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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 the New York New Jersey Stadium.
If Spain succeed in winning the World Cup final for just the second time ever, Yamal and Cubarsí will join an elite list of players who have started and won the World Cup final as teenagers. Here is the full list:
Pelé (1958)
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After a hat-trick for Brazil in the 1958 World Cup semi-final against France, Pelé, aged 17 years and 249 days, scored twice 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 quarter-final against Brazil. Bergomi made the most of his minutes in the memorable 3-2 win and earned a starting spot in the semi-finals. After beating Poland 2–0 in the semi-finals, Italy 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 game against Croatia. Since Mbappé, no teenager has started and won the World Cup final.
