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With the World Cup soon approaching much of the talk amongst fans and pundits alike has been concentrated on the superstars who carry their nations expectations on their shoulders. With the likes of Neymar, Ronaldo and Messi being the bookies favourites for the Golden Boot and player of the tournament respectivatley, the World Cup has always been a platform that has produced an unlikely stand-out player which has projected their status in the football world.
In Brazil four years ago, many will remember the rise of the Columbian midfielder James Rodriguez. His six goals saw him trump household names such as Thomas Muller, Messi and Neymar to the Golden boot and subsequently carry Columbia to the quarter finals. His performance in Brazil changed his life as within a week he was snapped up by Real Madrid.
But who is next to grasp the opportunity and use the World Cup to propel them into Footballs elite?
Davinson Sanchez (Columbia, Tottenham Hotspur)
When Tottenham Hotspur announced, they had signed a young Columbian Centre-Back for a record fee of £42 million from Ajax in August 2017 it raised a few eyebrows. Fast-forward 10 months to the World Cup in Russia and the 22-year-old Columbian is regarded as one of the Premier Leagues best Centre-backs.
With the acumination of elite attacking front threes in every big-name club across Europe, world-class defenders are in high demand with Manchester City spending £60m on Aymeric Laporte and Liverpool paying £70m for Virgil Van Dijk. Sanchez has shown his prowess and pace in being able to silence Europe’s elite forwards during the 17/18 season with him ousting Toby Alderweireld from the starting XI.
Columbia should surge past their opponents in Group H and progress to the Last-16 with ease and if Sanchez can maintain his club-form for his country he could be playing for one of the galaticos in the next few years.
Marcus Rashford (England, Manchester United)
When a fresh faced 18 year old marked his Manchester United debut with 2 goals in the Europa League and then followed it up with another double against Arsenal in the premier league many tipped the striker to take the premier league by storm.
His chances have been limited during the 17/18 season under Mourinho especially with the marquee signing of Alexis Sanchez from Arsenal in January. However, the world of football still recognised the young lion’s potential when he came 3rdin the Golden Boy Award.
Many English fans had expected Rashford to be a super-sub in Russia like he was used in 2016 at the Euros but his man of the performance and screamer against Costa Rica in the warm up game he is now a strong contender to start alongside captain Harry Kane. If Gareth Southgate picks Rashford to start in Russia and he repays his faith by showing the same form that was seen against Costa Rica then Rashford would return to Old Trafford being the first name on the team sheet for the 18/19 season.
Marco Ascenio (Spain, Real Madrid)
Like Rashford, Ascensio has already shown glimpses to the world of his potential for Real Madrid for the past two years. With Spain being renowned for creating the best attacking midfielders in the past decade, with the likes of David Silva and Iniesta playing an integral role in their World Cup win in 2010 and then the Euros in 2012, Marco could definitely fill that void left by the ageing midfielders.
Acensio will give that Spanish midfield who pass side-ways one to many times a sense of directness having gained a reputation in La Liga for being a direct player who scores from range. The Real Madrid youngster is one world class performance at an international tournament in securing his place as the Real Madrid cover boy and saving the president from being so eager to bring in a huge signing to replace Ronaldo and Gareth Bale
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Kylian Mbappe (France, PSG)
The then 18-year-old took the French Ligue by storm in 2016 by scoring 16 goals to help Monaco to their first league title in 17 years. His potential and loan to rivals PSG last summer has put him on the brink of breaking into that top-tier category of footballers that his French counter-part, Antione Griezmann, finds himself in.
His breakout season for Monaco and then his blistering form for PSG this season sees him boast two consecutive Ligue titles at the age of 19. He heads to Russia being one of the youngest players in one of the most talented French sides since the 1998 World Cup win.
Everything is set for young Kylian to succeed on the world’s biggest stage and complete his accent into that top tier. Financial fair play will see PSG sweating on his 200m euro transfer deal that is expected to go through this transfer window, with both Real Madrid and Manchester City being the only two clubs who could afford him if he proves to be the real deal in Russia.
Timo Werner (Germany, RB Leipzig)
Germany were left with a striking void needed to be filled after Miroslav Klose retired in 2014 but a 22-year-old Striker who has scored 47 goals in two seasons for newly promoted RB Leipzig looks set to fill the boots left by the World Cups all-time leading scorer.
Timo Werner has showed he is an excellent finisher who is strong on the ball and has that cool head in front of goal that cannot be coached into strikers, they either have it or they don’t and Werner definitely has it.
This will be the strikers first major tournament and tipped by the bookies as the 5thlikely to take the golden boot award with only world class players such as Messi, Ronaldo, Neymar and Griezmann ahead of him. If Werner is too live up to the expectations put upon his shoulders we could see him playing for one of the top European sides next season.
