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#4 Alvaro Morata (Spain)
What one season signifies in a footballer's life is exemplified by, if you will, the curious case of Alvaro Morata.
If a season ago, someone had predicted Morata to be overlooked for the World Cup squad by Spain's Manager Julen Lopetegui, people wouldn't have believed him and instead would have him given him a list of reasons why he would be important for them in Russia.
But things change so fast in the world of football that what was seemingly an impossible scenario till last season is now a staring reality.
In the 2016-17 season, Álvaro Morata found his footing after a return to his boyhood club Real Madrid as he scored 20 goals and provided 6 assists in 43 appearances and helped them on their way to a Champions League and La Liga double.
Around this time, Lopetegui and Spanish fans became enamoured by Morata as he continued his fine goal-scoring form for La Roja as well. Although Morata delivered for Real Madrid whenever Zidane called on him, he was still designated as the second-choice striker to Karim Benzema whose goal stats were anything but impressive.
The unfathomable trust Zidane showed for his fellow Frenchman became a source of doubt for Morata, who was in search of more minutes. One thing led to another and he finally decided it was best to go somewhere else if he wanted more playing time to avoid jeopardising his claim for a national team spot in the forthcoming World Cup.
The next season, he switched to English champions Chelsea to replace fellow Spaniard Diego Costa, and reunited with his former boss at Juventus, Antonio Conte. He began his tenure at Stamford Bridge in an unconvincing fashion, missing the penalty which handed the Community Shield to Arsenal and then found it increasingly difficult to bag goals regularly, which is really the prime obligation of the league's most expensive striker.
The injury problems he faced near the end of this season meant he had to sit out some games. When he made his recovery, he couldn't hold a place in the lineup (notice the irony) as the new January signing, Olivier Giroud, overtook him in the pecking order.
The reputation of the man who is touted as the face of the new generation of the Spanish attack was tarnished in one poor season. Now in his absence, the veteran striker Diego Costa will once again lead the attack for Spain in the World Cup.
