17 July 2026
By Roger Kennedy
roger@TheCork.ie
Entertainment
Every World Cup hands out a Young Player Award to the best up-and-coming talent at the tournament. It’s an honour that can mark the start of a glittering career, though not always. The best young players are followed as closely as the World Cup final odds in the build-up to a tournament, with clubs and supporters alike keen to see who breaks through next.
The last five winners show how different those paths can be. Some have lifted the World Cup itself, others have moved across continents, and one has gone from playing to owning his boyhood club.
In this article, we look at the last five winners of the Young Player Award and what they did next.
Lukas Podolski, 2006
Lukas Podolski announced himself on home soil in 2006, scoring three goals as Germany finished third. The forward went on to play for Bayern Munich and Arsenal, and won the World Cup with Germany in 2014. After later spells in Japan and Turkey, Podolski returned to his boyhood club Gornik Zabrze in Poland, where he won the Polish Cup in 2026 before retiring and becoming the club’s owner.
Thomas Muller, 2010
Thomas Muller was the breakout star of 2010, winning the Golden Boot with five goals as Germany reached the semi-finals. He stayed at Bayern Munich for his entire European career, spanning 25 years and more than 750 appearances, and was part of the side that won the 2014 World Cup. In 2025, after leaving Bayern, Muller joined Vancouver Whitecaps in Major League Soccer for a fresh challenge in his mid-30s.
Paul Pogba, 2014
Paul Pogba took the award in 2014 after impressing in midfield for France. Two years later, he became the most expensive player in the world when he rejoined Manchester United for around £89m, and in 2018, he won the World Cup, scoring in the final against Croatia. His career was then disrupted by injuries and a doping ban that kept him out for almost two years, before he returned to action with Monaco in 2025.
Kylian Mbappe, 2018
Kylian Mbappe was only 19 when he lit up the 2018 World Cup, scoring four goals, including one in the final, as France were crowned champions. He became Paris Saint-Germain’s all-time top scorer before joining Real Madrid on a free transfer in 2024. Now one of the most recognisable players in the world, he remains a figure whose performances can shift football betting odds whenever France or Real Madrid take to the pitch.
Enzo Fernandez, 2022
Enzo Fernandez was the surprise package of 2022, growing into a key midfielder as Argentina won the World Cup in Qatar. His displays earned a January 2023 move from Benfica to Chelsea for a then-British record fee. He has since become a regular in the Chelsea midfield, establishing himself in the Premier League while still in his mid-20s.
The award is no promise of greatness, but the last five winners have mostly justified the hype. Between them, they’ve lifted World Cups, broken transfer records and, in Podolski’s case, bought the club he grew up supporting.