Lennart Karl

Nation: Germany
Club: Bayern Munich
Age: 18
Position: Attacking midfielder

Germany’s most exciting prospect was given his first chance to shine on the international stage over the international break, after taking senior football by storm with Bayern Munich, and he grabbed the opportunity with both hands.

Lennart Karl, who only turned 18 in February, missed the phone call from Germany boss Julian Nagelsmann informing him he was being called up to the senior side for the first time because he was in the middle of a tutoring session. His performances belied his years.

The left-footed attacking midfielder came off the bench to make his Germany debut with half an hour to go in a dramatic 4-3 friendly victory over Switzerland before playing the entire second half against Ghana. Naglesmann did not hide his excitement about Karl.

“He made a very strong impression," the Germany boss said. "Bold, but also humble. He’s taken his first small step into the senior national team. At Bayern he’s already taken a few more – but he’s still at the beginning of the race. Of all the young players we’ve called up over time, he’s made the best impression.”

Karl has eight goals and five assists in 35 games for Bayern despite making his first senior appearance in football less than a year ago and now he already has one eye on the World Cup this summer.

“I’m not putting any pressure on myself,” Karl said after initially being called up. “I’ll just play my football and then I hope things work out well and that I’ll be at the World Cup.”

With an innate ability to drift past his opponents with ease, confidence beyond his years and the capability to deliver in front of goal emphatically, Karl has taken every challenge in his stride.

The pressure of starring for one of the biggest clubs in the world has not fazed him yet – expect Karl to deliver when given the chance.

Nico Paz

Nation: Argentina
Club: Como
Age: 21
Position: Attacking midfielder

The next Galactico in the making? Nico Paz, a product of the Real Madrid academy, has flourished since moving to Como and his pathway back to the Bernabeu Stadium could already be paved.

Real Madrid inserted a buy-back clause in his contract at Como that is worth in the region of £8m and his progress under the guidance of Cesc Fabregas in Italy has made his return a matter of when, not if.

It is remarkable value for a player that is already an Argentina regular. Given the freedom to roam across forward positions, Paz thrives in open spaces, carrying the ball forward to threaten the goal or create for those around him.

The 21-year-old has 11 goals and six assists for Como this season and, with eight caps for Argentina already, he is primed to go to the World Cup as shown when he scored a terrific free-kick to get off the mark for his country in a 2-1 friendly win over Mauritania last month.

Uncertainty around Lionel Messi's involvement in Argentina's defence potentially opens the door for Paz to accelerate his ascent to leading man. La Albiceleste are sure to be counting on him for years to come.

Endrick

Nation: Brazil
Club: Lyon (on loan from Real Madrid)
Age: 19
Position: Forward

Brazil’s forgotten wonderkid has fought his way back into contention for the 2026 World Cup and is competing with a few Premier League stars for a spot on the plane.

The young Brazilian is rehabilitating his career on loan with Lyon after his progress at Real Madrid nosedived this season. The striker moved in January on the advice of Brazil boss Carlo Ancelotti, whose successor Xabi Alonso had limited the 19-year-old to just three games.

Endrick’s subsequent form at Lyon has restored optimism that one of Brazil’s greatest young talents can still fulfil his potential. He has six goals and five assists in his 14 games, which earned him a recall to the national team a year on from his last cap.

Endrick put himself firmly in the conversation to make the squad over this international break. Despite competition from Brentford's Igor Thiago and Chelsea’s Joao Pedro, Endrick made his mark by turning the game in Brazil's 3-1 friendly win over Croatia.

The striker came off the bench at 1-1 and won his side a penalty, scored by Igor Thiago, before setting up Gabriel Martinelli in stoppage-time in a decisive 20-minute cameo.

Endrick said after the game that he felt a "sense of urgency" to deliver after being an unused substitute in the defeat to France. His sense of ocassion created the hype around him when he joined Real Madrid and, on this ocassion, he was able to deliver once again.

Ancelotti said his squad is already pretty much set in his head after Brazil's win over Croatia. Endrick seized his chance but is not considered to be among the certainties to make the World Cup.

It is some fall for a player who not long ago seemed destined to be Brazil’s next great No 9. But the young striker, who turns 20 two days after the World Cup final, is fighting his way back. Endrick has time on his side.

Rayan

Nation: Brazil
Club: Bournemouth
Age: 19
Position: Winger

The young Brazilian Bournemouth signed to replace Antoine Semenyo in the January transfer window arrived as a relative unknown. The teenager was a revelation in Brazil, scoring 20 goals in 57 games for Vasco da Gama, but now the whole world knows of his talent.

Rayan's impact on the south coast has softened the blow of Semenyo's departure for Bournemouth fans. The winger had two goals and an assist after his first three Premier League games – and has started all but one of Bournemouth's top-flight matches since joining.

