The young generation shines at the 2026 World Cup alongside Messi and Ronaldo

Not only are legends like Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo leaving their mark at the 2026 World Cup, the younger generation is also attracting strong attention. Among the 85 players under 21 years old selected to participate in the tournament in the US, Mexico and Canada, many have seized the opportunity and played confidently. Senegal's Ibrahim Mbaye, aged 18 years and 143 days, became the fourth youngest goalscorer in World Cup history when he scored late in a 3-1 loss to France in New Jersey on June 16. Five days later, Lamine Yamal (18 years and 343 days) scored Spain's first goal in a 4-0 win over Saudi Arabia in Atlanta. Other young talents are also gradually emerging. Mexico's young attacking midfielder Gilberto Mora wasn't even born when Messi, Ronaldo and Luka Modric played at the 2006 World Cup. Mora became the youngest player to represent the host team at a World Cup (17 years and 240 days) when he came off the bench in the 2-0 win over South Africa, the first match of the tournament on June 11. We already knew Lamine Yamal would be a key player at the World Cup. But who are the other outstanding young stars shining in the group stage? BBC Sport has named five players who have attracted attention.

Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco, 18 years old)

In the match against Scotland, Bouaddi became the fourth African player under the age of 18 to start in multiple matches at the World Cup. In his World Cup debut against Brazil on June 13, Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi became the second youngest player this century to make more than 50 passes in a match (66) with an outstanding performance. Former England captain Alan Shearer, working on the Brazil match for BBC Sport, was impressed: "Bouaddi was very calm on the ball and tried to shape play in midfield." The teenager then became the first under-18s to have two matches since 1966 with more than 50 passes (64 against Scotland).

Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast, 19 years old)

Paris St-Germain is interested in Yan Diomande. So is Liverpool. And it's not hard to see why when you watch this talent at the World Cup. The RB Leipzig youngster created five chances in the 1-0 win over Ecuador before making two decisive passes in the 1-2 loss to Germany. "Diomande is the focus of everyone's attention at the moment," former Tottenham and Brentford manager Thomas Frank told BBC Sport. "What he can do is in my head." Ivory Coast has failed to get past the group stage in three previous World Cup appearances. Diomande is one of the reasons why they advanced to the knockout round for the first time.

Johan Manzambi (Switzerland, 20 years old)

Manzambi inspired Switzerland with late goals against Bosnia. Johan Manzambi was a goalkeeper for his youth team - and his first football idol was Germany's Manuel Neuer. Now, he is a creative midfielder who likes to attack and score goals. Three of Switzerland's seven goals in the group stage came from Manzambi, who at 20 years and 247 days became the youngest player in World Cup history to score two or more goals in a match from the bench - and the first player to do so for Switzerland at the tournament. This happened in the match against Bosnia-Herzegovina on June 18. The score was 0-0 when he came on in the 71st minute, and Switzerland won 4-1. Manzambi is also one of three players under the age of 21 to have scored four times (three goals and one assist) at this World Cup this century, after Kylian Mbappe in 2018 (4) and Thomas Muller in 2010 (8).

Kerim Alajbegovic (Bosnia-Herzegovina, 18 years old)

At the age of 18 years and 276 days, Kerim Alajbegovic became the youngest player to score at a World Cup from outside the box (since 1966) - surpassing Kylian Mbappe against Croatia in 2018 (19 years and 207 days) - when his stunning shot gave Bosnia-Herzegovina the lead against Qatar on June 24. The youngster, who played for Red Bull Salzburg last season, played in all three of Bosnia-Herzegovina's matches in the group stage - starting two - as they progressed to the knockout stages and will face co-hosts the United States in California on July 1. In the 3-1 win over Qatar, Alajbegovic was involved in the most tackles (17), won the most (10), completed the most dribbles (6), won the most fouls (4) and created the most chances (2) of anyone. any player in the match.

Nestory Irankunda (Australia, 20 years old)

Nestory Irankunda (20 years and 125 days) became the youngest player to score for Australia at the World Cup when he scored the first goal in a 2-0 win over Türkiye. He was only the fourth player to score on his World Cup debut for Australia after John Aloisi, Tim Cahill and Craig Goodwin. "It's unbelievable and a dream come true," said Irankunda, born in a refugee camp in Tanzania in 2006 to two Burundian parents who had fled their homeland because of the civil war. Watford fans know Irankunda well, who scored four goals for the team in the Championship in the 2025-26 season. He joined the team from Bayern Munich in 2025 to have more opportunities to play for the first team.

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