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The FIFA World Cup 2022 is almost upon us, and Group B is one of the trickier pools in the competition. The World Cup is taking place between November and December this year, which is a first for the tournament.
Iran is the Asian participant in the group, with England, the United States of America, and Wales being the other three teams.
Given the quality of the teams on display in the group, there are several talented players in each team. Mentioned below is one key player from each team that will overall be crucial to the teams' progression in the tournament. The common theme in this group is that the players mentioned are talismans for their country.
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#1 Harry Kane - England - Group favorites
29-year-old Harry Kane has 50 goals for England and is one of their most experienced players, with 73 appearances for his country. Only Raheem Sterling has more appearances, with 77 to his name.
Kane is one of the leading attractions in the Premier League and a star player for Tottenham Hotspur. He is the best example of a modern-day striker, one that can not only finish chances but also create them for his teammates.
England managed to reach the finals of the Euros last year only to lose to Italy on penalties. They are a young group of talented players, and most of them are stars for their respective clubs. The only blemish on Harry Kane's career so far is that he has no trophies to his name. If he can lead England to a World Cup triumph, that would be his greatest legacy by far.
#2 Sardar Azmoun - Iran
Sardar Azmoun made his debut for Iran in 2014 but did not make the squad for the World Cup that year. Now 27 years old, the forward is one of Iran's best players, with 40 goals in 62 appearances.
He signed for Bayer Leverkusen from Zenit St. Petersburg earlier this year and has been a regular for the team. On his best day, Azmoun is an instinctive finisher with pace in his kitty.
He has not started the current season as well as he would have hoped. He has made a total of 10 appearances for the German club with no goals or assists. Iran has players like Mehdi Taremi, Alireza Jahanbaksh, Ehsan Hajsafi, and others who are more experienced and can shoulder the responsibility. However, Azmoun is the most talented player who can make a difference and help them progress to the next round.
#3 Christian Pulisic - The United States of America
Christian Pulisic may be struggling for game time and form at Chelsea, but for his national team, he is the shining light. The 24-year-old has 50 appearances to his name and has scored 21 goals for his country.
Predominantly a winger, he can play on either flank and is an adept dribbler and finisher. Pulisic was the trailblazer for this current squad when he signed for Borussia Dortmund in 2015.
Players like Weston McKennie, Sergino Dest, Brenden Aaronson, Tyler Adams, and others have all followed a similar path since then. In prior iterations, a handful of American players were well known, like Clint Dempsey and Landon Donavan, but this squad is made up of young players doing well in Europe. If the United States wants to progress through this tricky group, Pulisic will need to be on form.
#4 Gareth Bale - Wales
Wales are back at the World Cup for the first time since 1958. It has been a long and arduous process for them, but the shining light for the team over the last 15 years has been Gareth Bale.
The 33-year-old winger has made 106 appearances for his country, scoring 39 goals. He won it all at Real Madrid, and moved to Los Angeles FC this summer to keep himself fit for the World Cup.
Wales don't have too many flashy names, but they have some good prospects like Daniel James, Neco Williams, and Ethan Ampadu, among others. Bale, without a doubt, is still the leading light of the team and this is likely to be his final international tournament. If Bale can stay fit, then his leadership and talent could help Wales edge past the group stage.