Excitement about Rayan has not been restricted to these shores. His impressive Premier League performances earned him a first call-up for the Brazil national team in their final get together before Carlo Ancelotti names his squad for the World Cup.

The 19-year-old has his work cut-out to make it into the squad for this summer's tournament with the likes of Vinicius Junior and Raphinha occupying the starting spots on the wings but Rayan is not short on ambition.

On international duty with Brazil, the teenager revealed his desire to play for the “most powerful team in the world” in five years' time. For now he says he is happy with Bournemouth, who have protected themselves by inserting a huge release clause in Rayan's contract.

Any interested club must pay £87m (€100m) to get Rayan out of Bournemouth. That price might seem steep right now, but at the trajectory he is on, you would not bet against it happening soon. It is a matter of time before Rayan explodes onto the world stage.

Kees Smit

Nation: Netherlands
Club: AZ Alkmaar
Age: 19
Position: Midfielder

Kees Smit has quickly risen through the ranks at AZ Alkmaar's academy and is now a staple in the first-team's midfield at 19.

Newcastle, Bayern Munich, Real Madrid and Barcelona have already been credited with an interest in the midfielder, who thrives in tight spaces and always looks to progress the ball. Smit says he wants to test himself at the highest level as soon as possible.

The 19-year-old's fearlessness was clear when he made his Netherlands debut from the start in a 2-1 win over Norway. Smit played for 70 minutes as a deep-lying midfielder next to Ryan Gravenberch in the absence of the injured Frenkie De Jong.

Smit's first international call-up will no doubt be followed by many more. The big question is whether one will come this summer for the World Cup. Clearly, he has a big fan in Netherlands boss Ronald Koeman, who compared Smit to Pedri before calling him up.

"I see things in Kees Smit that remind me of him [Pedri]," said Koeman, who coached the Spain star at Barcelona. "The changes of direction, the use of both feet, the vision of the game — these are things I noticed in Pedri at the time.”

Midfield talent is at a premium this summer and with a potential spot in the World Cup now in the hands of Smit. Remember the name.

Nico O'Reilly

Nation: England
Club: Manchester City
Age: 21
Position: Left-back and midfielder

Left-back has been a problem area for England over the years but a breakthrough season at Manchester City for Nico O'Reilly has quickly addressed that issue. Sky Sports News' England reporter Rob Dorsett has predicted O'Reilly to be in Thomas Tuchel's World Cup XI.

O'Reilly has shot from exciting prospect to virtually indispensable at City under Pep Guardiola after making the left-back position his own in the absence of the injured Rayan Ait-Nouri early in the season. The 21-year-old has become so much more than just a full-back, though.

His heroics in the Carabao Cup final against Arsenal outlined exactly that. His double fired City to silverware ahead of the Premier League leaders to breath new life into their season after falling flat in the title race and being knocked out of the Champions League.

At 6ft 4in, the 21-year-old is also strong in both boxes, and has a knack for popping up with a goal, scoring eight times for City this season. Tuchel's desire for England to be a danger at set-pieces at the World Cup only strengthens O'Reilly's claim to the left-back position.

O'Reilly primarily played as a creative midfielder in City's academy and has been used in nearly every position by Guardiola. Some of his best performances have come in the middle of the park and that versatility makes him an even more valuable inclusion in Tuchel's squad.

As it stands, the England boss looks most likely to use him at left-back in a 4-2-3-1 with either Marcus Rashford and Anthony Gordon cutting in ahead of him on the wing. That set up should provide O'Reilly plenty of room to maraud into and demonstrate his threat in the final third.

O'Reilly made his full Premier League debut less than a year ago but has already become a decisive player for City in the biggest games. Now it is time to do the same for England at the World Cup.

Luka Vuskovic

Nation: Croatia
Club: Tottenham (on loan at Hamburg)
Age: 19
Position: Defender

Luka Vuskovic’s future is one of the more overlooked consequences of Tottenham’s potential relegation from the Premier League. It is hard to see a world in which they convince the 19-year-old, one of Europe’s best defensive talents, to stick around if they are in the Championship.

It would not be hyperbolic to suggest the towering teenager has been Spurs’ best performer this season while on loan at Hamburg. Reports suggest Europe’s top clubs are lining up to sign the central defender this summer after a stellar debut campaign in the Bundesliga.

Vuskovic, who has five Bundesliga goals this season, became Croatia's second-youngest goalscorer last month with a deflected strike from range in a 2-1 friendly win over Colombia last month. There was a big slice of luck for the goal but he was also the stand-out performer.

