The soccer World Cup will kick off on June 14th, and many players hope to make an impact. I already shared my thoughts on the key men for each nation, most of whom are established stars with stellar reputations.
One of the cool things about this tournament, though, is that there are often young players who enter stardom during the World Cup. A good example of that was James Rodriguez in 2014. The Colombian fascinated the world with his performance and became the top scorer of the competition.
This earned him a transfer to Real Madrid. Despite a rather tough period there, James still plays at the highest level after joining Bayern Munich this season.
And this is only one example of a star that was born at the World Cup. I’m pretty sure the same will happen in 2018, too.
In this post, I try to predict which young players have the potential to shine during the tournament.
I will start with one of the most obvious picks. Leroy Sane is only 22, but he has already shown how good he is in the Manchester City squad. The boy can dribble, assist, and score goals for fun. And he has done it against some strong opponents, too.
It won’t be easy for Leroy Sane to win a starting spot in Germany’s team, as it is packed with talent. However, the young winger certainly has the potential to become one of the stars of the World Cup.
Another reason for that is that his country is among the strongest teams in the competition. Playing alongside the likes of Toni Kroos and Mesut Ozil will help any young player, so Sane will have enough help.
Timo Werner is another young German who has already impressed at the international stage. He was given the chance in the Confederations Cup in 2017 and repaid his coach by scoring three times and assisting twice.
Germany has been missing a striker that is on the same level as the other attacking positions in the team, and Werner might be the answer. He’s a natural finisher that has already scored 7 goals in 12 starts from Germany.
The 2018 World Cup could well be the tournament where Werner underlines his importance to the team even further.
The right back of Liverpool, Trent Alexander-Arnold is having the time of his life. The youngster managed to make the position his own at club level and is preparing to face Real Madrid in the Champions League final. If he starts this game, he will become the youngest player in Liverpool’s history to start a European final.
He also won a spot in the England squad for the World Cup. I don’t think even he believed that such a rapid rise could happen this season, but he’s certainly deserved the opportunity.
The English manager, Gareth Southgate, has indicated multiple times that he will count on young players, and the shape of each member of the squad is what matters the most. If he backs up his words, Alexander-Arnold should be in the starting lineup.
The only problem is that it’s hard to make an impact from the right back, and the current English generation is not that good. Still, Trent Alexander-Arnold definitely has the potential to shine at the World Cup.
Despite some good moments in Manchester City, Kelechi Iheanacho was sold to Leicester, where he is not that efficient. A lot of people believe that he won’t live up to his talent because of that, but I beg to differ.
Playing for the Foxes is hard, as they don’t create many chances, and the guy simply has a different playstyle. Imagine switching from the likes of De Bruyne and David Silva around you to Leicester – no disrespect. It would take anyone some time to adapt, especially at the tender age of 20.
Despite only playing only 14 times, Iheanacho already has 8 goals for his country. The forward could be lethal if the rest of his team can provide him with the opportunities.
The big issue is that Nigeria is in one of the toughest groups of the World Cup. The Super Eagles will face Argentina, Croatia, and Iceland, all of which are challenging opponents.
Iheanacho could still show his talent, though, and I expect him to lead Nigeria to at least an honorable performance in the tournament.
It would be hard to create a list of promising young players and leave Gabriel Jesus out. The Brazilian forward has scored 20 goals for Manchester City this season and also has 9 in 15 games for his national team.
Many believe Jesus is the next big thing, and they certainly have a point. It would be hard to find another player with such flair. However, the youngster is also remarkably efficient.
Unlike many South American players who flatter to deceive, Gabriel Jesus is a lethal goal scorer who is not afraid to put his foot where it might hurt, too.
It’s a set of skills that makes him one of the best young players in the world, and this tournament is a chance for Jesus to prove that beyond any doubt.
Davinson Sanchez will turn 22 just 2 days before the World Cup starts. The young defender joined Tottenham last season and already has 40 games for the club.
He has earned the trust of Mauricio Pochettino with a bunch of solid performances and has helped Tottenham concede only 28 times in the EPL. This was the second-best defensive record in the league last year, so Sanchez has clearly been doing something right.
You won’t see many young players excel in defensive positions because experience is crucial. Sanchez is one of the few exception, though, and he could certainly help Colombia go far in the World Cup.
I can’t help but admit that I love Marcus Rashford and see tons of potential in him. The young lion is technically gifted, bold, and always gives his best.
Unfortunately, his current club manager, Jose Mourinho, is not the best at developing young talent. Just see how he treated Mo Salah and Kevin De Bruyne in the past.
He didn’t give those players much of a chance when they were under his management, but they have both subsequently become genuinely world-class players.
Despite not playing regularly, Rashford still has a place in the England squad. I believe he will get chances to play, too. Many people expect skipper Harry Kane to be the country’s biggest threat, but I can easily see Rashford stealing the show in Russia.
It’s time to address the elephant in the room and talk about Kylian Mbappe. I’ve honestly rarely seen such raw potential as what’s been shown by the Frenchman in his breakthrough season for Monaco. His speed, his dribbles, and the ability to finish at will made him an instant star.
PSG won the war over his signature last summer, and this is where the striker player is right now. His first season for the club was hardly as good as expected, but Mbappe has still shown his class at times.
In fact, the club president stated he won’t be sold for even a billion euro.
France is stacked with a lot of attacking talent, but Mbappe should be given some chances. Considering how strong the country’s squad is, it would be no surprise to see them go all the way, and Mbappe could contribute a lot.
I’m sure a lot of people will be disappointed that I didn’t include other players. There are certainly more youngsters that have the potential to impress in Russia, but I decided to focus on the ones who are expected to play for their countries.
For example, Barcelona’s Ousmane Dembele is an exceptional talent, but can he get any minutes for France? He won’t be able to shine if he’s not given the opportunity, and the same applies for any young player.
In the end, you never know in soccer. I could be completely wrong about the players I’ve discussed.
I’m pretty sure that they’ll have opportunities, though, and they all have what it takes to make an impact. Will they fulfill their potential? We’ll know soon enough!
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