Paris Saint-Germain’s French ahead #49 Ibrahim Mbaye (L) celebrates with Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder #14 Want Doue after scoring a objective through the French L1 soccer match between RC Lens and Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on the Stade Bollaert-Delelis stadium in Lens on Could 13, 2026. — AFP
LONDON: World Cups are the place rising stars of soccer rapidly remodel into world icons.
AFP Sport appears to be like at 5 of the contenders to grow to be the sport’s subsequent famous person at this yr’s finals in the US, Mexico and Canada:
Nico Paz (Argentina)
The son of former Argentine worldwide Pablo Paz has opted to play for the world champions regardless of being born and raised in Spain.
Como’s Argentinian midfielder #10 Nico Paz warms up forward of the Italian Serie A soccer match between Como and Napoli on the Giuseppe Sinigaglia Stadium in Como, on Could 2, 2026. — AFP
A rising star within the Actual Madrid academy, Paz has flourished in two years working below Cesc Fabregas since a transfer to Como in Italy.
Madrid are reportedly set to train their buyback choice on the 21-year-old.
His technical means and eye for objective from vary has alerted Europe’s different high golf equipment.
Paz may have the daunting process of filling in for Lionel Messi with Argentina coach Lionel Scaloni anticipated to handle the 38-year-old’s minutes through the champions’ title defence.
Want Doue (France)
Doue has already lit up the largest stage in membership soccer, successful the man-of-the-match award and scoring twice in Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League remaining thrashing of Inter Milan final yr.
Paris Saint-Germain’s French midfielder #14 Want Doue passes the ball through the French L1 soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) and Stade Brestois 29 (Brest) on the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris on Could 10, 2026. — AFP
However this would be the 20-year-old’s first style of a significant worldwide match.
Doue has a battle simply to make sure he begins for Les Bleus amongst a blinding show of attacking expertise that features Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or winner Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.
However Doue gave Didier Deschamps a well timed reminder of his high quality along with his first two worldwide objectives in a 3-1 pleasant win over Colombia in France’s final outing in March.
Nico O’Reilly (England)
O’Reilly, 21, has already earned the belief of Pep Guardiola to grow to be an everyday for Manchester Metropolis.
Manchester Metropolis’s Norwegian striker #09 Erling Haaland (R) celebrates with Manchester Metropolis’s English midfielder #33 Nico O´Reilly (L) after scoring their fourth objective through the English FA Cup quarter remaining soccer match between Manchester Metropolis and Liverpool on the Etihad Stadium in Manchester, north west England, on April 4, 2026. — AFP
Scorer of two objectives from left-back in Metropolis’s League Cup remaining win over Arsenal in March, O’Reilly started his profession as a goalscoring midfielder.
Guardiola has harnessed his mix of top, velocity and talent as an attacking weapon from deep and will have solved an issue place for England coach Thomas Tuchel within the course of.
England reached the ultimate of Euro 2024 and not using a pure left-back for almost all of the match on account of Luke Shaw’s lack of health.
“What a player,” stated 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 Actual Madrid earlier than his18th birthday, Endrick’s hopes of shining on the World Cup have been rekindled by a profitable mortgage transfer at French membership Lyon.
Lyon’s Brazilian ahead #09 Endrick (R) acknowledges followers earlier than leaving the pitch through the French L1 soccer match between Olympique Lyonnais (OL) and RC Lens on the Groupama Stadium in Decines-Charpieu, central-eastern France, on Could 17, 2026. — AFP
Endrick burst onto the worldwide scene by scoring the winner in opposition to England at Wembley two years in the past and turning into Brazil’s youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo within the course of.
Relegated behind worldwide team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe after his huge transfer to Madrid two years in the past, the 19-year-old has discovered his scoring contact since his change to France in January.
Usually in comparison with one other Brazilian nice Romario for his squat however highly effective physique, Endrick shall be hoping to recreate the previous’s success in scoring 5 objectives as Brazil received the World Cup on US soil in 1994.
Pedri (Spain)
Spain’s newest passing metronome, Pedri has confirmed to be a becoming inheritor to Xavi Hernandez for each membership and nation.
Barcelona’s Spanish midfielder #08 Pedri fights for the ball with Atletico Madrid’s Spanish midfielder #06 Koke through the UEFA Champions League quarter-final first-leg soccer match between FC Barcelona and Membership Atletico de Madrid at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on April 8, 2026. — AFPÂ
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 in the past in Germany, however harm prevented him from that includes within the semi-finals and remaining.
For Barcelona he has put his health troubles behind him below Hansi Flick, enjoying a starring position in back-to-back La Liga title triumphs over the previous two seasons.
