Which players will come out of the shadows to excite the world at the FIFA World Cup in Russia? The 2018 edition promises to offer excitement and thrills, and in all likelihood, someone unknown to even your regular soccer fans will put on a show and become something of a household name.
Who will it be? Here are 12 possibilities for breakout star of the tournament.
1) Hirving Lozano, Mexico
Pretty much everyone is expecting big things from the 22-year-old in Russia this summer, as he’s expected to burst onto the scene as one of El Tri’s key players. That’s a lot of pressure, but there’s plenty of reason to believe the forward is up for it. Nicknamed “Chucky,” Lozano scored 19 goals in all competitions for Dutch side PSV this season, quickly becoming a fan favorite. He’s been widely tipped as a future star who will end up at one of Europe’s bigger clubs, and this is a chance to show it.
2) Sergej Milinkovic-Savic, Serbia
Milinkovic-Savic will not be unknown for long, as a big-money transfer to one of Europe’s biggest clubs — Manchester United is frequently cited as a favorite — looks inevitable this summer. First, though, he has a chance to lead Serbia in the World Cup. He’s a true box-to-box player with an eye for goal, having scored 14 times for Italian side Lazio during the club season. That said, he’s rather inexperienced at this level. He’s a somewhat new entrant to the Serbia side, having made just four appearances for his country heading into the World Cup. He’ll be expected to assert himself quickly.
3) Kylian Mbappe, France
Mbappe is well-known — he is, after all, the world-record transfer among teenagers — but he’s still known more for what he could become than for what he is now. Playing for a France side regarded as a pre-tournament favorite to win it all could give him the platform to truly establish himself as an immediate star, not just a star of the future. He’s scored three goals in his last four friendly appearances and should be a focal point of the French attack at just 19. It’s his time to shine.
4) Goncalo Guedes, Portugal
Guedes looked like he was on the way to stardom last year, but he’s had to revive his career after a move to Paris Saint-Germain turned out to be ill-fated. He’s done so on loan at Spanish side Valencia, and now he’s being looked at as one of the key pieces of the Portuguese squad alongside Cristiano Ronaldo. Viewed as Ronaldo’s potential heir apparent, he’s scored twice in preparation for the World Cup and is capable of scoring and creating. He has the ability to give Ronaldo and Portugal the boost they need to have a big tournament.
5) Timo Werner, Germany
Germany is filled with stars, but Werner isn’t quite among them yet. That may not last long. Just 22, he’ll be relied upon to do a lot of scoring for the defending world champions, who are tipped by many to have a good shot at winning again. Thus far, Werner has not disappointed, having scored eight times in 14 games for his country, including three at last year’s Confederations Cup that put him firmly on the map. Propelling Germany to further World Cup glory would certainly do a lot for Werner’s resume.
6) Gabriel Jesus, Brazil
Another player who has long been touted as a star of the future, the likes of Real Madrid battled to bring Jesus to Europe, but Manchester City won the race and have been reaping the rewards since. He’s already scored 20 goals for his club and will be asked to play second fiddle to Neymar for Brazil, where he has scored 10 goals in 17 international appearances. He’s so good and so well-regarded that he’s keeping the more experienced Roberto Firmino out of Brazil’s starting lineup. He has a chance to do some real damage in Russia this summer.
7) Alireza Jahanbakhsh, Iran
The star of Iran’s attack, Jahanbakhsh has proven himself at club level with Dutch side AZ Alkmaar, where he was the league’s top scorer last season with 21 goals. He also produced 12 assists, making him a threat to both score and create. Iran likes to keep it tight defensively, but with a creative player such as Jahanbakhsh, they have the ability to steal a goal at the other end and perhaps surprise some observers in Russia.
8) Hakim Ziyech, Morocco
Another unheralded player from the Dutch league, Ziyech will probably be one of the most gifted passers at the World Cup. Creating goals and opportunities for teammates is his bread and butter, and he’ll be relied upon to orchestrate much of Morocco’s attacking threat. Ziyech is likely to leave club side Ajax this summer, and a big Would Cup could come with a very big move if he plays to his potential, even though he’s in a tough group with Portugal and Spain.
9) Cristian Pavon, Argentina
Pavon was a rather late entrant to Argentina’s World Cup plans, but the 22-year old has struck up a good rapport with Lionel Messi, which is always vital when you’re playing as an attacker for Argentina. He can score and create, and he has shown that he’s not too young or inexperienced for the level that Argentina will be playing at. The thing that could hold him back this summer is playing time, as Argentina has so many attackers that it may be tough to fit him into the side. Whenever he’s been in it, though, he’s produced.
10) Pione Sisto, Denmark
Born in Uganda but raised in Denmark, Sisto announced himself to the club world by tearing Manchester United apart in the Europa League in 2016. Two years later, he’s since moved to Spanish side Celta Vigo, and will be looking to make a similar impact on the international scene this summer. The winger is quick and evasive, a nightmare for defenders in one-on-one situations, and capable of scoring a goal or creating one for a teammate. Along with Christian Eriksen, he’ll be key to Denmark’s hopes. He certainly has the skill to help steal a game.
11) Rodrigo Bentancur, Uruguay
He’s already moved to Juventus at the age of 20, and now Bentancur looks set to start for a Uruguay side that could well push past the group stage and into the knockout rounds. He has the potential to be a complete midfielder who can score, pass, and win back possession for his team, and he’ll be given the opportunity to put his full set of skills on display in Russia. With elite scorers in Edinson Cavani and Luis Suarez set to play ahead of him, he’ll have a lot of opportunity to play provider.
12) Christian Cueva, Peru
A bit older than some of the other names on this list, Cueva is nonetheless a player worth watching. The Peruvian midfielder isn’t well-known outside of South America, but the gifted creative midfielder could certainly change that in this World Cup. Capable of picking out a pass that can split a defense and even doing some scoring himself, Cueva will be at the heart of Peru’s attacking play, and he could surprise many with his high-level play.
