World Cup 2026: 8 surprise stars from the group stage

The group stage of the World Cup concludes with the debut of star players and surprises from many nations. Throughout the tournament, we saw both smaller teams and young players emerge as key players. Let's take a look at the eight players who were the biggest surprises in the group stages. Johan Manzambi - Switzerland The midfielder born in 2005 from Freiburg is a rising star in U21 football. Leading the U21s' top scorer (3 goals + 1 assist), he is regarded as a box-to-box midfielder with high-scoring ability, superior physicality and outstanding physical ability. and good ball possession techniques Even though movement between lines still needs to be developed. But it is the prototype of a modern midfielder who can dominate the game. Ayyoub Bouaddi - Morocco Lille's 2007-born playmaker has captured the limelight with his performances against Brazil and Scotland. (Before being taken off the bench against Haiti) he was precise with his passing, never-ending tackling, calm decision-making and clever positioning both in his own half and in the opponent's half. Because of this, his value is highly estimated. Gustavo Puerta - Colombia Colombia was one of the surprises of the tournament. And the system's central midfield performance is a credit to Gustavo Perta, a midfielder born in 2003 who was instrumental in Racing Santander's promotion to La Liga. He is positionally intelligent, quick on the ball and often dribbles past opponents with his first touch. Yan Diomandé - Ivory Coast The Leipzig winger, born in 2006, already had a high pre-tournament value. And this program reinforces both his physical and technical qualities. Even though he hasn't scored a goal yet But he is one of the most dangerous dribblers in the tournament. Every time the ball is at his feet he creates the feeling that it can always lead to a dangerous situation. Kerim Alajbegovic - Bosnia Alybegovic (born 2007) from Bayer Leverkusen He is a football player that Italy has known well since last March. And now the whole world saw his strength. including farming, bravery, accurate shooting and mental strength Praise from Ibrahimovic also reflects his prominence: “An 18-year-old kid playing in the World Cup [...] played like he owned the field. That's rare. He's not an ordinary kid who hopes to have a good game. But he believes he is the best player on the field.” Gilberto Mora - Mexico The youngest Mexican player in the history of the Mexican national team at the World Cup (born 2008) received 24 minutes against South Africa and 72 minutes against the Czech Republic. Showed ability in the offensive playmaker position. Speed ​​during first step Vision in the final area And a calmness rarely seen in a 17-year-old makes him a rising star to watch and one unlikely to stay in Tijuana for long. Ismael Saibari - Morocco The PSV striker scored three consecutive goals in the tournament and introduced himself to the world. Saibari's diversity will benefit Coach Compani. Including scoring goals in the box, creating games in the offensive playmaker position. and floating along the edge His combined technical skills, physicality and agility make him highly valued. And he is reported to be close to a move to Bayern Munich. Pedro Vite - Ecuador The 2002 Pumas midfielder has shown himself to be a reliable passer. Was one of the players who stood out even in the loss to Ivory Coast. He also stood firm in defense and was one of the best players in the game against Germany. and provided assists for the team. Despite being only 172 cm tall, he was the backbone of Ecuador and played every minute of the group stage. --- ## Related Articles 1. [Opisyal na iskedyul ng Round of 32 sa FIFA World Cup 2026 inilabas](https://azkalsgoal.com/fil/news/opisyal-na-iskedyul-ng-round-of-32-sa-fifa-world-cup-2026-inilabas) 2. [Cristiano Ronaldo's Special Boots for World Cup Clash with Colombia](https://pitchpulsemedia.com/en/news/cristiano-ronaldos-special-boots-for-world-cup-clash-with-colombia)