10 World Cup stars who moved to bigger clubs this summer

Continuing in its rich tradition of making stars out of players every 4 years, this summer’s World Cup helped elevate a number of footballers to the next level on the basis of their performances for their national sides. Many came to compete, but a select few won the hearts of a worldwide audience, in turn helping them move to a bigger club in the recently-ended transfer window.Here is a list of the top 10 World Cup stars who moved to a bigger club this summer on the basis of their displays in Brazil.

#10 Claudio Bravo

Unlucky to be sent out on penalties in the round of 16 by the tournament’s hosts, 31-year old Claudio Bravo captained Chile at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil, with a couple of impressive performances that convinced Barcelona to spend £9.7 million on the goalkeeper following the competition.

Despite facing impressive attacking units like Spain and Netherlands, Bravo held his own through the tournament, even keeping a clean sheet against reigning champions Spain and saving a penalty in Chile’s shootout against Brazil.

Bravo, who spent 8 years at Real Sociedad before the World Cup, was snapped up by the Catalan giants soon afterwards for a relatively large fee, especially given the fact that he is likely to be second-choice to Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was also signed by Barcelona during the off-season.

#9 Enner Valencia

While many may have associated the name Valencia in the Ecuadorian side with Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia, it was his namesake Enner who caught the eye during the World Cup in Brazil, scoring 3 goals for the South American nation.

Ecuador might have been pipped to the knockout spots by France and Switzerland, but Valencia earned himself a big money move to the Premier League with West Ham United, with the Hammers signing him from Mexican side Pachuca for a reported £12 million.

#8 David Ospina

Custodian for the Colombian team that reached the quarters of the summer’s World Cup, Ospina had a very solid showing throughout the tournament, conceding only 3 goals in 5 games in Brazil. The 26-year old’s impressive showing helped his nation blur out memories of their disastrous last World Cup campaign 20 years ago, and had many clubs enquiring about his availability to parent club Nice.

Arsenal were the first to make their interest known after the World Cup ended, and eventually signed the goalkeeper for a reasonable £3 million. Ospina is unlikely to be first-choice at Arsenal, but with Wojciech Szczesny prone to the occasional error, Ospina could be handed chances to make the club’s starting goalkeeping spot his in the coming years.

#7 Daley Blind

Versatile Dutchman Daley Blind had numerous critics before the start of the World Cup this year, with many suggesting that the 24-year old was only part of the Netherlands side because his father Danny Blind was the assistant coach to Louis Van Gaal.

The left-footed player however proved his doubters wrong en route to the Netherlands’ third place finish, displaying some impressive performances in multiple positions along the defence and midfield. Louis van Gaal moved to Manchester United following the World Cup, and Blind followed suit towards the end of the transfer window for a sizeable £13.8 million, showing the faith his manager placed in his abilities.

#6 Guillermo Ochoa

In a tournament that discovered more than one goalkeeping talent, Guillermo Ochoa stood out for his performances, especially against hosts Brazil in the group stage, where the 29-year-old won the man-of-the-match award for a series of outstanding saves.

Ochoa might not have been a household name before the World Cup, having plied his trade with French club Ajaccio, but the summer’s tournament in Brazil brought with it a list of suitors, with Ochoa finally joining La Liga side Malaga.

#5 Toni Kroos

Toni Kroos was a known commodity even before the start of the World Cup, with teams like Manchester United said to have been interested in the former Bayern Munich midfielder. However, his stock grew further during the World Cup, where he played a major hand in the Germans’ title-winning campaign.

His consistent performances, 2 goals and 4 assists helped the 24-year old earn a nomination for the 2014 World Cup Golden Ball, while the Castrol Performance Index rated him the best player of the World Cup. Big spenders Real Madrid showed their interest in the midfielder right after the tournament ended, with Kroos ending up at the Santiago Bernabeu for a fee of £20 million.

#4 Stefan de Vrij

Another impressive performer in the Netherlands’ young World Cup side, 22-year old Stefan de Vrij formed a solid centre-back partnership with Bruno Martins Indi and Ron Vlaar, helping the Dutch outfit reach the semifinals of the tournament. Starting every match for the Netherlands, de Vrij showed a composure beyond his years, leading to him being one of only two Dutch players to make the World Cup Team of the Tournament.

Having spent his whole career at childhood club Feyenoord, de Vrij moved to Serie A club Lazio at the end of July, despite reported interest from English side Manchester United. Speaking about the move, he said, “Lazio really proved that they wanted me and I am very happy I have made this move. I hope to become a more complete defender in Italy.”

#3 Marcos Rojo

Seen as a player who was Argentina’s left-back at the World Cup more for lack of a better choice, Marcos Rojo showed little signs of the inconsistency and poor decision-making that had plagued his career previously, in turn becoming the only Argentine to make it to the Castrol Index Team of the Tournament.

Combining strength and pace to great effect on the team’s left side, Rojo helped make the usually brittle Argentine backline one of the tightest during the whole tournament, thereby convincing new Manchester United manager Louis van Gaal to take a gamble on the 24-year old. He still might have a lot to learn, with a steep £16 million price tag on his head, but the World Cup was the best kickstart to his career that the defender could have hoped for.

#2 Keylor Navas

Goalkeeper Keylor Navas was one of the catalysts in Costa Rica’s surge to the quarterfinals of the World Cup for the first time in the team’s history, leading to the 27-year old keeper being bought by La Liga giants Real Madrid over the summer.

Possessing a great command of his area and impressive penalty-saving prowess, Navas kept three clean sheets in his five matches at the World Cup, also winning the man-of-the-match award on three different occasions. His solid performances were enough to convince Real Madrid, who triggered the keeper’s £8 million release clause in August.

#1 James Rodriguez

The biggest star of the 2014 World Cup, James Rodriguez won the Golden Boot at the summer’s World Cup for his brilliant performances with unfancied Colombia, taking them to the quarters via 6 goals and 2 assists in his 5 games.

While his talent was unmistakable, the World Cup helped propel Rodriguez to new heights, leading to Real Madrid seeking his services, and paying a massive £63 million to land him. He might only be 23, but it remains to be seen if the starlet is able to justify the pricetag of the fourth-most expensive player ever in his stint at the La Liga club.