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One of the great things about the FIFA World Cup is the stage it provides for young and relatively lesser known players to showcase their talent to the world.
A single match can change a player's life and make him a household name; good performances in the World Cup ensures that you become a global superstar.
This year the World Cup has many such young talents, who could stand up and make the world notice them, such as these three superstars who became household names after their phenomenal performances in the three previous editions of the World Cup.
2014- JAMES RODRIGUEZ|(COLOMBIA)
A year before the World Cup in the year 2013 James had moved to Monaco from Porto along with Joao Moutinho in a combined deal. Though considered talented he was still 22 at the time of the transfer and was seen more as a star of the future. With a good season for Monaco, which saw him lead the assists chart in Ligue un he was still a relatively unknown player when he entered the World Cup in 2014 playing for Colombia.
He started the World Cup in sizzling fashion with two assists and a goal in his opening game against Greece winning him a man of the match award. He continued this form in the next game against Ivory Coast with a goal and an assist along with another man of the match award. In the final group game against Japan he was bought on as a substitute in the second half and managed to score one and assist two goals making sure his team qualified to the next stage of the tournament.
The game that really changed his life around was against Uruguay in the Round of 16 where Colombia beat Uruguay 2-0 with James scoring both goals in the match the first of which was one of the finest goals ever scored in a world cup, a volley from outside the box. That goal also went on to win the Puskas award for the best goal that year. James won the man of the match again making it three awards in four games, but more importantly James Rodriguez became a superstar on that night.
In the following match against Brazil, Colombia lost 2-1 with James scoring the goal for Colombia, but unable to take his team further in the tournament. He finished the World Cup with six goals which led him to win the Golden Boot Award given to the person who has scored the most goals in the world cup, despite only playing until the quarterfinals.
After the tournament, James was signed by Real Madrid for a fee around £70m making him the fourth most expensive signing until that time.
2010-THOMAS MULLER (GERMANY)-
Thomas Muller signed his first professional contract with Bayern Munich in February 2009, he was was expected to be loaned out at the start of the 2009 season, but Louis Van Gaal was appointed the new coach of the team and decided against that and gave Muller a chance in the first-team. He played a full season for Bayern, but had only one senior cap to his name before the start of the World Cup.
He got his second senior cap in Germany's final warm-up match before the 2010 World Cup, despite this; he started Germany's first match against Australia and scored. He started all the remaining games in the group stages as Germany qualified with ease. The match that made the world sit-up and take notice was in the round of 16 against England where he was phenomenal, he scored twice and assisted one as Germany beat England 4-1.
In the quarterfinal game against Argentina, he scored the first goal of the game which Germany won 4-0 against a very good Argentina side. Unfortunately for him he received a one-match suspension due to a second yellow card in the tournament and was suspended for the semi-final match against eventual winners Spain. He returned for the third place play-off game against Uruguay and scored the opening goal while also winning the man of the match award making sure Germany finished with a bronze at the 2010 World Cup.
Muller finished with five goals at the World Cup which won him the Golden Boot Award. He also was awarded the best young player of the tournament award all at the age of 21.
He managed to repeat his feat and score five goals at the 2014 edition of the World Cup winning the silver boot in the process.
2006-LUKAS PODOLSKI (GERMANY)-
Unlike the other two players on the list, the 2006 World Cup wasn't actually his first major tournament with the national team. He was in the team for the EURO 2004, but made only one substitute appearance in the entire tournament. He made his debut for the national team at the age of 19 in a friendly against Hungary becoming the first second-division player to play for the German national team since 1975. The reason he was relatively unknown before the World Cup was that, despite his talent he was playing for his boyhood club FC KOLN who had jut been relegated again from the top division of the Bundesliga at the end of the 2005-2006 season having just been promoted two seasons prior to that even though Podolski managed to score 12 goals that season for the team.
Podolski started the first game for the World Cup partnering Miroslav Klose upfront and was terrific playing from the left-side of the attack. He managed to score his first goal at the World Cup in the third group match against Ecuador where Germany qualified for the round of 16.
In the round of 16 game against Sweden, Podolski was the best player on the pitch scoring both goals in a victory for Germany. Podolski scored two goals in the first 12 minutes of the game becoming only the third player to ever-do so in a World Cup match and the first since 1962. Germany eventually finished third in the tournament with Podolski scoring three goals throughout. He was awarded the best young player award at the tournament beating the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi.
After the World Cup, it was announced that Podolski will be moving To Fc Bayern from where he went on to play for Arsenal in the premier league.
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