Every World Cup tournament ushers in a new era of breakout stars. For example, James Rodríguez and Benjamin Pavard both propelled themselves onto Bayern Munich’s roster with highlight reel goals. The 2022 World Cup catapulted Argentina’s Enzo Fernández, Netherlands’ Cody Gakpo, and Croatia’s Joško Gvardiol onto the global stage.
The Golden Boot race has been dominated by established players. Kylian Mbappé and Lionel Messi both have eight goals, while Erling Haaland (seven goals) and Harry Kane (six
goals) are hot on the leaders’ heels and have an opportunity to catch up in their crucial quarterfinal matchup on Saturday.
Which players have announced themselves in the newest crop of superstars during the 2026 World Cup?
Michael Olise, France
The Bayern Munich winger leads the tournament with five assists, one short of Pelé’s famous six-assist run that led Brazil to the 1970 World Cup title. Olise will have two more opportunities to claim the throne but he has already won over fans playing as the CAM for France. His nonchalant style has captivated audiences by making the game seem so easy. He currently sits third in the Ballon d’Or betting odds behind Mbappé and Kane, both teammates who benefit greatly from Olise’s presence on the pitch.
Johan Manzambi, Switzerland
The 20-year old midfielder earned his first international cap last summer but immediately started turning heads. As a super sub, he scored two late goals against Bosnia and Herzegovina in the group stage. That performance earned him a start in the 2-1 win over Canada to clinch first place in Group B, contributing to both goals. He added another assist in the Round of 32 win over Algeria. Unfortunately, he hurt his knee in training and will likely miss the quarterfinal match against Argentina. On the bright side, he is still on the verge of a €50M move from Freiburg to Newcastle.
Folarin Balogun, United States
The 25-year old striker has been scoring relentlessly for years in France’s Ligue 1 with Monaco and Reims. Balogun exploded into the World Cup with a first half brace in a 4-1 rout over Paraguay. He scored again in the knockout win over Bosnia and Herzegovina. In the same match, he kicked off the biggest controversy of the tournament with a highly debatable red card challenge. The one-game suspension was delayed by FIFA amid heavy public influence but he was unable to outweigh a variety of mistakes when the USMNT was eliminated by Belgium.
Pau Cubarsí, Spain
The 19-year old defender has been a consistent starter for Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side since making his professional debut in 2024. Cubarsí has played every minute of the tournament as a major contributor to Unai Simón’s record streak of 650 consecutive scoreless minutes. Cubarsí has quickly established himself as one of the best center-backs in the world thanks to his passing, vision, composure, and defense in both open and tight spaces.
Orlando Gill, Paraguay
The 26-year old goalkeeper was a complete unknown before the tournament. He played for San Lorenzo, a midtable club in the Argentine league. After his defense collapsed in the opening 4-1 loss to the United States, he only allowed two goals over the next four matches. This included clean sheets against Türkiye and Australia, a penalty shootout victory over Germany, and a grueling 1-0 loss to France. He racked up 23 saves across the five matches as Paraguay sat deep and rarely sprung forward to put the opponent on their back foot. With his current contract expiring next summer, he will surely pick up some big offers over this summer transfer window.
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