It was only the second time Vuskovic has started for his country, and his third senior cap – but the defender feels like a shoo-in to make the tournament. England fans yet to watch Vuskovic in action are likely to get the chance in the group stages up against Croatia.

Captain Luka Modric, who made his Croatia debut one year before Vuskovic was born, has tipped the defender to play at the highest level. "He played two very good games, he has a great future ahead of him, he just needs to keep going." Vuskovic is one to watch.

Franco Mastantuono

Nation: Argentina
Club: Real Madrid
Age: 18
Position: Attacking midfielder

Franco Mastantuono arrived at Real Madrid for £38m from River Plate in the summer shortly after becoming Argentina's youngest-ever player. His World Cup chances have diminished somewhat since after struggling to meet expectations in his first season in Europe.

The playmaker, currently playing most on the right, has fallen down the pecking order since Xabi Alonso was sacked and was on the wrong end of criticism from interim boss Alvaro Arbeloa last month for what he described as an “unacceptable” sending off against Getafe.

Mastantuono’s omission from the Argentina squad for the March internationals appeared to suggest his standing in the national team had taken a hit – but head coach Lionel Scaloni handed him a late call-up when it was decided they would play a second game.

Scaloni says he wants to be patient with the 18-year-old, who has four senior caps, and understands that the noise around Mastantuono's progress is magnified because he plays for “the most demanding” club in the world.

It remains to be seen if Scaloni’s support extends to a World Cup spot. Mastantuono made this 28-man squad, and played the second half against Mauritania, but the group will be smaller come June. He has it all to do at Real Madrid between now and then.

Max Dowman

Nation: England
Club: Arsenal
Age: 16
Position: Attacking midfielder

England boss Thomas Tuchel has left the door open for Max Dowman to go to the World Cup after the Arsenal academy graduate became the Premier League's youngest-ever scorer against Everton last month. But could he really make it?

The 16-year-old would comfortably break Theo Walcott's record as England's youngest player (17 years and 75 days old) if he were involved - but the former Arsenal winger's story should serve as a warning. Walcott never went to a World Cup again after 2006.

Dowman seems to possess a talent that only comes around once in a generation. Is that worth risking for a spot on the bench? Until the Arsenal youngster is playing more regularly for his club it feels unnecessary to throw him in. Dowman is still waiting for his first Premier League start after all.

Yet, his performances keep the conversation rumbling on. Dowman's inclusion in the Under-19s, rather than the U21s, raised a few eyebrows after his cameo against Everton, but he still managed to make headlines with an incredible solo goal against Portugal. For the second time in March, he scored after carrying the ball from his own half.

If Arsenal continue to struggle with injuries in the run-in, Dowman could get the minutes he needs to convince Tuchel. For now, it looks like this World Cup will come too soon. Don't count the kid out just yet, though.

Yan Diomande

Nation: Ivory Coast
Club: RB Leipzig
Age: 19
Position: Winger

RB Leipzig's exciting young winger is being tracked by Europe's elite. Manchester United, Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich are among those interested and the World Cup presents Yan Diomande with the perfect opportunity to show the world why top clubs are queuing up for him.

The 19-year-old is well-verse in the demands of a major tournament, having started in all but one of the Ivory Coast's games at AFCON. He scored against Burkina Faso in the round of 16 before losing to Egypt in the quarter finals.

Diomande has also established himself as a regular starter for Leipzig and has 10 goals and six assists in 26 Bundesliga apperances this season. The direct, wide forward is not only brimming with talent but already has experience of dealing with the pressure of the big stage.

Ivory Coast face Germany, Ecuador, and Curacao in Group E which on paper makes him well placed to carry that form over into the World Cup to guide his country to the knockout phases in North America.

Diomande's time at the DME Academy in Florida before moving to Leganes also means he is returning to familiar ground on the East Coast for games against Ecuador and Curacao, which will be held in Philadelphia. It is a homecoming of sorts for the teenager.

Said El Mala

Nation: Germany
Club: FC Koln
Age: 19
Position: Winger

Tall in stature, shoulders dipped, Nike Mercurial boots on and a tendency to cut in on his favoured right foot before creating for his teammates or threatening on goal. Predictable yet unstoppable.

Squint and you would not be criticised for seeing flashes of a young Cristiano Ronaldo when you watch Said El Mala take to the pitch.

It is a lofty comparison but after taking to senior football with ease - scoring 10 goals and adding three assists across 27 Bundesliga appearances this season - it is clear El Mala is destined for great things.

Chelsea, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Newcastle and Brighton are just a few of the teams already linked with a move for the forward – and his stock will only rise if he gets a chance at this summer’s World Cup.

His directness, power and technical ability are traits every team desires. He’s on the radar of Julian Nagelsmann and top European clubs – he should be on yours too.