Altering of the guard: The younger stars taking on from Messi, Ronaldo, and Neymar | SBS Information

When Spanish winger Ferran Torres swept the ball previous Argentine goalkeeper Emiliano Martínez within the 106th minute at New York New Jersey Stadium on Monday morning, he did greater than win Spain a second World Cup title. He drew the curtain on an period.

Lionel Messi, 39, wept after the match; overwhelmed in a ultimate for the primary time and denied the possibility to assert the event’s Golden Boot for prime goal-scorer from France’s Kylian Mbappé.

Cristiano Ronaldo’s Portugal had lengthy since gone dwelling, the 41-year-old’s World Cup days now behind him. Neymar, 34, patched collectively for one final Brazilian marketing campaign, couldn’t drag his aspect previous the Spherical of 16.

Croatia’s Luka Modrić, 40, and veteran goalkeepers Manuel Neuer, 40, (Germany) and Guillermo Ochoa, 41 (Mexico) had been amongst different members of a ‘golden technology’ that took its collective bow in North America, and virtually each considered one of them left empty-handed.

For all its nostalgia, the 2026 event was equally an audition. So, who inherits the sport now that these legends have moved on?

Listed below are the names to construct the following decade round.

Lamine Yamal (Spain)

He got here inside a fingertip of settling the ultimate, a curling stoppage-time free-kick drawing the save of the event from Martínez.

Throughout all seven video games he was the artistic heartbeat of the world champions, drifting in from the precise flank to tug defences aside and set the tempo of Spain’s assault.

Barcelona’s quantity 10 already had a home treble and a European Championship to his identify. Now, at simply 19, he provides a world title — a haul most gamers by no means assemble throughout a complete profession, not to mention earlier than turning 20.

Pau Cubarsí (Spain)

Arguably Spain’s most essential participant, the 19-year-old centre-back anchored a defence that conceded simply as soon as all event. His six clear sheets in seven matches made him the quickest to that mark in World Cup historical past, previous a file Italy’s Paolo Maldini set in 1990.

He shackled Mbappé for 90 minutes within the semi-final, but it is his passing that units him aside: no participant despatched extra balls into the opposition half.

Cubarsí’s performances earned him the FIFA Younger Participant Award on the event.

A LaLiga common for Barcelona since earlier than he turned 17, he reads hazard a decade forward of his years. Sky Sports activities UK pundits are already tipping him to develop into a future top-five centre-back of all time.

Gilberto Mora (Mexico)

The youngest participant on the complete event at 17, he grew into it fantastically, operating the midfield in opposition to Ecuador within the Spherical of 32 because the youngest man to start out a knockout tie since Pelé — orchestrating a composed 2-0 win.

The Membership Tijuana playmaker, who operates as a left-footed attacking midfielder, is already the youngest goalscorer in Liga MX historical past and arrived having develop into the youngest participant ever to win a senior worldwide trophy — the 2025 Gold Cup, at 16.

Actual Madrid, PSG, Chelsea, and Barcelona have all been linked; with a launch clause reported round €20m ($32m), a transfer to Europe feels a matter of when, not if.

Yan Diomande (Côte d’Ivoire)

The breakout participant of the group stage, he arrange Nicolas Pépé’s opener in opposition to Curaçao to ship Côte d’Ivoire into the knockouts for the primary time ever, and have become the one participant this century to finish 10 dribbles and create 10 possibilities throughout his first three World Cup video games.

All uncooked tempo and fearless dribbling, the 19-year-old winger performs in Germany for RB Leipzig, the place he was named Bundesliga Rookie of the Season after 12 objectives and eight assists — type he carried in from a standout run on the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this 12 months.

Liverpool and Barcelona are circling a participant now valued previous €100 million ($163 million).

Lucas Herrington (Australia)

The event’s impossible riser. The 18-year-old centre-back made his World Cup debut within the ultimate group sport in opposition to Paraguay and put in a composed 90-minute shift that helped Australia to a clear sheet and into the Spherical of 32. In doing so, he grew to become the youngest Socceroo ever to start out a World Cup match and the youngest participant within the US home league, the MLS, to characteristic at a World Cup.

Barely identified exterior the A-League a 12 months in the past, a January transfer to the Colorado Rapids modified the whole lot: he walked straight into the beginning eleven and has performed each minute since.

At 6’4″ and unflappable, he is already had a bid by Barcelona rejected by his membership, and Liverpool are reportedly scouting him carefully. A defensive cornerstone within the making.

Patrick Seashore (Australia)

Herrington’s compatriot and the goalkeeping sensation few noticed coming.

On his World Cup debut — controversially picked forward of veteran captain Mat Ryan — the 22-year-old saved a clear sheet and made eight saves, together with a full-stretch tip onto the put up, in a shocking 2-0 win over Türkiye.

Seashore grew to become a family identify in a single day, and has already parlayed it right into a five-year transfer from Melbourne Metropolis to newly promoted French first division aspect Troyes.

Warren Zaïre-Emery (France)

The 20-year-old PSG midfielder marshalled France’s engine room whereas on the pitch, combining tireless urgent with a composure that belies his age.

Already a two-time Champions League winner and serial Ligue 1 champion in Paris, he’s touted as a future France captain — the pure successor to a storied technology of French midfielders.

Désiré Doué (France)

He made his mark whether or not beginning or off the bench: a headed aim in opposition to Norway from a Bradley Barcola cross, and an help for Mbappé in opposition to Morocco, throughout six full of life appearances.

The 21-year-old PSG ahead starred within the 2025 Champions League ultimate, scoring twice within the win over Inter Milan, and arrived in North America off a 13-goal, 11-assist membership season.

Two-footed, press-resistant and fearless, he’s quick turning into undroppable for membership and nation.

Ayyoub Bouaddi (Morocco)

He anchored one of many event’s nice runs, beginning all however one match because the Atlas Lions reached the quarter-finals for a second successive World Cup.

The opener in opposition to Brazil was his assertion sport, dictating play in opposition to Casemiro, Bruno Guimarães and Lucas Paquetá with 91 p.c passing accuracy at simply 18.

The Lille midfielder dedicated to Morocco over France solely this 12 months. Manchester Metropolis are actually pushing hardest to signal him, forward of Arsenal and Manchester United, with Lille holding out for round €100 million ($163 million). New Metropolis boss Enzo Maresca is reportedly eager to deliver him straight into the Etihad squad reasonably than ship him again on mortgage.

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