It's been over four years since we've had the pleasure of watching the greatest footballers on the planet battle it out on the global stage. Now, we're just over a week away from the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar and the excitement is quickly building. In this piece, we're looking at 10 players in particular who are a must-watch in arguably the biggest competition in all of sports.
10 Players to Watch at 2022 FIFA World Cup
10. Vinicius Junior, Brazil
At just 22 years old, Vinicius Junior has blossomed into one of the brightest young talents in the world. The Real Madrid frontman played a massive part in Los Blancos winning the Champions League last season and will be suiting up for his very first FIFA World Cup with Brazil, the favorite to win the entire tournament. The Selecao have an extremely loaded attack full of quality but Vinicius will undoubtedly play an integral part. He's in fine form right now too, scoring six goals and providing three assists in La Liga while also netting four times in six UCL appearances. This is his chance to shine on the international stage.
9. Harry Kane, England
England was a semi-finalist in the 2018 FIFA World Cup in Russia, ultimately losing to Croatia in extra time. Talisman Harry Kane ended up winning the Golden Boot, scoring six goals in the tournament. Four years later, the Tottenham Hotspur star will be key for Gareth Southgate's men once again. He's already firing on all cylinders domestically, scoring 11 goals in 14 EPL appearances. The Three Lions typically struggle to score goals when it matters most and while their attack has lots of talent from the Premier League, no one is as important as Kane. He's the man who almost always finds a goal in a crucial moment for his country. They'll need his brilliance.
8. Alphonso Davies, Canada
Alphonso Davies might not be a massive name at this point, but the youngster from Canada has surely made his presence felt for Bayern Munich over the last few years. He's easily one of the best left-backs in the world and an absolute nightmare for oppositions thanks to his blistering pace and abilities in the final third. For the Canucks, Davies actually plays in a more forward position and has thrived doing so, starring for his country in World Cup Qualifying. John Herdman's side is in a very difficult group alongside Belgium, Croatia, and Morocco and no one is giving them much of a chance. If they're going to find any results in Qatar, Davies is going to be a crucial factor. The 22-year-old suffered a hamstring injury recently with Bayern but it's not expected to hinder his availability for Qatar. Thank goodness for Canada.
7. Kevin De Bruyne, Belgium
Arguably the best-attacking midfielder on the globe, Kevin De Bruyne is the standout name on the Belgium Red Devils' 26-man squad. The golden years of this team have unfortunately passed, but they're still a threat to make some noise at the FIFA World Cup. De Bruyne is the man who pulls all the strings in the middle of the park and is also capable of brilliance in front of goal with lightning in both of his boots. Romelu Lukaku is questionable to feature until the knockout stages, which means Michy Batshuayi is likely the option up top for Roberto Martinez. But with De Bruyne finding the pockets of space and threading passes in the final third, Belgium can certainly win their group. He's the ultimate game-changer, as we've seen for years at Manchester City. Just ask Erling Haaland, who is benefiting from his world-class playmaking on a weekly basis.
6. Neymar, Brazil
You can't talk about Brazil and not mention Neymar. The PSG star is a wizard with the ball at his feet and continues to flourish this term with the Ligue 1 giants, already scoring 11 goals and providing nine assists. Neymar also bagged eight goals and laid on another eight in World Cup Qualifying for the Selecao as they went unbeaten. The striker sometimes disappoints his country, but there is no question he'll be relied upon to do great things, even with so many stars around him in the final third. Neymar will be the focal point regardless, even without Kylian Mbappe and Lionel Messi by his side.
5. Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
How can you discuss the FIFA World Cup and not mention Cristiano Ronaldo? Sure, he's not loving life at Manchester United right now and struggles to even make an impact when on the pitch. But, we're talking about Ronaldo, a legend of the game and a superstar for his country. He's the all-time leading scorer with 117 international goals since making his debut with Portugal in 2003 and even led them to glory at the 2016 Euros in France. When it comes to the World Cup, they've yet to go all the way and while Cristiano isn't scoring goals at the rate we're so used to seeing, he's always key for Portugal. Can he produce the goods and help his nation top Group H? We shall see.
4. Robert Lewandowski, Poland
No one is expecting Poland to do much in the FIFA World Cup. They're capable of making it to the knockouts but don't exactly possess the quality to go a long way in Qatar. But, the Poles do have a star in leading man Robert Lewandowski, who is their most reliable goal-scorer. He's smoothly transitioned into life with Barcelona after leaving Bayern last summer, scoring 13 goals in 14 La Liga outings. In qualifying for Qatar, Lewa scored nine and assisted another nine. The entire country of Poland will be praying Lewandowski can bring his best form to Qatar. It wouldn't be a surprise to see him scoring lots of goals in the group stages.
3. Karim Benzema, France
The 2022 Ballon d'Or winner, Karim Benzema went from being axed from the France National Team due to a legal scandal to an absolute superstar. He was nothing short of outstanding for Real Madrid across the last year, single-handedly keeping them alive in the Champions League on numerous occasions en route to another title. He scored over 40 goals across all competitions last term, but it hasn't been the same in 2022-23. After playing a ton of minutes, the Frenchman saw fatigue set in, suffering a muscle injury that's limited him to just one appearance for Los Blancos since mid-September. But, Les Bleus boss Didier Deschamps still selected Benzema for the FIFA World Cup and believes he'll be ready to roll by the time November 22nd comes, their first game against Australia. With a frontline also consisting of Kylian Mbappe, France can do serious damage if Benzema and Mbappe are firing on all cylinders. Plus, winning the Ballon d'Or will put lots of eyes on the Real Madrid standout.
2. Lionel Messi, Argentina
Argentina won the Copa America in the summer of 2021, much in part to Lionel Messi. In his last World Cup, he'll be looking to take his country to the Promised Land. Following a lackluster first season at PSG to his standards, Messi is looking a mile better in 2022-23, scoring seven goals and tallying 10 assists already in Ligue 1, while also netting four in Europe. Messi is in top form at the moment and headlines a strong Argentina squad that has lofty aspirations for the FIFA World Cup. Alongside Cristiano, these are arguably the two best players ever and their last chance to grab that elusive trophy. Messi's heart and soul will be on the pitch each and every game in Qatar and there's no telling what he can do.
1. Kylian Mbappe, France
Surprise, surprise. Kylian Mbappe is after all the highest-paid player in the world and the heir to Ronaldo and Messi's throne. But, with Erling Haaland right beside him of course. Mbappe starred on the FIFA World Cup stage in 2018 as he scored four times in seven games for Les Bleus, who beat Croatia in the final. That was the first glance at Mbappe's god-given abilities and since then, he's developed a lot more. He's already banged the back of the net 18 times this season for PSG and headlines a very talented France squad. Their midfield is in trouble without N'Golo Kante and Paul Pogba, but the quality up top is hard to ignore.
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