There’s another summer tournament around the corner and this time it’s the Confederations Cup held in Russia. It’s a competition in which plenty of young talent is set to shine, so here are five of the players you must keep an eye on. They include the current Golden Boy of Russian football, a spring-heeled Cameroonian goalkeeper and a lightning quick German striker.
#5 Aleksandr Golovin – Russia
There’s not a great deal of young talent coming through in Russia right now, but in Aleksandr Golovin, there is a special talent that is likely to be the poster boy for football in the country. First at the Confederations Cup, and then with the idea of him being the face of the World Cup which is also held in Russia in 2018.
Golovin, the reigning Russian young player of the year, will be integral to any success his country have in both tournaments. For CSKA Moscow he’s been excellent in the league, playing regularly and becoming a key part of the system. The hope is he can do similar with his nation.
The 21-year-old has often been situated on the wide left of midfield but has also shown the ability to feature in central areas with much success. Though not blessed with great pace, the player does possess plenty of skill and intelligence when on the ball. Rather than using speed to outfox his marker, it’s more touch and timing that Golovin relies upon.
The pressure of being Russia’s next Golden Boy, a tag once held by Alan Dzagoev - a player Golovin is often compared with - will be intense. How Golovin handles it may determine which way his career goes even at this tender stage.
#4 André Silva – Portugal
Not since the days of the record-breaking Pauleta have Portugal had a true out and out striker to call their own. Of course, Cristiano Ronaldo’s presence has been helpful in recent years but there has always been a desire for a centre-forward to lead the line.
In Andre Silva, the Portuguese may have the forward player to lead on their next exciting generation. Silva is no frills and is very much about poaching instinct and penalty box ruthlessness. His overall game may need work but there are flashes of ability that simply can’t be taught. The Confederations Cup represents the first opportunity for the 20-year-old to show his capabilities at an International tournament and signs are positive for him turning up.
Indeed, the Porto man has seven goals in his last seven games for the senior Portuguese side and will arrive in Russia as the form player for his team. Interestingly his emergence has also seemingly boosted Ronaldo, with the Real Madrid man having much of the goalscoring burden eased off himself.
#3 Hirving Lozano – Mexico
The Mexican winger has become something of a hot topic in the European press of late, as rumours swirl over a move to one of the major leagues. Manchester City have been mentioned, while Celta Vigo would like to bring him to La Liga. Whatever happens, the 20-year-old could be set to have even more admirers if he can shine in Russia. So far Lozano has been an impact sub in the full Mexican setup, with coach Juan Carlos Osorio taking great care of this potentially huge talent.
With Carlos Vela and Jesus "Tecatito" Corona in wide positions at the moment and offering greater balance, it’s understandable that Osorio is showing patience with Lozano. Indeed, he’s more of a directly attacking minded winger, blessed with raw pace and masses of skill.
His recent cameo off the bench against Honduras highlighted just how much of a talent he is, as he opened up the opponents’ defence time and time again - before notching a goal. At the Confederations Cup, however, Lozano is set for a starting berth and could be ready to light up the tournament.
#2 André Onana – Cameroon
He may only be in his first season with Ajax but Andre Onana has already made a name for himself. A product of Samuel Eto’s football academy, the goalkeeper moved to Barcelona but didn’t stay around long due to a lack of chances.
Ajax, however, did not hesitate to move for the Cameroonian however and have now had also immediate rewards. Onana has proved to be a vital cog in the Ajax works, showing strong ability with his feet - a highly valued attribute within the Dutch club.
The 21-year-old has no problems when in possession of the ball, and looks to take pressure off his defence at any opportunity. He’s not bad with his hands either though… Onana kept 20 clean sheets in all competitions last season, including seven in away games. For Cameroon, he’s very much the future number one and with Carlos Kameni now 33 years old. Expect plenty of agility and rapid movement across his line, while also some serious shot-stopping.
#1 Timo Werner – Germany
Despite an incredible depth of talent at the Confederations Cup, it’s Timo Werner who is set to be the standout star for Germany in Russia. Werner this past year became only the fifth player in Bundesliga history under the age of 22 who has scored at least 19 goals in a season. He’s fully expected to take that form into the summer and lead Germany’s charge, in which they come with a luxury squad.
Records have fallen at the feet of Werner, who amongst many things, can lay claim to being the youngest Bundesliga goalscorer for VfB Stuttgart, youngest player to score a brace in the Bundesliga and youngest player with 50 Bundesliga appearances. A switch to the ambitious RB Leipzig only brought Werner more time in the spotlight, and Germany manager Joachim Löw decided to reward the young forward in March as he made his debut for the reigning world champions.
Werner’s style is very much based on his explosive pace and natural striking instincts. He’s someone you don’t want to be in a one vs one situation with nor give up a yard of space too. Such is the speed of the striker he’s able to run down and stretch defences on his own. The 21-year-old is set to lead the German attacking line in Russia so expect him to be on the receiving end of plenty of chances.
