Emerging Soccer Stars: Young Talents to Watch in 2026
Meet Cavan Sullivan & David Martinez, rising soccer stars poised to dominate 2026's major tournaments. Marcelino and Camila Ortiz discuss their potential.
Video Transcript
So let me bring some of the young talent that is gonna play in this competition.
Mm-hmm.
I'm gonna give you some names.
You tell me if you think that they're gonna sink or swim.
Okay.
Cavan Sullivan.
This- Mm-hmm from Phil- this kid from Phila- Philadelphia Union, 16 year old.
Yeah is el f- is el, el Gilberto Mora Gavacho.
Yeah.
What do you think?
Is he gonna have a standout tournament?
Okay.
I obviously wish the best.
Yeah.
I wouldn't wish any harm or ill, but I'm gonna go sink because I think that the difference between, you know, Liga MX and MLS, I think you have a little bit more of a cushion in MLS.
Okay.
Liga MX can, they can be more harsh with their players, right?
We know- We saw it with Gilberto Mora last tournament.
He- Gilberto Mora, you know he got hammered.
He got hammered.
People really aren't afraid, and I think that it's gonna be a rude awakening, a rude awakening for him.
Con todo.
We'll see.
I don't know.
Look.
David Martinez from LAFC.
Mm-hmm.
La Joya Venezolana.
20 years old, he has emerged as one of the most dangerous- Yeah players for, for LAFC.
Do you think that he's ready for international competition?
If he even makes it to the tournament, because rumor is very, very strong that he's gonna be shift, shipped o- Really?
Overseas to Europe.
But if not- Mm-hmm he has a- I'm gonna say swim I think he's gonna swim.
Swim all the way.
I think he's gonna have a standout tournament because when L- Liga MX teams are gonna be busy with Boanga and Son- It's gonna put that perfect crack for him Martinez is gonna have that space.
And, and he's proven himself to be feisty.
Yep.
He's proven himself to be a hard worker on the field, and I 100% think he's gonna excel against these Mexican teams.
We mentioned him before.
Diego Luna from Real Salt Lake.
Yeah.
I think, I think swim.
I think swim.
Okay.
I think he has something to prove.
That's the difference, right?
Not getting called up to the US men's national team.
Mm-hmm.
He has something to prove, and it's a perfect opportunity to do so.
The Young Player of the Year in 2024- Yeah for me, one of the most promising American players- Mm-hmm in the roster.
Now from Liga MX- Yeah Gilberto Mora.
Of course.
Swim.
He's gonna, he's gonna swim.
He's gonna excel.
He's gonna destroy the competition.
I think the next six months, Gilberto Mora's gonna come with a very, very high level of confidence.
Elas Montiel from Pachuca.
20 years old, one of the most promising players the, the- Yeah Pachuca.
Mm-hmm.
He helped Mexico won the U-20 championship- Yeah earning Best 11 honors, and he scored against Real Madrid at the FIFA Club World Cup- Mm-hmm in 2025.
I'm gonna say swim then because he has that, you know, that- Mm-hmm experience of what it means to play under pressure, so I think he's gonna swim.
Young player for el Campen Mexicano, Cruz Azul- Luka Romero.
Swim.
A player that has been heavily criticized- Mm-hmm but he's finally coming into- No, I think swim into his, you know, really into his body.
He scored a bang, he scored a banger last weekend- Yeah so I think definitely swim.
Armando La Ormiga Gonzalez from Chivas.
Swim.
I really hope that he sink because he's gonna play against LAFC.
What?
No.
I don't think so.
I think he was playing really well.
You know, we didn't get to see him that much in the World Cup.
Not a single minute in the World Cup.
But we got to see him- Yeah in those, in that game against Australia.
Mm-hmm.
I thought he played really well, so I hope swim.
And the final player for this list of young players to watch is Brian Gutierrez- Yeah that we did see him in the World Cup, also from Chivas.
Yeah.
And, you know- Mm-hmm he probably was the most promising young player- Definitely after Gilberto Mora during the World Cup.
Mm-hmm.
He had an opportunity to play against England.
Things didn't really come together for him- Mm-hmm but just to have that experience, just to have that presence in the World Cup-
