2026 World Cup: Five more breakout stars who could have defining tournaments

The FIFA World Cup has long served as the ultimate platform for players to announce themselves on the global stage, with past editions helping launch the careers of numerous stars who arrived as promising prospects and departed as household names.

With the 2026 tournament set to get underway in just a matter of days, another generation of emerging talent will soon have the opportunity to perform on football's biggest stage and establish themself as one of the World Cup's breakout stars.

Stars including Lamine Yamal, Yan Diomande, Endrick, Luka Vuskovic and Gilberto Mora have already been identified by Sports Mole as players to watch out for, and here, we take a look at five more young players who could have defining World Cup campaigns.

Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)

Bouaddi opted to play for Morocco instead of France earlier this year, and the 18-year-old midfielder made his first appearances for the Atlas Lions during the pre-World Cup warm-up fixtures.

The teenage sensation has already played 96 times for Lille in the last three seasons and is regarded as one of the best midfield prospects in world football.

Bouaddi joins a Morocco side widely tipped to go deep into the competition, following on from their semi-final exit in 2022 and Africa Cup of Nations triumph earlier this year.

If the Atlas Lions do once again challenge the world's leading nations, with Bouaddi playing a significant role in any success, then the midfielder could stand out as one of the best young players at the entire tournament.

Rayan (Brazil)

Rayan only joined Bournemouth during the January transfer window, but the forward has already established himself as one of the Premier League's most promising young players, earning himself a place in the Brazil squad at the World Cup.

The 19-year-old, who scored five goals and registered two assists in 15 Premier League fixtures, possesses frightening pace, directness and attacking instincts - attributes that make him capable of giving any defender nightmares.

The winger scored his first goal for the Brazilian senior team in the warm-up fixture against Panama, showcasing his clinical finishing.

Although Rayan may not start the tournament, with the likes of Endrick and Raphinha likely ahead of him in the list of right wingers, the 19-year-old could play a major role in changing games from the bench.

If Rayan does get the opportunity to impact matches, expect the 19-year-old to depart the World Cup as one of the most talked about young stars in world football.

Esmir Bajraktarevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina)

Bajraktarevic heads into the World Cup as perhaps the least well-known name on this list, but that certainly does not take away from his phenomenal talent and potential.

The 21-year-old made one senior appearance for the US national team before making the switch to Bosnia and Herzegovina, meaning the forward will be eager to prove himself in front of a familiar audience in the United States.

Bajraktarevic has already stepped up for Bosnia during World Cup qualifying, scoring a crucial goal in a 3-1 win against Romania, which confirmed their place in the UEFA play-off qualifiers for the tournament.

The forward was also one of Bosnia's key players in their stunning penalty win against Italy in the play-off final, registering six key passes and completing a fantastic eight dribbles, as well as scoring the decisive spot-kick to send his country to the World Cup.

Bajraktarevic will now be looking to perform on the World Cup stage and lead Bosnia through a group competing with of Qatar, Switzerland and Canada, and the forward has all the attributes to live up to the occasion.

Johan Manzambi (Switzerland)

Another exciting central midfielder, 20-year-old Manzambi enters the tournament off the back of a strong first full season for Freiburg.

Manzambi played a key role in helping Freiburg reach the Europa League final and finish seventh in the Bundesliga, demonstrating his physicality and technical ability throughout the season.

Switzerland captain Granit Xhaka has done an interview praising Manzambi, and with the youngster able to play anywhere across midfield or in wide forward areas, the 20-year-old could help the nation enjoy a deep run into the competition.

Switzerland, alongside some impressive recent tournaments, have a history of players having breakout competitions, such as Breel Embolo and Dan Ndoye, and Manzambi could be next in line.

Can Uzun (Turkey)

Uzun is one of several supremely talented young players in the Turkey squad travelling to North America, alongside the likes of Kenan Yildiz and Arda Guler.

The attacking midfielder has quickly become a fan favourite at Eintracht Frankfurt, including scoring 10 goals and registering five assists in 28 appearances for the team across all competitions in 2025/26.

Although Uzun is not a guaranteed starter for Turkey heading into the tournament, his eye for goal and creative abilities could prove pivotal from the bench, especially as Turkey eye a run deep into the competition.

If Uzun can replicate his club form and demonstrate his quality at the World Cup, he could leave North America as one of the hottest prospects in the world.