4 In-form South American players to watch out for at the 2022 Qatar World Cup

The countdown to the 2022 Qatar World Cup has commenced as the competition is scheduled from November 20 to December 18.

South America as a continent has been home to some of football's strongest powerhouses, including Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay.

Furthermore, the continent has produced some of the best players in the world like Romario, Diego Maradona, and Ronaldinho.

As such, this article will look at four of the most in-form South American players to watch out for at the upcoming World Cup competition.

#4 Lautaro Martinez (Argentina)

The forward has been brilliant in attack and his presence has been beneficial for Inter Milan so far.

Martinez has netted six goals and has registered two assists in 12 Serie A appearances this season. Furthermore, he has registered three direct goal involvements in the UEFA Champions League this season.

The 25-year-old has netted four goals in his last five appearances for Inter Milan. Given his impressive form, he will most likely lead the line in attack for Argentina in the World Cup.

It will be interesting to see if his attacking partnership with Lionel Messi and other Argentine attackers will yield much-needed glory in the competition.

#3 Federico Valverde (Uruguay)

The midfielder is arguably one of the best performing midfielders in Europe and his presence has been pivotal for Real Madrid.

Valverde has netted six goals and has registered two assists in 12 La Liga appearances so far. Furthermore, he has registered two direct goal involvements in four appearances in the Champions League this season.

The 24-year-old was recently nominated as one of the best La Liga players of October 2022.

His decent form makes him one of Uruguay's key players in the upcoming World Cup tournament and it will be fascinating to see if he remains consistent.

#2 Neymar (Brazil)

The Brazilian is arguably one of the best performing wingers and his contributions in attack have been significant for Paris Saint-Germain.

Neymar has netted 10 goals and has registered eight assists in 12 league appearances so far. Furthermore, he has netted two goals and registered three assists in five Champions League appearances this season.

The 30-year-old has the third-best goal and assist contributions in Europe's top five leagues this season.

It will be interesting to see if he can increase Brazil's chances of lifting the ultimate trophy.

#1 Lionel Messi (Argentina)

The Argentine is arguably the most in-form South American player in Europe this season and his presence in attack has been outstanding.

Messi has netted seven goals and has registered 10 assists in 12 league appearances so far. Furthermore, the Paris Saint-Germain forward has netted four goals and has registered three assists in four Champions League appearances this season.

The 35-year-old has bagged 38 goals from outside the penalty box and this is the highest by a player in Europe's top five leagues since the 2017-18 campaign.

Joining forces with Lautaro Martinez upfront on attack, Messi will be pivotal in his nation's success at the Qatar World Cup.

About the author

Abel is an European football journalist who focuses primarily on analysis pieces and preview copies at Sportskeeda. A B.Sc degree holder in Economics, he has a previous work experience of 3 years – a year at Opera News Hub where he was promoted as a 'Verified Sports Writer,’ and over two years at Sportskeeda as a revenue-share writer, where his writing skills have ultimately led him to be integrated into the in-house team.

A Manchester United fan who grew up in a family of Red Devils supporters, he started his journey as an ardent football fan in his childhood. He used to spend hours watching the sport with his family and developed a knack for writing about the beautiful game over the years.

He is a huge admirer of Paul Pogba owing to the midfielder's ability to thread passes from anywhere on the pitch and his favorite manager is Jose Mourinho due to the Portuguese's tactical mind. He feels France's triumph in 2018 is his all-time favorite World Cup moment, and reckons Lamine Yamal and Endrick could replicate the rivalry between Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo.

Abel always strives to verify information, especially statistics, before penning a word and offers constructive but not defamatory criticisms. Apart from Europe's top five leagues, he follows the Eredivisie and the Primeira Liga. He loves to spend his free time playing video games like EA FC and watching movies.

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