This years edition is closely coming to an end. We saw a lot of exciting matches, goals, and drama, but we also saw a lot of new future football talent. Young and talented players who were the powerhouse of their national teams in this tournament, and who will continue to be that in the next years to come. So because of that, we decided to make a short list of the best U21 players at this year’s World Cup; the list isn’t going in any particular order.

1) Johan Manzambi

A brilliant 20-year-old Swiss attacking midfielder, Johan Manzambi started the tournament slowly. More precisely, he came on for the final 25 minutes of Switzerland’s opening match against Qatar, which ended in a draw. In the second game, against Bosnia and Herzegovina, Manzambi once again started on the bench and entered the pitch for the final 19 minutes. That was when he first showed the world stage what kind of talent he really is.

The young Swiss midfielder needed only four minutes to score and put Switzerland in front. He did not stop there, adding a second goal 15 minutes later to secure all three points for his country. Manzambi was then rewarded with his first start against Canada, where — as you might expect — he scored again and provided an assist in a 2-1 win over the hosts. Switzerland’s first knockout-stage match came aga inst Algeria. Johan started again, but this time he “only” registered an assist. Unfortunately for Switzerland, a knee issue ruled Manzambi out of the matches against Colombia and eventual finalists Argentina. The young midfielder therefore finished the tournament with three goals and two assists.

He currently plays for German side Freiburg, where he has recorded seven goals and six assists in 47 appearances. Major clubs are already lining up for his signature, with Aston Villa and Liverpool among those reportedly interested. With his speed, creativity and finishing ability, Manzambi looks like the perfect prototype of the modern attacking midfielder — a player who could strengthen almost any club near the top of Europe’s big five leagues.

2) Gilberto Mora

One of the youngest players on the list is Gilberto Mora, Mexico’s 17-year-old attacking midfielder and one of the biggest talents in North American football. Mora currently plays for Club Tijuana, where he has already made a name for himself despite his age. He became the youngest player to both score and assist in Liga MX history, which tells you everything about how quickly he has adapted to senior football. Mora arrived at the World Cup as one of the most exciting young names in the Mexico squad. He became the youngest player ever to represent Mexico at a World Cup, making his debut at just 17 years and 240 days old. What makes his tournament even more impressive is that he was not just there for experience — he played four matches and started three of them, including Mexico’s knockout match against England.

His biggest moment came in the round of 32 against Ecuador, where he delivered one of the most mature performances of his young career. At 17 years and 259 days old, he became the second-youngest player ever to start a World Cup knockout match, behind only Pelé in 1958. For a player of his age, the calmness, confidence and technical quality he showed on such a stage were remarkable. Mora is not the most physical player, but his intelligence, movement between the lines and ability to receive the ball under pressure make him a modern attacking midfielder. He plays with the confidence of someone much older, always looking to progress the ball, combine with teammates and create danger in the final third.

Big European clubs have already been linked with him, including Real Madrid, but Mora recently signed a new three-year contract with Tijuana. That decision could be important for his development, allowing him to continue playing regular senior football instead of rushing into a move too early. With his technical quality, maturity and fearless style of play, Gilberto Mora looks like one of the players who could define the future of Mexican football.

3) Yan Diomande

Potentially the most expensive transfer of the coming summer — that is how many are already describing this young 19-year-old winger from Ivory Coast. Yan Diomande plays for German side RB Leipzig, where in his debut season he has recorded 36 appearances in all competitions, scoring 13 goals and providing nine assists.

Diomande started every match for Ivory Coast at the World Cup, registering one assist in four appearances. However, do not let the numbers fool you, because he was the main attacking outlet for the Elephants throughout the tournament. His average SofaScore rating was 7.5, while his best performance came against Ecuador, where he received an 8.2 rating. In that match, he completed four of his six attempted dribbles and had an 80% pass accuracy. Ivory Coast’s attacking game was heavily focused down his right-hand side, where opposition left-backs constantly struggled to deal with the talented winger.

