Often hailed as one of the most prestigious and prominent football tournaments in the world, the FIFA World Cup is undoubtedly followed by millions of football aficionados from all over the world. The glorious history of the FIFA World Cup has witnessed numerous legendary teenage football players who have made their star-studded debuts and left an impact on the world’s most prestigious football tournament, leaving the fans absolutely stunned with their spine-chilling performances throughout the tournament. Have you ever wondered about the teenagers who have made their dream debuts in the FIFA World Cup? Well, let’s find out.
In this article we will take a look at the top four teenagers who have made their dominant debuts in the FIFA World Cup.
Top 4 Teenagers Who Made Dream Debuts in FIFA World Cup
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Pele, Brazil – 1958 FIFA World Cup
The legendary Brazilian professional football player Edson Arantes do Nascimento, often popularly referred to as “Pele”, is at the first spot in our list of the top four iconic teenagers who made their dreamy FIFA World Cup debuts. Widely regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time, Pele made his World Cup debut for Brazil at the age of seventeen and left the fans stunned after scoring a total of six goals including a hat-trick in the semifinal against France and two in the final against Sweden, leading Brazil to their maiden World Cup title. As of September 2025, Pele continues to be the youngest ever football player to score a goal in a World Cup final.
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Michael Owen – 1998 FIFA World Cup
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At the second spot in our list of the top four teenagers who have made their dominant debuts in the FIFA World Cup, we have the iconic English former professional football player Michael Owen, who played as a striker for the England national team throughout his international football career which lasted from 1997 to 2008. Michael Owen made his dreamy World Cup debut at the age of eighteen in the 1998 FIFA edition and immediately made an impact after scoring a dominating goal against Argentina in the round of 16.
Although Michael Owen entered the tournament as a teenager, he undoubtedly gave a tough competition to some of the most seasoned players of the game, earning enormous fame and recognition from the millions of FIFA fans from all over the world.
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Lionel Messi – 2006 FIFA World Cup
Next, at the third spot in our list of the top four iconic teenagers who made their dreamy FIFA World Cup debuts, we have the legendary Argentine professional football player Lionel Messi, who is often regarded as one of the greatest footballers of all-time. Lionel Messi made his star-studded World Cup debut in 2006 at the age of eighteen and made headlines after scoring a roaring goal that played a crucial role in Argentina’s 6–0 victory over Serbia & Montenegro, establishing themselves as their youngest World Cup goalscorer. Lionel Messi undoubtedly rose to overnight prominence after his dominating performance at the 2006 World Cup.
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Kylian Mbappé – 2018 FIFA World Cup
Finally, at the fourth spot on our list of the top four teenagers who have made their dominant debuts in the FIFA World Cup, we have the trailblazing French professional football player Kylian Mbappé, who currently plays as a forward for the La Liga club Real Madrid and also captains the France national team. Often regarded as one of the greatest forwards in the history of the game, Kylian Mbappé made his dream World Cup debut in 2018 for France at the age of nineteen and ended up scoring a total of four goals, including two match-winning goals against Croatia in the finals.
Kylian Mbappé left an instant impact on the hearts of millions of FIFA fans from all over the world and successfully led France to their second FIFA title.
