The World Cup is football's largest collection of stars coming together representing their home countries, and battling it out for the ultimate prize. However, among so much talent on display, there a few handful of players who will shine and seize the moment.
These 10 players listed below are players who I am looking forward to watching this summer, and who I think, are worth keeping an eye on.
There is no question about it, Marco Asensio is a stud. He's young and talented, and has yet to crack into Real Madrid's starting lineup, but his talent is on display whenever he is on the field. He scored 17 goals and 6 assists last season in his breakout year, and is on his way to matching those numbers this year with 9 & 6, with limited appearances. He has a knack for scoring bangers and showing off his wide array of skills moves. Although he may not crack the starting 11 for Spain, but he will make plenty of highlights and make this Spain squad fun to watch.
More than a year has passed since Pogba's world record transfer, €105 million (or $128 million) to
Manchester United. With 12 goals and 15 assists so far in his Manchester career, the stats may not show the whole story: he is a crucial part of the midfield when he holds the ball in center of the field and makes plays. His unique mix of skill, vision, and physicality makes him very valuable for the team. He also has a talent for creating highlights with or without the ball, making him a fun player to watch. After winning the Best Young Player award in the 2014 World Cup, he'll look to make it within the top XI of the tournament, and being a huge part of France's success.
Neymar Jr is looking more and more everyday as the heir to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the near future, as he keeps improving consistently every year. He no longer has the flashy hairstyles or plays with a egotistic personality, now and carries himself with a chip on his shoulder and keeps a determined look on his face every time he touches the ball. At 25 years old, he's looking to lead Brazil in dominating fashion, trying to take this Brazil team to glory after the embarrassment against Germany last World Cup. Neymar will have a huge impact on this tournament, taking center stage and setting the table for the future, with his dazzling skills and unique talent.
These 10 players listed below are players who I am looking forward to watching this summer, and who I think, are worth keeping an eye on.
10. Marco Asensio
There is no question about it, Marco Asensio is a stud. He's young and talented, and has yet to crack into Real Madrid's starting lineup, but his talent is on display whenever he is on the field. He scored 17 goals and 6 assists last season in his breakout year, and is on his way to matching those numbers this year with 9 & 6, with limited appearances. He has a knack for scoring bangers and showing off his wide array of skills moves. Although he may not crack the starting 11 for Spain, but he will make plenty of highlights and make this Spain squad fun to watch.
9. Mohamed Salah
Mohamed Salah has broken out of nowhere for Liverpool, leading a deadly attack of Salah, Mane, and Firmino. He's come alive with 25 goals and 7 assists for Liverpool in all competitions, and its only January. With his blistering pace down the left wing, he's been compared as the "Egyptian Messi" by fans, he outruns all defenders and always makes the right play inside the box. As leading goal scorer of CAF qualifying for Egypt and named BBC African Footballer of the Year, we can all hope he keeps this form as he leads Egypt in their first World Cup in 30 years.
8. Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe was a surprising talent that exploded last year for Monaco and emerged as the future of French football at only 18 years old. He led the attack (alongside Falcao) for Monaco, and they won the league, behind Mbappe's 21 goals and 15 assists in all competitions. After a surprising summer move to PSG, he has continued where he left off, with 15 goals and 11 assists so far this season. This summer will be Mbappe's first World Cup, and at the age of 19 there will be a lot of pressure on his shoulders. He may not have high scoring numbers, but we hope to see an exciting debut as he eases into spotlight of the World Cup.
7. Radamel Falcao
This is Falcao's first World Cup in his career, as he missed the 2014 World Cup due to a devastating ACL injury. It was a heartbreak to him and all the Colombian fans who had to watch their star player sit out the entire tournament. After his injury, he could never reach his previous form that he reached in Atletico and Monaco before the knee injury. But fast forward to 2017, he came roaring back to life with 26 goals for Monaco, and added that final spark to push Colombia to qualification. Now in 2018, El Tigre has scored 20 goals for Monaco and looks to lead Colombia this summer at the age of 31.
6. Gabriel Jesus
Everyone knows Gabriel Jesus' story: he went from painting the streets of Sao Paolo four years ago to now becoming a star for the national team. This story only makes us root for him more, hoping the underdog came make a splash this year. He is an electrifying player for both Brazil and Man City, and I believe he will score some great goals this summer. As he led all scorers with 7 goals in CONMEBOL qualifiers and added 4 assists, I think he could do the same in this summer as a possible Golden Boot candidate.
5. Harry Kane
Harry Kane transformed himself in 2017, scoring 56 goals in total for the entire calender year. Yes, 56 GOALS. Those 56 were enough to edge out Lionel Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo to be goalscorer of the year. Yes, for the first time in 8 years, someone was able to dethrone these two legends of football, and Harry Kane will continue tearing it up in 2018. As he's elevated himself to a world-class forward, he will only become more exciting to watch and I'm hoping he puts on a show as he leads England and tries to bring home the Golden Boot.
4. Paul Pogba
Manchester United. With 12 goals and 15 assists so far in his Manchester career, the stats may not show the whole story: he is a crucial part of the midfield when he holds the ball in center of the field and makes plays. His unique mix of skill, vision, and physicality makes him very valuable for the team. He also has a talent for creating highlights with or without the ball, making him a fun player to watch. After winning the Best Young Player award in the 2014 World Cup, he'll look to make it within the top XI of the tournament, and being a huge part of France's success.
3. Cristiano Ronaldo
Cristiano Ronaldo is a world-class forward, an impressive physical player that has a skill for banging the ball into the back of the net. He's pretty much beaten any goal-scoring record that can possibly exist, from Portugal all-time leading goalscorer, to Real Madrid all-time goal scorer, to most European goals, to countless other European & Champions League records and titles that will stand in place for years to come. There should be no explanation really why Ronaldo is on this list, and although currently Ronaldo is having a tough season, we're in safe hands knowing he'll show up again in Russia this summer.
2. Neymar Jr
Neymar Jr is looking more and more everyday as the heir to Messi and Cristiano Ronaldo in the near future, as he keeps improving consistently every year. He no longer has the flashy hairstyles or plays with a egotistic personality, now and carries himself with a chip on his shoulder and keeps a determined look on his face every time he touches the ball. At 25 years old, he's looking to lead Brazil in dominating fashion, trying to take this Brazil team to glory after the embarrassment against Germany last World Cup. Neymar will have a huge impact on this tournament, taking center stage and setting the table for the future, with his dazzling skills and unique talent.
1. Lionel Messi
There's no question about it: Messi is the greatest player in the world. Thus, he is fully deserving of being first on this list. Messi will live up to the inhuman standards he sets himself to every year, and this year will set the bar even higher for himself as he tries to lead Argentina to a World Cup for the first time since 1986, and thus trying to cement his legacy as the greatest to ever play. Messi will have to find that extra gear inside of him to finally push Argentina to a trophy, after devastating final losses in three straight competitions, losing to Germany in 2014 and consecutive Copa America defeats to Chile in 2015 and 2016. Maybe this summer Leo Messi and Argentina can finally lift the trophy they have been desperately waiting for.
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