The domestic leagues have only just begun and we’re off on an international break already. And here at SBOTOP we’re making the most of it as we enjoy the CONMEBOL World Cup action and Euro 2024 games on offer.
The best football nations are all in action and that means there will be an array of stars on show in Europe and South America, so look out for the biggest names in the game as they pull on the shirts of their nations and go into battle.
Kylian Mbappe
France have already taken a huge step towards Euro 2024, winning their first four Group B games and they lead the group by six points. They could extend that lead to nine points if, as expected, France beat the Republic of Ireland and the Netherlands beat Greece. They follow that up with a friendly game against Germany before the players return to their clubs.
While Les Bleus’ Euro 2024 results have been perfect so far, they still have some work to do and will put a full strength side out against Ireland, to include Paris Saint-Germain captain Kylian Mbappe. Once again Mbappe has been linked with a host of clubs this summer, notably Real Madrid, but he remains at the Parc des Princes for the time being. His electric pace, brilliant dribbling skills and lethal finishing has brought him 40 goals in 70 games for Les Bleus and he’s hunting down France’s top scorer of all time, Olivier Giroud, who has 54.
It’s simply a matter of time.
Lionel Messi
Mbappe is yet to rule the world but Argentina skipper Lionel Messi has done just that, winning the World Cup and countless domestic awards, including a record seven Ballon D’Ors. Messi has scored 103 goals in 175 appearances for his country and is highly likely to add to them when the Albiceleste play Ecuador and Bolivia in the CONMEBOL World Cup qualifiers next week.
Messi is now playing in the USA and ripping up the Major Soccer League with Inter Miami where he says he has rediscovered his love of the game, which is great news for Argentina fans and less so for the supporters of Ecuador and Bolivia.
Harry Kane
For Mbappe in France and Messi in Argentina, read Harry Kane for England. The Three Lions Talisman has been one of the finest strikers in world football over the past decade. He is both Tottenham Hotspur’s and England’s top scorer of all time, scoring over 350 times for club and country.
The London boy’s recent move to Bayern Munich couldn’t have gone much smoother and he has scored three goals in three games for the Bavarians where he is sure to win some silverware, which cruelly evaded him in a decade and a half at Tottenham. The Euro 2024 betting odds back the 2021 finalists to go deep into the next competition and if Kane keeps firing they have a great chance.
With a qualifier away to Ukraine followed by a friendly with Scotland, Kane is a good bet to add to his 58 England goals.
Romelu Lukaku
With 75 goals in 108 internationals there is little argument that Romelu Lukaku is one of the very best in the business, though his club career hasn’t always gone so smoothly. His domestic highlight was a Scudetto win with Inter Milan, but an underwhelming return to Chelsea in 2021 saw the powerful forward lose momentum and he didn’t always fire for I Nerazzurri when he returned to Milan, on loan last year, scoring ten goals.
Now the Belgian striker has just moved to Roma on loan and he made a 20 minute appearance in I Giallorossi’s 2-1 defeat to AC Milan on Friday. Lukaku needs to find his best form again and the Red Devils’ upcoming games against Azerbaijan and Estonia will give him a big chance.
Rodri
I‘m going to buck my own trend with my fifth selection of the mega-stars to watch over the next two weeks. I’m focussing away from goal scorers to look at a midfield maestro in Spain star Rodri.
The Manchester City defensive midfielder is undoubtedly one of the very best operators in world football and his play has been transformed since he moved to the Etihad Stadium from Atletico Madrid in 2019. At 27 years of age Rodri is coming into the prime of his career and, in a squad packed with world class talent, he is one of the first names on Pep Guardiola’s team sheet. Rodri is a tall, strong player who is hard to beat in the tackle or in the air and he has added goals to his game, already scoring twice this season. Spain play against Georgia and then Cyprus next week and they will be one of the favourites to win Euro 2024. Rodri is a leader and, if the current crop of men is to follow up on the success of Spain’s Women’s World Cup winners, he is sure to play a big role.
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