The World Cup is almost upon us, and with the start of the tournament, all of the speculation and talk turns into action on the pitch. With that in mind, we have put together our list of 5 players to watch at this summer’s tournament as they could potentially turn themselves into household names, stars of the future or cement themselves into their place within their countries setup. With a whole list of stars to choose from, we’ve gone for some of the ‘under the radar’ names who we think will have a standout summer.

As always, if you have any thoughts on the World Cup this summer, get in touch with us by leaving a comment, following us on Bluesky (@NextGoalWinner) or Instagram (@NextGoalWin) and checking out our YouTube channel (@NextGoalWinner).

Yan Diomande

Possibly one of the World Cup players with the most transfer speculation around, Yan Diomande at just 19 years of age has all of Europe’s top clubs fighting for his signature, and as the Ivory Coast look to build their next generation of talents in this tournament, he will certainly be putting himself on the path for superstardom for his country with a decent showing.

Diomande’s 21 goal contributions in 33 appearances last season for RB Leipzig helped them secure Champions League qualification and has rumours of an £80 million + deal for the 19 year old despite only joining Leipzig in July 2025 for just over £17 million.

Gilberto Mora

The youngest name on our list is one that will be given a huge opportunity with his nation Mexico co-hosting the tournament, and so he will have a huge home support backing their future star all the way. The 17 year old Gilberto Mora only has 53 professional appearances for his side Tijuana, but featured for Mexico in their successful Gold Cup campaign last summer as their youngest ever senior player, in which he started their final win over the US.

While Mora’s minutes may be managed to calm expectation on the youngster, he’s clearly proven that he’s ready for the top-level of football and with the fanatical home support behind him, he could set out on a campaign as he looks to become Mexico’s next superstar talent.

Nico O’Reilly

Arguably the most ‘household’ name on the list, Nico O’Reilly has made our ones to watch given the run-up to the tournament and how the England squad selection has panned out thus far. With the likes of Luke Shaw and Lewis Hall missing out entirely, and the injury to Tino Livramento, only Nico O’Reilly and Djed Spence remain as the recognisable left-back options, with Dan Burn likely to be used as a central defender if he sees any action.

The reason I think O’Reilly will have a standout tournament is due to his versatility, as he’s been used at left-back. centre of the midfield or even on the wing for Manchester City, and given his athleticism, ability to create chances and still retaining defensive solidity that England will need in some tough group games, I think O’Reilly will use this tournament as a chance to cement his starting spot and prove his usefulness for Tuchel throughout the games.

Nico Paz

Nico Paz is already a name most will be familiar with, having spent his last seasons at Como and with Real Madrid potentially holding the ability to bring him back in the future, he’s looking likely to stay with the Italian side into the new season as they continue their remarkable project with Paz at the helm. Given the nature of his play, his no.10 shirt for his club and being left-footed, the comparisons with Messi are clear to see, however he still often plays second choice behind the recognised names within the Argentina side, but if they are to retain their title, Paz could prove useful throughout the tournament.

While Paz isn’t likely to start most games for Argentina, he will more than likely see some action if they opt to rest their key names, and Paz’s ability to sit behind a striker or drift out to the left will allow him to create chances and also convert chances if given an opportunity. Although he may see more action in the future in a post-Messi Argentina setup, I think Nico Paz could make a huge step in his development this summer.

Ayyoub Bouaddi

The final name on our list is another like Diomande with a huge amount of transfer speculation as several elite European sides have made their intentions clear on recruiting a high-potential midfielder, and Bouaddi more than fits the bill.

At 18 years of age, he has made the decision to not wait for a France call-up and represent Morocco despite playing in the French league with Lille, showing a huge amount of confidence in himself but also the project that Morocco are working on in recent years. With already having experience in the Champions League, Europa League and Conference League, he’s a name likely to feature in the targets of many top Premier League sides this summer, and this tournament could cement the interest.

Don’t forget, if you have any thoughts on the World Cup this summer, get in touch with us by leaving a comment, following us on Bluesky (@NextGoalWinner) or Instagram (@NextGoalWin) and checking out our YouTube channel (@NextGoalWinner).