Cristiano Ronaldo, age 41, and Lionel Messi, turning 39 on June 24, will both compete in their sixth FIFA World Cup in 2026 in the United States, Mexico, and Canada [1, 2].
Turkiye returns to the World Cup stage after missing the tournament for 24 years. Their squad features 21-year-old Kenan Yildiz, a key young talent born in Germany who plays for Juventus. Yildiz won the Coppa Italia in the 2023-24 season and earned a place in the Serie A team of the season for 2024-25 [1].
Argentina's 21-year-old attacking midfielder Nico Paz is also a rising star to watch. Paz scored 12 goals and provided 7 assists for Como in Serie A during the 2025-26 season, helping his club qualify for the Champions League. He is seen as a leading candidate to succeed Messi in Argentina's national team [1].
Eligibility for the "best U21 players" list requires players to be 21 years old or younger as of June 1, 2026. Notably, top young players like Jude Bellingham and Alejandro Balde, both aged 22, do not meet this cutoff and are excluded from the U21 rankings [2].
The 2026 World Cup will be hosted jointly by the United States, Mexico, and Canada, marking the first tournament to take place in three countries [2].
Coverage of the event’s young talents includes Al Jazeera’s June 2, 2026 article on key young players to watch, as well as ESPN’s August 2026 rankings of best U21 players eligible for the tournament [1, 2].
Kenan Yildiz’s achievements leading up to the World Cup, including his Coppa Italia victory and Serie A team of the season selection, underscore his potential impact. Meanwhile, Nico Paz’s recent Serie A success points to rising stars ready to shape the future of international football.
