They kick, ski or shine on the tennis court. blue Sport names five sportsmen and women who will be even better in 2026 than they already are.
Lennart Karl - As good as Messi?
Olaf Thon, world champion in 1990, has already compared him to Lionel Messi - and immediately received a rebuke from Bayern patron Uli Hoeness. "I used to have to play well for a year before the national coach contacted me." And yet: Lennart Karl, a 17-year-old highly talented FC Bayern player, has everything it takes to attract the interest of Julian Nagelsmann in 2026. A place in the World Cup squad? Quite possibly.
Karl is already shining: with dribbling, wit, outstanding technique, left-footed and right-footed, and a no-frills finish. He recently broke a record in the Champions League: Karl became the youngest player to score three goals at the highest European level. And even Hoeness, who tends not to let his players take off, says: "When Lennart played, he was sensational."
Alessandro Vogt - the new Frei?
Switzerland is not blessed with a flood of capable center forwards. Despite the sporting consistency of the national team, the days of Chapuisat, Türkyilmaz, Knup and Frei are over for the time being. Breel Embolo is the exception.
This makes it all the more pleasing that a 1.88-metre-tall player from Aargau was given a professional contract at the end of July 2025; he is just 20 years old. Alessandro Vogt, FC St. Gallen's center forward, has been inspiring the league ever since. After just 14 games, Vogt had eight Super League goals in his palmarès.
Record goalscorer Alex Frei says: "It's fun to watch him. He has very interesting skills. I'm happy to have a Swiss striker who can score again." If he stays healthy, he'll be doing so even more often in 2026.
Franjo von Allmen - (still) in Odermatt's shadow
Of course he stands in the shadow of Marco Odermatt. But who hasn't in alpine skiing in recent years? Nevertheless, Franjo von Allmen has already achieved what others dream of, and that at the age of 24: He has already been downhill world champion since his triumph in Saalbach. And he also won the Lauberhorn downhill at the beginning of 2025 - a success that the great Didier Cuche never achieved in his career.
Von Allmen was regarded early on as courageous, as a daredevil, but also as not too stable. Before the season, however, Swiss speed coach Reto Nydegger told Blick: "We are much further ahead with Franjo than we were a year ago." It sounds like a warning to the skiing world.
Victoria Mboko - the high-flyer
In August, the tennis world was amazed by a 19-year-old Canadian. Thanks to a wild card, she was allowed to compete at the WTA tournament in Montréal - and Victoria Mboko emerged as the acclaimed winner in front of her home crowd. Coco Gauff, Elena Rybakina and Sofia Kenin had to give way to her on their way to the final. And there Mboko beat Naomi Osaka in three sets.
"It was surreal, but I knew I could do it," she said afterwards. After a period of weakness, Mboko recently made it back into the top 20, proving that she is a force to be reckoned with in 2026.
Karl Etta Eyong - The Lewandowski displacer?
Robert Lewandowski may already be 37 years old - but the Pole cannot simply be ousted. The man who once broke Gerd Müller's Bundesliga record of 41 goals is still too proud, too ambitious and too good. However, it seems that Karl Etta Eyong, a 22-year-old Cameroonian, could herald the dawn of Lewandowski.
Etta Eyong is currently still playing for UD Levante - but he is constantly scoring for them. In the first eight games alone, he was involved in eight Levante goals. Now rumors are getting louder and louder that Etta Eyong will replace Lewandowski in the Barça attack for the new season. We are curious.
