Every Wonderkid at the 2026 World Cup, Rated in FM26

Every World Cup shows off the next generation of stars. FIFA knows it, as their official "World Cup Wonderkids" series has been spotlighting a handful of them; names like Arda Guler, Kenan Yildiz, Desire Doue, Warren Zaire-Emery, Pau Cubarsi, Nico Paz, Yan Diomande and Nico O'Reilly.

Good picks. But a few names only show a small part of the story.

So I opened the FM26 database and checked every squad going to the 2026 World Cup.

The rule was simple - aged 20 or under on 7 July 2025 (the early-season start date in FM26, the same cut-off my Wonderkids list uses), and rated by FM26 with the potential to matter.

These are all 52 of them, from 31 nations - every high potential young player who actually made his country's World Cup squad. Plenty of other wonderkids were left at home - this is who made the cut.

I rank them by my R rating - the same 1-100 recommendation rating I use in the main Wonderkids list. As you might know, it's not a raw potential number, but my personal assessment of how good a player should actually become.

Alongside it I show CA (Current Ability), so you can tell the developed from the long-term projects.


For the best young players across the whole game (not just the World Cup), see our complete FM26 Wonderkids list - the most complete shortlist anywhere.

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The Elite 10

The ten highest-rated young players at the tournament are the ones FM26 sees being or becoming genuine stars.

1. Lamine Yamal - Spain - Winger (R 97, CA 175)

There is no debate. At 18, Yamal already has a Current Ability of 175 - the highest of any young player here - and our top R rating of 97. He is not a prospect anymore; he is a superstar who is still a teenager. FIFA made him the face of their wonderkids series, and our own simulations agree: he was named the World Cup's Best Young Player in nine of ten runs. Spain's attack runs through him, and FM26 thinks it will for years.

2. Endrick - Brazil - Striker (R 96, CA 142)

The biggest talent after Yamal, and a different kind. His CA of 142 is some way below his ceiling, so this is a player still growing into greatness - but the growth looks close to guaranteed. At 19, with Real Madrid behind him and a Brazil shirt on his back, FM26 sees a future top striker who could light up this tournament and own the next one.

3. Nico Paz - Argentina - Attacking Midfielder (R 93, CA 152)

FIFA called him a possible heir to Messi, and FM26 agrees. An R of 93 and a CA already at 152 make the Como playmaker one of the most ready-made young talents here - a classic number 10 who can affect this World Cup, not just the next one.

4. Ayyoub Bouaddi - Morocco - Midfielder (R 93, CA 130)

The name most casual fans won't know - yet. The Lille midfielder is French-born but has chosen to represent Morocco, and FM26 rates him enormously: an R of 93, level with Nico Paz. The CA of 130 tells you he is still raw, so this is one for the future rather than the now - but the future is very bright.

5. Arda Güler - Türkiye - Attacking Midfielder (R 92, CA 144)

A FIFA pick and a Real Madrid playmaker whose left foot is already top class. FM26 rates him the best of a remarkable Turkish trio and a creative leader for years to come.

6. Can Uzun - Türkiye - Attacking Midfielder (R 91, CA 138)

The second of Türkiye's three elite talents. The Frankfurt man is a natural goalscoring midfielder, and FM26 rates his future even higher than his current 138 CA suggests.

7. Désiré Doué - France - Attacking Midfielder/Winger (R 90, CA 159)

The most ready-made of this group after Yamal: a CA of 159 means the PSG forward is not far off his ceiling. Versatile across the front line, he could be one of the players of the tournament.

8. Kenan Yıldız - Türkiye - Forward (R 90, CA 158)

The third Turk in the elite, and another who is ready now (CA 158). A FIFA pick, the Juventus forward has the creativity to be his country's talisman for a decade. "Yıldız" means star in Turkish - FM26 agrees.

9. Warren Zaïre-Emery - France - Midfielder (R 90, CA 154)

A FIFA pick, and deservedly so. He won the Champions League twice before turning 21, and at a CA of 154 he is already a top-level midfielder. FM26 sees a France mainstay for the next ten years.

10. Lucas Bergvall - Sweden - Midfielder (R 90, CA 140)

The name that surprises people. Sweden didn't get many headlines, but their 19-year-old Tottenham midfielder rounds out the elite ten with an R of 90. A complete central player in the making - if you learn one new name from this article, make it this one.

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The Top Tier

Just behind the elite - players FM26 expects to become real stars (R 86-89).

João Neves - Portugal - Midfielder (R 89, CA 163): The most ready of this group - a CA already at 163 makes the PSG midfielder one of the most complete young players at the whole tournament. Not a gamble, just very, very good.

Gavi - Spain - Midfielder (R 89, CA 155): Easy to forget among all of Spain's talent, but Champions League pedigree and an R of 89 make him a star in his own right.

Gilberto Mora - Mexico - Attacking Midfielder (R 89, CA 124): The story of the tournament for the hosts. At 16, Mora is the youngest player at the entire World Cup, and rated 89 - level with Neves and Gavi. With a home crowd behind him, remember the name.

