The World Cup has been dominated by household names trying to outscore each other. In an incredible race for the Golden Boot, Erling Haaland, Lionel Messi, and Kylian Mbappe are tied on seven, with Harry Kane just one goal further back.But a look beyond the headline stars shows us that this tournament is not short of emerging talents.With 104 matches at varying times, it is tough to keep track of those making a name for themselves. So, like Michael Olise, The Athletic is here to assist…Alex Freeman, USMNT, VillarrealFreeman celebrates after scoring the second goal for the United States against Australia (Jamie Squire/Getty Images)Weighted against expectation, the United States have arguably been the most impressive team at this summer’s World Cup. Their forward line has taken most of the plaudits, but the U.S.’s storming start would not have been possible without a solid defence — and Freeman deserves a sizeable portion of credit.The 21-year-old has started as a right-back or right-sided centre-back under Mauricio Pochettino, shining with and without the ball. In the USMNT’s 4-1 win against Paraguay, Freeman made 12 passes into the final third and attempted three dribbles. In the next game, he scored and helped his side keep a clean sheet as they beat Australia 2-0.After joining Villarreal from Orlando City in January, Freeman was not given many opportunities to nail down a starting spot in Spain, but he’s one to keep an eye on for a big future transfer once he earns regular minutes at club level.Mikel Oyarzabal, Spain, Real SociedadHardly a new name on the international scene, having scored the winning goal in Spain’s 2-1 European Championship final win over England two years ago, but Oyarzabal is only starting to earn the worldwide status his performances have deserved.The 29-year-old has played on the wing for most of his career, but has looked like a different player since becoming a central striker for Real Sociedad and Spain. Last season was his most productive, netting 15 goals in 34 league matches for La Real, before following it up with an outstanding World Cup. Since Spain’s goalless draw to Cape Verde, Oyarzabal has exploded into form, netting four goals in three matches.Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast, RB LeipzigLucrative links to Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain on the eve of the tournament boosted Diomande’s profile, but aside from regular Bundesliga followers, few fans will have seen much of the 19-year-old.However, this summer, the electric winger has announced himself as one of the game’s most exciting youngsters. One assist, from the 2-0 win over Curacao, does nothing to indicate how thrilling it was to watch Diomande torment opposing full-backs in one-v-one situations. Even if that high-profile move does not come this summer, it’s difficult to imagine a scenario, fitness permitting, in which he plays for RB Leipzig for too long.Jhon Arias, Colombia, PalmeirasWolverhampton Wanderers fans must be wondering whether they signed his identical twin brother from Fluminense last summer, as Arias has been outstanding for Colombia, scoring the only goal in their last-32 victory over Ghana.