In this article, I wanted to highlight some of the young talents that I believe will have a massive impact at the World Cup. I wanted to include a mix of the main names as well as a couple of players that I believe could be flying under the radar.
Takefusa Kubo
Japan
Takefusa Kubo is a player whose academy reputation precedes him after playing in La Masia and then getting picked up by Real Madrid. However, it is common to see young players like Kubo fall by the wayside after being crowned as a star academy product. That said, Kubo is just 21 years of age and has finally found a consistent string of starts at Real Sociedad. This season he has gotten off to a fantastic start in LaLiga marking 2 goals and 2 assists in 10 starts and an additional 2 assists in his 3 starts in the Europa League. He is an extremely technical wide player with the ability to beat a man and pick out a line-breaking ball to unlock defenses. Due to his excellent start to the season in a fantastic footballing side like Real Sociedad, this World Cup could be Kubo’s chance to take his game to the next level.
Aurélien Tchouaméni
France
Aurélien Tchouaméni at just 22 years of age has found himself as a mainstay in Real Madrid’s midfield. This within itself is a massive accomplishment with the likes of Fede Valverde, Toni Kroos, Luka Modrić, and Eduardo Camavinga all vying for these positions. Tchouaméni is a deep-lying defensive midfielder with a great feel for positioning himself to break up play. Since coming to the Spanish giants from Monaco, there is only one word to describe his play on the pitch: comfortable. Whenever you watch the world’s best center defensive midfielders it always amazes me how easy the game comes to them and Tchouaméni seems to embody this quality. I would expect to see him starting as the likes of Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kanté will not feature in this French outfit. Tchouaméni is a young player that I believe will continue his meteoric rise to stardom in Qatar within a relatively depleted French midfield.
Jamal Musiala
Germany
It is hard to find the superlatives to describe Jamal Musiala’s form to start the season for Bayern Munich. He has amassed 9 goals and 6 assists in just 12 starts for Bayern in the Bundesliga this season with an additional 2 assists in 3 starts for the Bavarians in the Champions League. Musiala is a player that came up through the youth ranks at Chelsea and England before transferring to Bayern and declaring to play for Germany. As an attacking midfielder he plays the game with such pace and positivity it makes him a nightmare for opposition back lines. Expect him to play a major role in an intriguing German side that combines both youth and experience.
Josko Gvardiol
Croatia
It is rare to see central defenders show the quality that Gvardiol does at just 20 years old. Despite his age, Gvardiol possesses many of the tools required to be a great center-back. He is extremely athletic and strong while also being a fantastic ball-playing defender to fit the modern game. He has excellent distribution out of the back and his defensive acumen is only going to improve with time. He has helped RB Leipzig reach the knockout stage of the Champions League through his four starts in the competition. If Croatia is to repeat any of the magic of their 2018 campaign in Russia, Josko Gvardiol will need to be at the heart of that defense.
Jude Bellingham
England
This list would not be complete without the 19-year-old English starlet: Jude Bellingham. The young box-to-box midfielder from Birmingham has been nothing short of phenomenal since his arrival at Borussia Dortmund. His dazzling form has continued this season, most notably by propelling BVB into the knockout stage of the Champions League with his 4 goals and 1 assist in 5 starts. Bellingham is one of the most sought-after young talents in the world with his ability to do just about anything on the pitch. He can attack, defend, create, and he has tireless energy for 90 minutes. I expect Bellingham to have a sensational tournament and I’m sure we will see him boss the English midfield for many years to come.
How could you NOT include THE LEBRÓN JAMES OF SOCCER in this? This list sucks, yungboy better