Diomande stands at 180 cm tall, which makes his agility and speed even more impressive. That is why reports linking him with a move away from RB Leipzig to clubs such as Liverpool and PSG are hardly surprising. The winner of the Best Young Player award will not be known until after the final, which takes place this Sunday in New York. However, what we do know is that Diomande will certainly be among the leading candidates for the prize.

4) Andreas Schjelderup

The oldest player on the list is Andreas Schjelderup. He celebrated his 22nd birthday on 1 July, meaning he started the tournament as a 21-year-old and therefore earned his place on this list. The young Norwegian left winger currently plays for Portuguese side Benfica, where he has recorded nine goals and five assists in 35 appearances. Similar to Manzambi, Andreas did not start Norway’s opening matches against Iraq and Senegal. His first start came against France in the final group-stage match, where he provided the assist for Norway’s only goal.

He truly stepped into the spotlight against Brazil in the round of 16, coming off the bench to provide two assists in Norway’s victory over the most decorated football nation in the world. His only goal of the tournament — and what a goal it was — came in the quarter-finals against England, where he brilliantly found the far corner to put his national team in front. From a young age, Andreas has been regarded as one of Europe’s biggest talents. At just 19, he earned his former club Nordsjælland a lucrative €9 million transfer fee when he moved to Benfica.

Schjelderup does not need much space to create a goalscoring chance from what looks like a hopeless situation. He showed the quality of his delivery against Brazil, when he picked out Haaland perfectly inside the penalty area. At the moment, there are no major transfer rumours surrounding him, but Andreas is in no rush. He is taking his career step by step. It is exactly that persistence on the pitch, combined with his natural talent, that should turn him into a dangerous player. For Norway, alongside Musa, he gives the national team another excellent wide option — something they have been missing.

5) Alex Freeman

One of the most interesting young players for the United States at this tournament was Alex Freeman. The young right-back, who can also cover the right-wing position, entered the tournament as one of the youngest players in the American squad, but quickly showed that the big stage was not a problem for him.

Freeman already attracted attention in the group stage. Against Paraguay, he provided the assist for Gio Reyna’s late goal and also stood out in duels, winning nine of his 14 battles. In the next match against Australia, his big moment arrived — he scored his first World Cup goal and further strengthened his status as one of America’s brightest young talents. The United States first knocked out Bosnia and Herzegovina in the knockout stage with a 2-0 win, but their run ended in the round of 16 against Belgium, where they lost 4-1. Although the American defence struggled heavily in that match, Freeman was still one of the more active players, trying to help the team both going forward and in his defensive duties.

He finished the tournament with one goal and one assist, along with 15 clearances, 14 ball recoveries and 373 minutes played. Alex currently plays for FC Villarreal in the Spanish first league, where he has registered only 9 appearances. With his physical strength, pace, modern profile and ability to influence the game in both directions, Freeman looks like one of the players around whom the future of the United States national team could be built.

6) Ayyoub Bouaddi

The Moroccan Sergio Busquets, as many have already started calling him. Ayyoub Bouaddi is another player who joined the national team through the Moroccan federation’s scouting network, which has focused on identifying young European-born talents of Moroccan descent. The same approach has been used with several current internationals, such as Hakimi, Saibari, Diop and others. Bouaddi first represented France at youth level, but after being convinced by Morocco, he decided to switch his international allegiance.

Ayyoub made his senior national team debut in Morocco’s opening match at the World Cup against Brazil. He started every match for Morocco except the final group-stage game against Haiti, when he was rested on the bench. He currently plays for French side Lille and is a product of their academy, which is well known for producing young and highly talented players.

Bouaddi is a classic prototype of a progressive midfielder and is very comfortable operating as a defensive midfielder. His style of play is reminiscent of Sergio Busquets. He has an excellent passing accuracy rate, averaging 90% successful passes across five appearances, while also recording 20 defensive contributions in those matches. He looks like an excellent modern defensive midfield profile — the type of player big clubs will certainly need. However, Bouaddi is still only 18 years old, so he will surely be careful when choosing the next club where he wants to continue his career. His Transfermarkt value already stands at €55 million, and after this World Cup, it is almost certain to rise even further.