The FIFA World Cup 2026 has served as a platform for a wave of lesser-known players to announce themselves to a global audience — and to the clubs watching closely from the stands and their scouting networks.

From goalkeepers to outfield players, the tournament has produced a string of breakout performances. Cape Verde's Vozinha and Paraguay's Orlando Gill have drawn attention between the posts, while New Zealand midfielder Elijah Just has emerged as one of the competition's more eye-catching stories.

How clubs already knew

Yet for all the surprise among casual fans, football's modern scouting machine means many of these players were far from unknown to clubs before the tournament began. The real question is how their performances in Mexico, the United States, and Canada have shifted their standing — and their price tags.

BBC World Service podcast More than the Score tackled that question head-on, with host Mani Djazmi speaking to Ben Littlemore of Transfermarkt — one of the most widely consulted football databases in the world. Littlemore broke down how transfer valuations are constructed and explained the specific effect a major tournament like the World Cup can have on a player's market value.

The curious case of Tim Payne

Among the most intriguing stories discussed was that of Tim Payne, the New Zealand defender who became an unlikely viral sensation in the lead-up to the tournament. Payne now appears set to begin a new chapter of his career in Paraguay — a move that underlines how World Cup exposure can open doors that domestic football rarely could.

A sporting director's perspective

Djazmi was also joined by Lutz Pfannenstiel, sporting director at Aberdeen, whose career in professional football stretches back to the early 1990s and has taken him across the globe as both a player and an administrator. Pfannenstiel offered an insider's view of how clubs evaluate potential transfer targets and the degree to which standout performances at major international tournaments factor into recruitment decisions.

With 48 nations competing across three host countries, the FIFA World Cup 2026 has offered a uniquely wide stage for players from smaller footballing nations to make their mark. As More than the Score illustrates, the transfer market is already taking note.