Most teenagers spend their time studying, hanging out with friends or getting ready for college. On Thursday, Spain’s Lamine Yamal and Pau Cubarsí are expected to start in the 2026 FIFA World Cup final against Argentina at New York New Jersey Stadium.
If Spain manages to win the World Cup final for just the second time ever, Yamal and Cubarsí will join an elite list of players who have started in the World Cup final and won it as a teenager. Here is the full list:
Pelé (1958)
(Photo by/picture alliance via Getty Images)
Coming off of a hat-trick for Brazil in the 1958 World Cup semifinals against France, Pelé, at 17 years and 249 days, scored two goals against host nation Sweden to lead Brazil to its first-ever World Cup. At the time, he was the first teenager to start and win a World Cup final.
Giuseppe Bergomi (1982)
(Photo by Mark Leech/Offside/Getty Images)
Giuseppe Bergomi started the 1982 World Cup as a substitute for Italy in the quarterfinal against Brazil. Bergomi made the most of his minutes in the memorable 3-2 victory and earned a starting spot in the semifinal. After beating Poland 2-0 in the semifinal, Italy went on to beat West Germany in the final, 3-1. Bergomi was 19 years and 344 days old when the tournament ended.
Kylian Mbappé (2018)
(Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
The last player to start and win the World Cup final as a teenager was Kylian Mbappé. Mbappé, France’s star striker at the 2018, 2022 and 2026 editions of the tournament, broke out at the 2018 tournament with four goals, including the final goal in the title match against Croatia. Since Mbappé, no teenager has started and won the World Cup final.