Dieter Kurtenbach: World Cup 2026 wunderkind watch - who will be this summer's breakout stars?
It used to be that you could show up at the World Cup as a relative nobody and leave as a superstar.
In this era of hyperconnectivity, those days are over. The 20-year-old kid in national colors isn't flying under the radar anymore - he's been tracked by scouts and analysts for years.
But that doesn't mean that the World Cup wunderkind hype machine has been irrevocably shut down.
Yes, one of the joys of the World Cup is still finding new, exciting players from around the world and watching them become something bigger on the grandest stage in sports.
These aren't just prospects; they are players already carrying heavy burdens for their clubs and countries.
Here is my breakdown of the young players who could actually move the needle and change the course of not just the summer but the next four years of soccer as well, grouped for your level of knowledge for the game:
I know like, maybe five players
Already a superstar, but can graduate to being the best player in the world
Michael Olise, France (Bayern Munich)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 24
Olise spent the last year absolutely torturing Bundesliga defenses, evolving into a genuinely world-class attacking force.
Born in England but choosing to play for France, he enters the summer with the keys to a terrifyingly deep French attack, taking on the No. 10 role previously held by Antoine Griezmann, playing right behind Kylian Mbappé.
If Olise carries France deep into July - and make no mistake, he's the pivot for their title hopes - he won't just solidify his status as one of the game's greats, but he'll walk right into the Best Player in the World conversation, perhaps stepping in front of Mbappé.
I'll turn on some Champions League
Young, big-club stars ready to become global superstars
Kenan Yildiz, Turkey (Juventus)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 21
An absolute nightmare in tight spaces who blends brute physicality with elite technical craft. Turkey has a rich history of collapsing under expectation, but that could change this summer - Yildiz is the centerpiece of an exciting, dynamic, possibly history-busting young core.
Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast (RB Leipzig)
- Position: Winger
- Age: 22
The best take-on winger in the Bundesliga last year, Diomande just humiliates fullbacks. Already one of the hottest names in world soccer, he could create one of the great transfer bidding wars in recent history after this World Cup.
Arda Güler, Turkey (Real Madrid)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder / Winger
- Age: 21
He survived the Bernabéu pressure cooker to become a regular starter, meaning the "prospect" label is officially dead. His vision and lethal left foot will likely dictate Turkey's entire tournament.
Endrick, Brazil (Real Madrid)
- Position: Striker
- Age: 19
The biggest prospect in world football not long ago, he finally found his footing in Europe with a productive loan spell at Lyon, where he bagged eight goals and found consistent minutes. After this tournament, he's returning to Madrid. Will that be as a rotation player or a superstar? Brazil needs a finisher, and he has every technical ability needed to be that for a team contending for the trophy.
Pau Cubarsí, Spain (Barcelona)
- Position: Centerback
- Age: 19
Calling a 19-year-old centerback a "seasoned veteran" is usually hyperbole, but Cubarsí reads the game with a stone-cold calmness. He is the absolute bedrock of Spain's system and, henceforth, their title chances.
Buddy, I play Football Manager
The deep cuts - true world-stage breakout players
Nico Paz, Argentina (Como)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 21
The hype machine loves a creative midfielder, and boy will it love Paz, who dragged Italian side Como - COMO! - to a Champions League spot with 13 goals and eight assists this season. For an Argentina squad still leaning on aging, heavy legs, he provides real juice - gliding past low blocks and threading killer passes under pressure - that is vital to defending their title.
Andreas Schjelderup, Norway (Benfica)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 22
It's easy to look like a star in a lesser league on a dominant Benfica side, but Schjelderup is the real deal. With Liverpool rumors getting loud, a big summer - and a sneaky Norge run - could get the biggest clubs in the game involved in the bidding.
Kendry Páez, Ecuador (Independiente del Valle)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 19
He's been playing senior international football since he was 16, so he's no wunderkind. No, he runs Ecuador's midfield engine with a ruthless, cynical maturity you'd expect from the yellow-and-blue, despite only being 19. A loan return to Chelsea looms.
Kerim Alajbegovic, Bosnia and Herzegovina (Red Bull Salzburg)
- Position: Winger
- Age: 18
He spent the year terrorizing the Austrian Bundesliga on loan, prompting Leverkusen to smartly trigger his €8 million buy-back clause before the sharks could circle. A clean and fearless controller of the ball, a huge tournament for Alajbegovic and one of its most surprising sides could mean a huge fee comes next summer.
Martin Baturina, Croatia (Como)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 23
He might seem a bit old for this list, but he had to be included. Every Croatian midfielder with a pulse is going to be compared to Luka Modric, but Baturina actually has the vision and technical skills to justify it. If Croatia is going to survive another grueling, attritional tournament run, it must be him, not the 40-year-old all-time great, who pulls the strings. A massive move to a top league awaits if he takes on that role with aplomb.
Also, man, was Como awesome this past year.
Gilberto Mora, Mexico (Tijuana)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 17
At 17, he is the youngest player in the tournament, meaning he's being thrust into the furnace for a co-hosting nation desperate for a savior. The pressure will be completely suffocating and unfair. He just locked in a new three-year deal for the Xolos, but if he survives the El Tri media circus, he becomes a household name to ball knowers outside of North America.
Nestory Irankunda, Australia (Watford)
- Position: Winger
- Age: 20
An agent of chaos with explosive pace and a total disregard for defensive shape, he is exactly the type of high-upside disruptor the Socceroos need to steal results. His ability to create out of nothing makes him a nightmare off the bench at worst and the ultimate breakout player in this tournament at best.
Víctor Muñoz, Spain (CA Osasuna)
- Position: Winger
- Age: 22
He was one of La Liga's revelations this season after escaping Real Madrid's bench for Osasuna. His blistering, direct pace could be an early factor for Spain, which is dealing with injury woes going into the tournament. A standout World Cup here will have Europe's heavy spenders flashing cash.
Ibrahim Maza, Algeria (Bayer Leverkusen)
- Position: Attacking Midfielder
- Age: 20
A revelation for Leverkusen since his move last summer, he's a Kyrie Irving-level dribbler made for a highlight reel. Arsenal is already interested. How many other Champions League clubs get in after this tournament?
Ayyoub Bouaddi, Morocco (Lille)
- Position: Central Midfielder
- Age: 18
An 18-year-old with nearly 100 first-team appearances for Lille swapped allegiances from France just in time for this tournament. Arsenal and PSG are already sniffing around the shockingly technical box-to-box midfielder.
Caleb Yirenkyi, Ghana (Nordsjælland)
- Position: Defensive Midfielder
- Age: 20
An aggressive ball-winning defensive midfielder with insane long-range passing ability, Yirenkyi is picking up some Michael Essien comparisons, which will only grow louder if Ghana finds a way to advance from the group stage.
Rayan, Brazil (Bournemouth)
- Position: Winger
- Age: 19
The 19-year-old made an instant splash in the Premier League, bagging five goals in 13 appearances after a January move from Vasco in Brazil. He forced his way onto this Seleção, and he might be forcing his way to one of the big clubs in the world in the not-too-distant future.
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