The 2022 World Cup is almost at the knockout stages, but which players have impressed so far?
We’ll ignore the likes of Argentina‘s Lionel Messi and France‘s Kylian Mbappe, who are already well known as the best players in the world, and focus on those younger stars whose performances have elevated them to a different level.
Before the tournament, we ran through the best prospects under the age of 23 and a number of those — England‘s Jude Bellingham, Brazil‘s Rodrygo and Germany‘s Jamal Musiala among them — have shone bright in Qatar. But with an eye on the January transfer market in a month’s time, which players have boosted their chances of a move with their efforts at the World Cup?
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Cody Gakpo, 23, attacking midfielder/forward, Netherlands / PSV
The World Cup has proved a coming-of-age experience for the American midfielder. Going into the tournament, his dynamic ball-carrying and quick, practical technique were well documented from his time in LaLiga, but he’s shown himself to be a hard worker with a magnificent attitude. Creatively there’s more to come from Musah in this tournament, yet his inspirational display against Iran — he closed down space and hustled the opposition (24 challenges) until he ran out of steam in the dying minutes — showcased an attitude worthy of a top player.
Enzo Fernandez, central midfielder, 21, Argentina / Benfica
Though Argentina boss Lionel Scaloni may have been economical in utilising the Benfica midfielder so far, Fernandez has still offered a momentum-changing impact. Aside from his goal against Mexico — a lovely curled effort from the edge of the box — he’s been everywhere; winning headers and tackles, adding quality and creativity on the ball, and making energetic bursts from central areas. Despite having only moved to Portugal from River Plate for €12m in the summer, the interest in Fernandez is not likely to diminish ahead of the next transfer window as he is starting to look like a potentially top-class midfielder.
Tajon Buchanan, 23, winger, Canada / Club Brugge
Facing Mexico in the opening fixture, the Poland centre-back — who was a left-back at youth level — put in a confident and assured display on his World Cup debut. Alongside veteran Kamil Glik, Kiwior dealt well with crosses, anticipated danger early and made fine use of his mobility to keep up in one-vs.-ones, while also showing the mental alertness to swiftly execute blocks. When playing out from the back, the Spezia defender tends to opt for low risk passes without any unnecessary flamboyance. As Poland came under siege against Argentina, he turned up at the right moment with a crucial goal line clearance.
Josko Gvardiol, 20, centre-back, Croatia / RB Leipzig
Having arrived in Qatar with a reputation as one of the top young defenders in the game, the 20-year-old Croatian has hardly put a foot wrong in the opening matches. His quality on the ball is impressive — the 115 touches against Morocco show how he is trusted to play out from the back — and he has operated with the authority of a player far beyond his years. Focused and determined, Gvardiol enters challenges with maximum conviction and, even at this stage of his career, he seems to have a “fear factor” to put off the opposition. With Man City, Chelsea, Juventus and other elite European clubs interested, he is destined for a big move soon.
Mohammed Kudus, 22, attacking midfielder, Ghana / Ajax