Kerim Alajbegović - Bosnia - Winger (R 89, CA 120): One of the biggest "project" picks here. The 17-year-old Salzburg winger has a huge gap between his current 120 CA and his R of 89 - raw now, potentially special later.

Pau Cubarsí - Spain - Centre-back (R 88, CA 153): The best young defender at the tournament. A Barcelona centre-half with the composure of a veteran at just 18.

Luka Vušković - Croatia - Centre-back (R 88, CA 140): The second elite young defender, Tottenham-owned and already a Croatia option at 18.

Ben Gannon Doak - Scotland - Winger (R 88, CA 134): Direct, fearless and FM26's joint-second-highest-rated young winger here. Scotland's brightest spark.

Kobbie Mainoo - England - Midfielder (R 87, CA 147): Already a Manchester United and England regular, and at CA 147 one of the more finished talents in this group.

Assan Ouédraogo - Germany - Midfielder (R 87, CA 138): A powerful, modern midfielder at Leipzig with a high ceiling.

Ibrahim Mbaye - Senegal - Winger (R 87, CA 124): A 17-year-old PSG talent and one of the youngest here - raw, but rated very highly.

Antonio Nusa - Norway - Winger (R 86, CA 142): A Best Young Player winner in one of our simulations, and a direct, exciting wide threat for Norway.

Assane Diao - Senegal - Winger (R 86, CA 140): Quick and incisive, the Como forward gives Senegal real spark out wide.

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Strong Prospects

Players FM26 rates with a real future (R 83-85) - worth watching at this tournament and after it.

Nico O'Reilly (England, Def/Mid, R 85, CA 149) and Yan Diomande (Ivory Coast, Winger, R 85, CA 148) lead this group on current ability. Alongside them: Ibrahim Maza (Algeria, Mid, R 85), Ngal'ayel Mukau (DR Congo, Mid, R 85).

A little behind on R 84: Jorrel Hato (Netherlands, Def), Noah Sadiki (DR Congo, Mid), Johan Manzambi (Switzerland, Mid), Chemsdine Talbi (Morocco, Winger), Kendry Páez (Ecuador, AM) and Paul Wanner (Austria, AM).

And on R 83: Rayan (Brazil, Forward), Caleb Yirenkyi (Ghana, Mid), Christ Inao Oulai (Ivory Coast, Mid), Ayoube Amaimouni (Morocco, Winger) and Hamza Abdelkarim (Egypt, Striker) - at 17, the youngest of this tier.

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Ones to Watch

The rest of the field - every other young talent at the World Cup, with their FM26 numbers. Lower R ratings than the names above, but at these ages there is plenty of time to grow.

R	Player	Nat	Age	Pos
81	Moreira, Diego		20	WB/ML, AMRL
81	Penders, Mike		19	GK
81	Seys, Joaquin		20	D/WBRL
81	Mbokazi, Mbekezeli		19	DC
80	Touré, Bazoumana		19	ML, AMRLC
80	Sarr, Mamadou		19	DC
80	Freeman, Alex		20	D/WBR
79	Risser, Robin		20	GK
79	Bonsu Baah, Christopher		20	ML, AMRL
79	Vargas, Obed		19	DM, MC
79	Medina, Yaimar		20	D/WBL
79	Mofokeng, Relebohile		20	AMRLC
78	Bindon, Tyler		20	DRC
78	Ayari, Khalil		20	ML, AMRL
72	Irankunda, Nestory		19	M/AMRL

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What the Numbers Tell Us

A few things stand out after scouting all 52:

Türkiye are the surprise powerhouse. Three players in the elite ten - Güler (R 92), Uzun (R 91) and Yıldız (R 90) - is as many as anyone. Spain (Yamal, Cubarsí, Gavi) match them for depth, but no one tops them.

The Yamal gap is real. His R 97 and CA 175 put him in a tier of one. The chasing group is excellent, but FM26 sees Yamal a clear step above everyone.

Ready now vs the future. Some of these players are already top class - Yamal, Doué, Yıldız, Neves all have a high CA. Others, like Bouaddi (CA 130), Alajbegović (CA 120) and Mora (CA 124), are rated highly for what they will become, not what they are today. Both kinds are worth signing - just know which is which.

Don't overlook the smaller nations. DR Congo's Mukau, the Ivory Coast trio, Algeria's Maza, Bosnia's 17-year-old Alajbegović - the depth of young talent at a 48-team World Cup is unlike anything before it.

FIFA spotlighted a handful. All 52 are here. These are every high-potential youngster who made a World Cup squad - and each nation left even more wonderkids at home. That is the difference between a highlight list and a real scouting database, and it is why FM managers will be signing these players for years.

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For the best young players in the entire game, see our full FM26 Wonderkids list.

Curious who FM26 thinks will win the tournament? See our live World Cup simulation, updated daily.

Player data from FM26 (26.3.2 database). R = my 1-100 recommendation rating; CA = Current Ability.