5 darkhorse players who could take the 2022 FIFA World Cup by storm

#3 Florian Wirtz (Bayer Leverkusen/Germany)

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v VfL Bochum - Bundesliga

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)

Udinese Calcio v ACF Fiorentina - Serie A

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)

FC Barcelona v Real Madrid CF - La Liga Santander

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.