FIFA releases list of 10 talents that stand out for the Best Young Player award - News Room USA

FIFA published a list of ten young talents who stood out in the competition for the Best Young Player of the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Now that all teams have made their World Cup debut, a number of young players have begun to strengthen their bid for the World Cup. prize that is given to each edition of the World Cup.

The FIFA Best Young Player Award is given to the best player born from 2005. The winner is chosen in the final phase of the competition, as chosen by the FIFA Technical Study Group. To compete, the Athlete must be at least 21 years of age in the year in which the competition or awards are held.

Nestory Irankunda – Australia

After just one match, Nestory Irankunda has already registered his name in the history of World Cups for Australia, becoming the country’s youngest player to score in a World Cup, aged 20 years and 125 days. He received a throw from behind, dominated by bringing the ball in and accelerated towards free space before finishing elegantly, low and with no chance for the Tunisian goalkeeper. Nestory was the winner of the Man of the Match award, showing great intensity throughout the match.

Paul Okon-Engstler – Australia

Okon-Engstler was another young Australian who caught the eye, covering a lot of ground on the field and providing a great assist for Irankunda’s goal. It was a deep pass with a curved trajectory from the midfielder that led to the first goal of the match. The 21-year-old athlete is the son of former player Paul Okon, and stands out precisely for his long throws capable of starting attacks from deeper positions.

Alex Freeman – USA

The son of a Super Bowl champion, former Green Bay Packers player Antonio Freeman, the 21-year-old right back had an impressive World Cup debut against Paraguay. The Villarreal player demonstrated his physical strength, in addition to contributing offensively with deep passes. He also provided the assist for the United States’ fourth goal.

Ayyoub Bouaddi – Marrocos

Against Brazil, Ayyoub Bouaddi had a performance that perfectly symbolized the style of the talented and young Moroccan team led by Mohamed Ouahbi. The 18-year-old midfielder shone with his intelligence, serenity and dedication on the field. Recently, the young talent chose to defend Morocco instead of France, where he was born.

Yan Diomandé – Costa do Marfim

At 19 years old, Yan Diomandé became the youngest player in the history of Côte d’Ivoire to play in a World Cup when he entered the field in the victory over Ecuador. His performance was brilliant, as his coach highlighted. “He can attack, he can play on both sides of the field, he infiltrates behind the defense and always keeps his opponents guessing.”

Antonio Nusa – Norway

Part of Norway’s formidable attack, Antonio Nusa was an electrifying presence on his World Cup debut. The skillful winger, possessing disconcerting dribbling, caused countless problems for Iraq’s defense on the left side and justified all the expectations surrounding his growing talent.

Ben Gannon-Doak – Scotland

The Scottish team’s creative spark, Ben Doak has become an increasingly important player for the team. Capable of playing both on the right and on the left, the 20-year-old player dribbles past markers with ease and demonstrated impressive speed in his runs down the flanks against Haiti, decisively participating in the goal by providing the so-called “second assist”.

Ibrahim Mbaye – Senegal

With his goal in Senegal’s debut against France, Ibrahim Mbaye became the youngest African team player to score in a World Cup, at 18 years and 142 days. Just 20 minutes after making his World Cup debut, the striker scored a great goal with a powerful shot from a tight angle. Fans will certainly expect to see more of the speed, creativity and ball-handling ability of this young Senegalese talent.

Luc de Fougerolles – Canada

London-born Luc de Fougerolles is currently one of the first names in Canada’s lineup, and the co-hosts are reaping the rewards of coach Jesse Marsch’s trust in the 20-year-old defender. Safe, calm, efficient in the air and “excellent with the ball at his feet”, according to his coach, De Fougerolles has coped remarkably well with pressure.

Caleb Yirenkyi – The Best Of Caleb Yirenkyi

The match between Ghana and Panama looked set to end goalless until Caleb Yirenkyi intervened in the 50th minute of the second half. The 20-year-old midfielder won a duel in his own half before advancing at speed and completing the Black Stars’ withering counterattack with a close-range finish from Brandon Thomas-Asante’s cross.