Di 2026 World Cup don open for North America, but some people dey ask: where all di big stars don go? Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Neymar – di trio wey don rule football for years – dey present for USA, but dem no get di same shine like before. Messi don old, Ronaldo dey struggle, Neymar dey fight injury and form. Di question be: can dem still carry di tournament?
Brazil especially dey worry. Neymar, di best scorer for Brazil history with 79 goals for 128 matches, don show level wey dey cause concern since im leave Paris Saint-Germain. Di nation wey win World Cup five times, wey produce plenty great players, now dey depend on one man wey dey near di end of im career. And Vinícius Júnior, wey suppose take over di number 10 shirt, dey struggle to shine. Im no get di same aura like Neymar. Some even argue if im be real star at all.
But di truth be say football don change. As Kylian Mbappé talk, ‘di game don change.’ Di old stars wey dey carry di game for 2000s – players like Sergio Ramos, Thiago Silva, Antoine Griezmann, Andrés Iniesta, Eden Hazard, Toni Kroos – don retire or dey near finish. Di new generation get plenty talent: Pedri, João Neves, Vitinha, Cherki, Désiré Doué. But dem no get di same ‘mystery’ or ‘aura’ wey make star for di old definition. According to CNRTL, star na actor or actress wey dey untouchable, mysterious, inaccessible. By dat definition, few players for 2026 fit qualify.
Nevertheless, dis World Cup still get plenty players wey fit make us dream. Di last dance of living legends like Messi and Ronaldo suppose excite us. Neymar and Manuel Neuer wey come back from retirement add spice. Lamine Yamal, di Spanish prodigy, and Mbappé wey dey hunt third consecutive final, dey ready to show. Erling Haaland, di Norwegian ‘cyborg,’ dey bring fresh energy. Achraf Hakimi from Morocco, Sadio Mané from Senegal – all dem dey carry di flag for football.
World Cup na di place wey dey create stars. Remember James Rodríguez for 2014? Before dat tournament, nobody know am well. But im explode, carry Colombia on im back, and become global name. Same thing fit happen for 2026. Young players like Désiré Doué (France), Nico Paz (Argentina), Pau Cubarsi (Spain), Endrick (Brazil), and Yan Diomandé (Côte d'Ivoire) dey ready to take di stage. Doué, at 21, don win Champions League with Paris SG and score two goals for final last year. Paz, 21, don produce 12 goals and 7 assists for Serie A with Como. Cubarsi, only 19, don become Barcelona and Spain defensive mainstay. Endrick, 20, dey try to revive im career after loan to Lyon. Diomandé, 19, don score 13 goals and 10 assists for Leipzig and already score for Côte d’Ivoire.
So whether old stars dey fade or not, di World Cup still go capture di world attention. Di tournament get 48 teams, first time for North America, and e go be big. Di debate about stars dey continue, but one thing sure: football never run out of talent. Di new generation dey ready to write dia own story.
