The semi-finals have done what semi-finals do — reduced the field to its very last essentials. Three players entered the final week of this tracker. Two of them are now competing for the bronze medal. The Best Young Player award at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ has one name attached to it. All that remains is the Final to confirm it.
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Lamine Yamal — Spain / Barcelona
Still first. Still the finalist.
Against France in the semi-final, Yamal was the constant threat on Spain’s right — the player Deschamps dedicated the most defensive attention to and still could not contain. He kept finding pockets, kept combining with Porro and Olmo, kept pulling France’s defensive shape out of alignment in ways that created the corridors Spain eventually exploited. He scored a goal which was disallowed due to offside.
He now plays in the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final. He now plays against Argentina, who also prefer and excel at playing through the middle. Positionally, he would be up against Nicolás Tagliafico — an experienced left-back who knows exactly how dangerous this teenager is. One more match. Whatever Yamal does in it, the case for this award is already made. Sunday night is just the final chapter.
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Désiré Doué — France / PSG
Désiré Doué won back-to-back Ligue 1 Young Player of the Year. His first goal at a World Cup came against Norway. France were in a deadlock against Paraguay for more than an hour. Then Doué’s dazzling run in the box got France their penalty. That was the only goal France scored in that match. He was also there with an assist for Mbappé in the quarter-final against Morocco. He had consistent performances across a difficult run of matches. He had his moments against Spain in the semi-finals as well. After France’s 2-0 loss against Spain, this particular race is no longer his. He is 21 years old. He is just getting started.
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Nico O’Reilly — England / Manchester City
Premier League Young Player of the Year. He led England from the left back multiple times in this FIFA World Cup 2026™. The semi-final itself offered him little. Eight minutes off the bench, introduced at the 82nd minute. O’Reilly’s contribution to England’s run was real and should not be diminished by the circumstances of the exit. His defensive intelligence, his reading of the game, his ability to track and neutralise wide forwards made England harder to beat. One of his most notable moments came in England’s match against Norway. He backtracked and made a block to deny Sørloth.
At his age, this finish is a foundation, not a ceiling. The award, though, was always going to require more visibility than this tournament gave him.
The Verdict
Lamine Yamal is expected to win this race. He was already ahead, and now it can be said with even greater certainty.
Six matches. Constant, relentless threat from the right. La Liga Player of the Year at 18. A World Cup Final at 19. The Best Young Player award at the FIFA World Cup 2026™ will also likely go to him — the only remaining question is whether, against Argentina, he gets one final moment to etch his name a little deeper into history.
Spain vs Argentina — the FIFA World Cup 2026™ Final. Watch it live on ZEE 5 on July 20 at 12:30 AM IST. Don’t miss it.
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