The 22nd edition of the FIFA World Cup went on with a bang! As always, the FIFA World Cup is one of the best arenas to showcase great individual talent, and the 2022 FIFA World Cup is no different. It didn’t disappoint! We’ve seen many outstanding players this year. Some came as no surprise, like Messi and Ronaldo. However, some unexpected talents were shining bright in this year’s FIFA World Cup. Read for the list of top players of the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
1. Achraf Hakimi
The Ligue 1 club, Paris Saint-Germain’s right-back, scored the decisive goal to beat Spain in the Round of 16 to bring Morocco to the quarter-final. It is interesting to note that Hakimi is eligible to play for La Furia Roja as he was born in Spain. However, he felt that Las Rojas did not feel at home even though he had spent his entire childhood growing up in the streets of Madrid. Thus, he chose to represent Morocco, his parent’s country of origin. Hakimi said representing Morocco reflected the Arabic culture he was brought up with and made him feel he belonged. We can see now that it was a very good decision on his accord. He proved to be useful and skillful for his national team, beating a few tournament favourites like Spain and Belgium to reach this far. It is no wonder his Paris Saint-Germain teammate, Kylian Mbappe, regarded him as the ‘Moroccan king’. Hakimi’s story surely inspires Moroccans and immigrants all over the world. Let’s see if he can create more history for Morocco and North Africa.
2. Kylian Mbappe
Mbappe is no stranger to the FIFA World Cup after penetrating the spotlight in the previous World Cup by scoring four goals, including one in the final match against Croatia. And who can forget the prestigious award he was presented for his performance in Russia – the Best Young Player Award. 2018 was definitely the year for Mbappe. Four years have passed, and it still seems that nothing can stop him. He has been producing splendid performances consistently in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. To date, he has scored five goals in this year’s tournament and is in the running of taking the Golden Boot. What a time to be alive for Mbappe, as he is in the race for the Golden Boot and his second FIFA World Cup. It’s such a thrill seeing him on the field.
3. Jude Bellingham
Undoubtedly, the FIFA World Cup is the perfect arena to discover young talent. This year, we get to see Jude Bellingham, a 19-year-old English youngster, shine. Bellingham has shown just how crucial he is in the English squad. His intelligence and speed allow him to take control and dominate the midfield in the matches he has played. Not forgetting his role in England’s 6-1 win over Iran and opening the scoring for England’s 3-0 win over Senegal in the Round of 16. Bellingham proves that you can never be too young to play in the FIFA World Cup. He has become England’s youngest player to provide an assist and the youngest scorer at the World Cup after Michael Owen. Something that garnered a lot of praise from his English teammates and coach. He could just be the catalyst England needs to win the match against France in the upcoming quarter-finals.
4. Richarlison de Andrade
Move over Neymar, Brazil has another superstar taking over the stage, and it’s Richarlison. The 25-year-old Tottenham forward is turning heads and toying with defenders in this year’s FIFA World Cup. To date, he has scored three goals. That’s ahead of all his Brazilian teammates! Richarlison could be in a tight race with Kylian Mbappe for the Golden Boot. We have no doubt he has the potential to win the Golden Boot and is very likely to help win Brazil’s sixth FIFA World Cup. The first two goals from Richarlison were in Brazil’s 2-0 win against Serbia. Thanks to his alertness and speed, he managed to hit the rebound from Neymar’s shot from the left in the 62nd minute. He put himself on the score sheet yet again 11 minutes later with the jaw-dropping bicycle kick volley that is worthy of being the goal of the tournament. His third goal was against Tottenham’s teammate Son Heung-min’s South Korea. We’ve seen just how influential Richarlison is in his national team. He’s surely secured a permanent spot in the squad and is worthy of being Brazil’s No. 9.
5. Bruno Fernandes
Fernandes was heavily criticised for his poor performances, which caused him to be dropped by Portugal’s coach for their Round of 16 in the 2021 European Championship. One year later, he has redeemed himself and regained his position in the Portuguese squad after being the driving force Portugal needed in this year’s FIFA World Cup. No other Portuguese player has scored and assisted this many goals in a World Cup. With two goals and two assists in the group stages, Portugal coach Fernando Santos has regarded him as a game-maker. Let’s see what’s in store for Fernandes. Can he continue to outshine his teammate Ronaldo this year?
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