they face Sweden in their second Group F match in Houston.

Koeman said the Netherlands played at a "minimal standard" against the Japanese and accused the media of under-rating their Asian opponents.

"Of course, we can perform better and we need to grow during the tournament," he said.

"This definitely was not our best performance.

"Of course, we would have preferred to win the first game. We expected to."

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Sweden Smash Five Past Tunisia in World Cup Opener

Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) scores his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) scores his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
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Sweden Smash Five Past Tunisia in World Cup Opener

Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) scores his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)
Sweden's Yasin Ayari (18) scores his team's fifth goal during the World Cup Group F soccer match between Sweden and Tunisia in Guadalupe, near Monterrey, Mexico, Sunday, June 14, 2026. (AP)

Sweden's Yasin Ayari scored ‌two sensational goals and Alexander Isak and Viktor Gyokeres also got on the scoresheet as they cruised to a 5-1 World Cup Group F victory over Tunisia on Sunday.

After scraping through to the finals after a dismal qualifying campaign, they responded by scoring five goals in a World Cup match for the first time since 1938 when they defeated Cuba 8-0.

Ayari – the son of a Tunisian father and a Moroccan mother – put Sweden ahead in the seventh minute after goalkeeper Mouhib Chamakh fluffed his lines trying to clear under pressure from Isak, and what ‌followed set the ‌tone for the evening.

The ball fell to Gyokeres, ‌whose ⁠shot was blocked, ⁠but Ayari picked up the loose ball and blasted home a rocket of a shot to send the yellow-clad fans in the stands into raptures, though the player's own celebrations were more muted.

Set up to defend and hit Sweden on the break, Tunisia then got a taste of their own medicine as they committed players forward and chased an ⁠equalizer on the half-hour mark, only to come undone ‌on the counterattack.

The Swedes won the ball ‌in their own box and played it to Gyokeres, who took it ‌on his chest and instantly released Isak down the left. The ‌striker ran at defender Montassar Talbi before cutting inside and slotting the ball past Chamakh, who should have done better.

The Tunisians did little in the opening half but still managed to pull a goal back before the break, defender ‌Omar Rekik scoring with a superb glancing header that was his side’s first effort on target.

After a ⁠number of miscues ⁠between Isak and Gyokeres, the two clicked again on the hour mark when Isak stole the ball from Ellyes Skhiri and teed up his strike partner to make it 3-1 with a simple finish.

Substitute Mattias Svanberg then scored straight after coming off the bench in the 84th minute. Though the goal was initially disallowed for offside, it was allowed to stand after a VAR review.

Ayari then closed the show in stoppage time with another wonder strike, firing a thunderous shot from outside the box that Chamakh was powerless to stop, and this time the midfielder celebrated with abandon.

The result means Sweden top Group F on three points ahead of Japan and the Netherlands, who drew 2-2 earlier.