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The FIFA World Cup is arguably the biggest sporting competition on the face of this planet, and the one with the highest stakes.
On this unforgiving stage, reputations can be made and lost, and careers can change radically.
Normally experienced veterans are preferred for each country as winning games is the most important thing.
However, certain youngsters make their mark on the tournament, most often the Young Player Award recipient.
Irrespective of the fact whether they succeed in the future or not, their performance at the World Cup is recognised.
This award is a hugely prestigious one for any young football player hoping of making it to the top. On that note, here are the top five Young Player Award winners at the FIFA World Cup.
#5 Lukas Podolski (Germany) - Germany 2006
This was Podolski's first World Cup at the age of 21. He played as a left winger but he drifted inside to form a front two with Miroslav Klose.
His tendency to make dangerous runs bore fruit for Germany. He scored his first goal against Ecuador in the group stage.
A brace followed as he scored both the goals in a 2-0 win over Sweden in the round of 16.
Podolski starred in the German unit which was beaten in the semi-final by eventual champions Italy.
His tournament prompted German giants Bayern Munich to sign him for the following season.
Eventually, Podolski did win it all with Germany in 2014 in Brazil.
#4 Michael Owen (England) - France 1998
Michael Owen, 18, was just a teenager when he made England's squad for the 1998 World Cup. He became the youngest player to play for England in a World Cup when he made his debut against Tunisia as a substitute.
In the next match, Owen made another substitute appearance, netting the equaliser against Romania. England faced Argentina in the round of 16 and Owen started the game.
He was fouled for the penalty which Alan Shearer converted to give England the lead.
Then he gave his side the lead with a sensational solo goal as he beat two men before unleashing a fierce strike.
Sadly for him, England would go on to lose the game but his performance did not go unnoticed.
In 2013 the goal was voted as the third-best in England's history. He scored it when he was a teenager. Absolutely amazing.
#3 Franz Beckenbauer (West Germany) - England 1966
Beckenbauer was playing in his first World Cup in 1966 but it certainly did not seem so. Playing as a defender or a midfielder, he netted four goals as West Germany reached the final, only to lose to England in controversial circumstances.
He scored a brace against Switzerland on his World Cup debut. He also netted crucial goals in the quarter-final and the semi-final, against Uruguay and the USSR respectively.
Eventually, he would go on to skipper his country to glory in 1972. Later he would taste World Cup success again as manager of West Germany in 1990.
#2 Thomas Muller (Germany) - South Africa 2010
Muller was arguably Germany's best player at the 2010 edition of the tournament, as he scored five goals and had three assists and took away the Golden Boot award at the tender age of 20.
Germany achieved a third-place finish as they narrowly lost to eventual champions Spain in the semi-finals. Muller was sensational throughout for the Die Mannschaft throughout the tournament.
His first goal came against Australia in the group stage. He netted two against England in the round of 16, one against Argentina in the quarter-final and one against Uruguay in the third-place play-off.
Muller certainly came of age in South Africa and he would go on to play a vital role in the 2014 title-winning campaign in Brazil.
#1 Pele(Brazil) - Sweden 1958
Pele was just 17 years old going into the 1958 World Cup in Sweden and few if any could have imagined the impact he would go on to have. He was ruled out of the first two games due to a knee injury.
He made his debut against the USSR in the third group stage game when he was the youngest player ever to play in a World Cup match. Pele made his mark immediately, recording an assist.
In the quarter-final against Wales, he scored the only goal of the game to send Brazil through. The semi-final saw the true explosion of Pele. He scored a hat-trick in a 5-2 win over France to propel Brazil to the final.
In the final, he scored a brace, as Brazil demolished hosts Sweden 5-2. Some way to announce yourself on the international stage, isn't it?
