Karl's out but the kids are still (more than) alright - 11 World Cup rising stars
WORLD CUP STARLETS: Clockwise from bottom left: Morocco's Ayyoub Bouaddi, the much hyped Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast), Mexico's Gilberto Mora, the now injured Lennart Karl, Ecuador's Kendry Paez and Austria's Paul Wanner.
The talented teenager who sadly, doesn't make it. Lennart Karl only made his Germany debut back in March, but his performances for club and country was enough to convince Julian Nagelsmann to bring the teenager stateside.
Karl enjoyed a breakout season for Bayern Munich, scoring five times and providing five assists for the Bundesliga heavyweights. Hence, the 18-year old's dreadful luck in suffering a muscle bundle tear in his left thigh during training last Friday in Chicago is a blow not just to the ~Germans but to the tournament as a whole. He’s proven a player for the big occasion and this World Cup would have suited him to a tee.
"I feel incredibly sorry for Lenny," Nagelsmann said. "With his light‑heartedness, his creativity, his pace, and his personality, he fits into the team perfectly."
Another Bundesliga star who enjoyed a whirlwind 12 months, Yan Diomande’s move to RB Leipzig last summer hardly caught the eye. A year later, and the teenage wing-wizard is linked with a €100m switch to Liverpool as a Mohamed Salah replacement. It’s for good reason, too.
The 19-year-old’s best quality is his ability to drive at defences. Indeed, he completed more dribbles (118) than any other player in the 2025-26 Bundesliga campaign. Factor in his 12 goals and eight assists, it’s easy to see why the Ivorian is in-demand this summer. He’ll look to showcase his talent on the grandest of stages.
Another teenager to have made waves in Germany’s top tier, Luka Vuskovic enjoyed a stunning loan spell with Hamburg last season. His performances for the Bundesliga side has caught the attention of Bayern Munich and Barcelona. However, he’ll return to parent side Tottenham Hotspur this summer.
How long he sticks around in north London remains to be seen. What’s clear, though, is Croatia has a world class defensive talent on their hands. Vuskovic is a capable performer at both ends. He ranked third for clearances (251) and aerial wins (149) in the Bundesliga last season. The 19-year-old also struck six times. The centre-back’s future is bright.
Hugo Sochurek’s rise has been rapid. The 17-year-old was only promoted to the Sparta Prague senior side earlier this year. Now he’s made the cut for the Czechia national team. It’s not yet clear whether he has the full trust of head coach Miroslav Koubeck.
Conversely, Koubek will be fully aware with the qualities Sochurek brings to the side. The rising star is an unassuming deep-lying playmaker, who is also to pick out a teammate with ease. While he won’t be the one to score the goals, he brings balance to this Sparta side. In time, he’ll repeat the feat on the international stage.
Another Bayern Munich teenager looking to make an impact in North America, Bara Ndiaye only moved to the German side on loan at the turn of the year. While it’s yet to be determined whether he’ll remain with the Bundesliga champions beyond the summer, Vincent Kompany saw fit to hand the 18-year-old his debut once the title was effectively wrapped up.
A powerhouse central midfielder, Ndiaye’s style if play has been likened to that of Leon Goretzka. The German is departing Bayern this summer, and his exit could pave the way for the Senegal international to consolidate a squad spot under Kompany, especially if he catches the eye for the 2025 AFCON champions.
Paul Wanner swapped the Bundesliga for the Eredivisie last summer, and it was a move that worked wonders for the 20-year-old. Wanner was part of the PSV side that won the league by 19 points, as the midfielder played a key role for the Dutch giants.
While the Austria international was utilised in a more advanced role for previous sides Elversberg and FC Heidenheim, the youngster featured prominently in a deeper role under Peter Bosz last season. He was an effective ball winner in the Dutch top tier, tier, averaging 2.5 tackles per 90 with a 93.5% tackle success rate.
Morocco successfully convinced Ayyoub Bouaddi to switch international allegiance from France, and immediately called the Lille midfielder up to the senior side. They were understandably desperately to lock the 18-year-old down.
After all, Bouaddi is considered one of the finest young midfield talents in Europe. Premier League sides are said to be keeping tabs on the teenager, and for good reason. Bouaddi is a handy ball winner, evidenced by an average of 2.3 tackles per 90 in Ligue 1 last season, and is incredibly press resistant having been dispossessed just one time per 90. France’s loss is Morocco’s gain.
Ibrahim Maza enjoyed if a solid debut season with Bayer Leverkusen. While he couldn’t match Florian Wirtz’s output following his move to Liverpool, the Algerian still managed three goals and four assists in the Bundesliga last season.
And having caught the eye at AFCON, Maza has the opportunity to really showcase his talent to the watching world. The 20-year-old is difficult to stop when he gains a head of steam having managed 2.3 successful dribbles per 90 last season. 1.4 chances created per 90 is also not to be scoffed out. The attacker could prove to be Algeria’s best chance at progression this summer.
Kendry Paez has endured a turbulent 12 months. The teenager moved to Chelsea last summer, and was immediately loaned to Strasbourg. However, the Ecuadorian struggled for regular game time with the French side and subsequently moved to River Plate at the turn of the year.
While he is yet to match expectations in Argentina, Paez is a player blessed with immense close control. The 19-year-old is happy to drift across the final third in search of space, and when in possession; is able to split a defence in the blink of an eye. The World Cup could prove his moment to shine.
Gilberto Mora made his senior debut shortly before his 16th birthday. And his performances at club level caught the eye of Mexico head coach Javier Aguirre. Last summer, he became the youngest ever player to start a match for El Tri. Mora already has seven caps to his name, which is some going for a player who doesn’t turn 18 until October.
Standing at just 5ft 6, Mora utilises his exceptional centre of gravity to glide across the pitch. A winger who can operate in the number 10 role, the Mexican teenager has the world at his feet. He’s primed to thrive on home soil.
The youngster player of the Japan squad, Keisuke Goto could be the one to make the biggest impact for the Far East powerhouse. Goto’s international experience is limited but he comes into the World Cup on the back of a commendable domestic campaign.
The 21-year-old, who spent last season on loan with Belgian side Sint-Truiden, managed 13 goals and eight assists in all competitions. At 6ft3in, Goto’s standing could prove a handful for opponents in North America. Indeed, he could well be the ace up Hajime Moriyasu’s sleeve.
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