AFP Names 5 Potential Breakout Stars for the 2026 World Cup Starting Next Month

Central News Agency London, 17th (Comprehensive Foreign Report) — The 2026 FIFA World Cup in the USA, Mexico, and Canada will kick off on June 11. AFP Sport has named five new-generation stars who could make a name for themselves. Pablo Paz's father, Pablo Paz Sr., was also a former Argentine international, which led Paz, although born and raised in Spain, to choose to represent the defending champions, Argentina. A rising star from the youth system of La Liga giants Real Madrid, Paz has shone brightly in the past two years after moving to Como in Serie A. Paz's exquisite technical skills and unique instinct for long-range shots have already attracted the attention of other top European clubs, with reports suggesting that Real Madrid is preparing to activate a buy-back clause for the 21-year-old star. With Argentina's coach Lionel Scaloni likely to manage the playing time of 38-year-old legend Lionel Messi, Paz will have the tough task of succeeding Messi. Désiré Doué has already made a splash in top-tier European professional football. Last year, when Ligue 1 giants Paris Saint-Germain thrashed Serie A's Inter Milan 5-0 in the Champions League final, he not only scored two goals but was also named man of the match. However, the 20-year-old Doué is participating in a major international tournament at the national team level for the first time and will have to fight for a starting spot. France's forward line is packed with talent, including stars like Kylian Mbappe, Ousmane Dembele, and Michael Olise. Nevertheless, Doué proved his worth to coach Didier Deschamps with his first two goals for the national team in a 3-1 friendly win against Colombia in March. Matt O'Riley, 21, has already earned the trust of Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola, becoming a regular in City's rotation. In the League Cup final in March, where City defeated Arsenal, O'Riley, playing as a left-back, scored two goals; his career initially began as an attacking midfielder. Guardiola has successfully utilized O'Riley's combination of height, speed, and skill to transform him into a weapon for initiating attacks from the back, a move that might incidentally solve England manager Thomas Tuchel's long-standing problem of lacking a quality left-back. Endrick is a true prodigy, making his first-team debut for Palmeiras in the Brazilian top flight at 16, and was signed by Real Madrid before turning 18. He has since excelled on loan at Lyon in Ligue 1 and is expected to shine at the World Cup. Endrick shot to fame two years ago by scoring the winning goal in a match against England, becoming Brazil's youngest national team goalscorer since the legendary Ronaldo. Endrick transferred to Real Madrid two years ago but was overshadowed in the pecking order by two other international teammates, Mbappe and Vinicius Junior. However, the 19-year-old Endrick has rediscovered his scoring touch since moving to Ligue 1 in January. His short but explosive build often draws comparisons to another Brazilian legend, Romario. Endrick certainly wants to replicate Romario's feat of scoring 5 goals at the 1994 World Cup in the USA and leading Brazil to victory. As the latest core of Spain's midfield, Pedri has proven himself to be the best successor to former Spanish midfield maestro Xavi Hernandez, both at the club and national team level. Pedri emerged at the 2020 European Championship at the age of 18. He was a key figure in Spain's run to the final of the 2024 Euros two years ago, but unfortunately, an injury kept him out of the semi-finals and final. At La Liga's Barcelona, Pedri has overcome past injury problems under the guidance of coach Hansi Flick and played a central role in Barça's two consecutive La Liga titles in recent seasons. (Translation by Chen Yi-wei) 1150518