World Cup Primer: Young Players to Watch and Their Rookie Cards

With the World Cup draw last Friday and the groups set, we wanted to start ramping up some players to watch as the race to make the final World Cup rosters is on. Starting June 11, 2026, the World Cup will open up with South Africa vs. Mexico at Estadio Azteca in Mexico City. The United States will open up against Paraguay on June 12th in Los Angeles.

Stating the obvious, but Lamine Yamal is the biggest name in the soccer hobby right now. His rookie cards carried the 2023-24 rookie class and set numerous records. He's a little too high profile for this list, but his first World Cup cards will carry an obvious premium and is the biggest name to watch in the lead up to the World Cup. However, what are some other names to watch and know?

Nico Paz, Argentina

Argentina will be one of the favorites at the 2026 World Cup because of Lionel Messi, Julian Alvarez, and a talented defensive core. One thing that could push them over the top (again) would be a breakthrough from 21-year-old Nico Paz, the Real Madrid wunderkind, into the starting lineup permanently. Paz is a playmaking attacking midfielder with a nose for goal. He's currently playing for Como, in Italy's Serie A, and they're sitting in 6th and in line for a European spot. He has 5 goals and 5 assists this season, while taking 3.6 shots per game and adding 2.3 shots assisted. This /5 red refractor RC from the 2023-24 Topps Chrome set sold for $2100 late last month. For reference, an ever bigger card -- his /5 RC auto from Topps Finest in a PSA 10 -- sold for $1700 over the summer.

Estevao, Brazil

Estevao, Brazil's 18-year-old Starboy, has been flourishing at Chelsea this season after arriving from Palmeiras in the Brazilian league over the summer. With Chelsea in the UEFA Champions League this year, he has 3 goals in five games in the biggest club tournament on the planet. Things have been a little tougher going in the Premier League, where he has just 1 goal and 1 assist in 13 games (6 starts). He also has 5 goals in his last six games for Brazil. Estevao is one of the top young players in the world right now and has seen his card market explode over the last few months. This 2023-24 Select Gold Mojo /10 PSA 10 sold for $1530 in mid-July, then $7800 in late July during the FIFA Club World Cup, and then again for $10250 in late November. He'll be a staple across all World Cup sets as someone to target.

Endrick, Brazil

Estevao's former teammate at Palmeiras, Endrick, was considered the better prospect, but has seen his career stall at Real Madrid. He's played just 11 minutes for Real Madrid this season and has been heavily linked with a loan to Lyon in Ligue 1 in France. He'll hopefully use to move to fight for a place in the Brazilian side come next summer. He was one of the big chases in 2023-24 Panini rookie class in a Palmeiras kit and the 2024 Copa America Prizm set in a Brazil kit, but also had rookies across the 2024-25 season in Topps products in a Real Madrid kit. He has a ton of rookie cards to choose from, but the Palmeiras cards seem to carry the most weight so far. Three of his top five sales all-time are in a Palmeiras kit while only two of his top 10 sales are in a Real Madrid kit. His market is a bit down now, but a hot-start on loan should help his market rebound.

Lennart Karl, Germany

Admittedly, this is a deep cut with Germany's 17-year-old Lennart Karl. He's never actually played for the German senior team, which might be a problem for him securing a spot for the World Cup, but with the way he's been playing lately for Bayern Munich he's at least got himself in the conversation for a spot. At this time last year he was playing for Germany's U17 team for qualification to the U17 World Cup. However, a year later he's a mainstay in the first team of Germany's biggest club team and has 4 goals and 2 assists as an attacking midfielder/winger across a crowded Bayern Munich attack.

Karl also has played in just 560 minutes in the Bundesliga and Champions League with just six starts. Karl is absolutely one to watch the future as he'll have more rookie cards in the 2025-26 sets. He was in the 2024-25 Topps Chrome set as a Bowman 1st insert. His cards are dwarfing the rest of the set as this PSA 9 1st Bowman /10 sold for $3500 on December 1st. The only other set he was in so far was the 2025-26 Bayern Munich team set.

Geovany Quenda, Portugal

Another young player without senior team experience that will be looking to break into the World Cup squad. Estevao's future teammate at Chelsea won't be joining him until after the World Cup, but he joins him on the list now. As one of the big chases in the 2024-25 rookie class, I am surprised to see his market dip over the last few months. Especially with the way he's been playing in the Champions League this year for Sporting CP. He's got 7 goals and 8 assists across all competitions this year, including 2 goals and 2 assists across his last four Champions League matches.

Sporting aren't really on the radar during Portuguese league play, but they are currently sitting 8th in the Champions League table with one game to go in the group stage. That would be good enough to advance in the automatic qualifies as of right now with a game against Karl and Bayern Munich on tap. This /10 Black Lava auto from 2024-25 Topps Chrome sold for $522 back in October with a few sales under $500 before that. His market will definitely rise if he continues to play like this in the Champions League and if he secures a spot on Portugal's roster for the World Cup.