'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
We're now less than a year away from the 2022 FIFA World Cup which will be held in Qatar. The World Cup is, without doubt, the grandest event in the world of football. Several top sides have already secured qualification to the quadrennial tournament.
2022 FIFA World Cup will feature a host of talented young individuals
Representing one's nation at a World Cup has got to be a dream for every footballer. It is a competition that has seen the rise of many stars in the world of football.
Heading into the 22nd edition of the competition, we're excited to see how some of the emerging stars in the world of football will perform under high-stakes scenarios.
Without further ado, let's take a look at five youngsters who could take the 2022 FIFA World Cup by storm.
#5 Julian Alvarez (River Plate/Argentina)
Julian Alvarez has been touted as one of the brightest prospects in Argentina for a while now. However, he has only truly garnered the attention of some of Europe's biggest clubs this season. The River Plate forward has a release clause of €25 million and he could even make the switch to a top European side this month.
Alvarez is the complete package. He is blessed with great instincts inside the area, has pace and a thunderous shot in him. The 21-year-old's predatory instincts have really come to the fore after making the switch to a more central role in recent times.
He has scored 18 goals and provided seven assists in 21 Liga Professional games this season for River Plate. Alvarez was a member of the Argentinian side that won the 2021 Copa America. He is set to be handed a lot more opportunities and could shine alongside the likes of Lionel Messi, Lautaro Martinez and Angel Di Maria.
#4 Antony (Ajax/Brazil)
Young Ajax winger Antony has quickly established himself as one of the most exciting attackers in Europe this season. He had an impressive outing with the Brazilian national side at the Olympics last year and has followed it up with some sensational performances for Ajax.
The fleet-footed winger operates down the right flank and likes to cut inside and unleash powerful shots on goal. His trickery and blistering pace have already earned him a lot of notoriety. Antony is a technically proficient attacker who is also excellent at linking up with his teammates with his deft passes, flicks and touches.
The 21-year-old has scored eight goals and provided five assists in 19 appearances across all competitions for the Eredivisie outfit so far this season.
Brazil have no shortage of attacking talent heading into the 2022 FIFA World Cup. But Antony could still certainly be a major impact player for them at the tournament.
#3 Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany)
Florian Wirtz is already widely tipped to become the next big thing in German football. The attacking midfielder is just 18-years-old but his technical ability and dynamism belie his age and he has already made his debut for Die Mannschaft.
Wirtz is a very versatile player and he can play as an inverted winger just as well as he can serve as the number 10. The 18-year-old has been a standout performer for Bayer Leverkusen this season, scoring eight goals and providing 11 assists in 22 appearances across all competitions.
He never shies away from putting in a shift every time he is on the pitch and Wirtz is quite simply phenomenally talented for his age. The Bayer Leverkusen youngster could really announce his arrival on the big stage with some emphatic performances at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
#2 Dusan Vlahovic (Fiorentina/Serbia)
Serbia pulled a major upset by securing first place in Group A of the European World Cup Qualifiers and condemning Portugal to a place in the playoffs. Young striker Dusan Vlahovic scored four goals in eight appearances in the 2022 FIFA World Cup Qualifiers.
Despite being just 21-years-old, Vlahovic has established himself as one of the best centre-forwards in Europe. He is a well-rounded striker whose finishing skills are pretty much on par with his link-up play.
Vlahovic has got a great shooting range and has scored a wide variety of goals for Fiorentina over the last two seasons. He is currently being linked with a move to Arsenal and it will only be a matter of time before one of the European giants secures his services.
Vlahovic has scored 18 goals and provided three assists in 21 appearances across all competitions for Fiorentina so far this season. He recently equalled Cristiano Ronaldo's record of most goals scored in a single calendar year in Serie A.
#1 Vinicius Jr. (Real Madrid/Brazil)
Vinicius Jr. has been around for a while now. He is famous for his ability to produce some unbelievable moments but he hasn't been able to conjure them up on a consistent basis. The Brazilian international flattered to deceive on several occasions.
But he seems to have gotten dead serious about his craft this term. The Real Madrid attacker has improved on various aspects of his game like link-up play, decision-making and finishing. He has thus become a menacing presence for Los Blancos inside the final third.
The 21-year-old has scored some sensational goals for Real Madrid already this term and has been one of the best attackers in Europe. His growth is great news for the Brazilian national team as they now have plenty of attacking wealth heading into the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
In 26 appearances across all competitions for Real Madrid this term, Vinicius Jr. has scored 14 goals and provided nine assists.
