While Russia prepares for the coming World Cup, the rest of the world are already talking about the coming games that await them in the group stages. The nations have been drawn, and the managers are already working out their gameplans for every country they will face.
Some of these plans will surely play around a select crop of players. Men that can affect an opposing formation just by dribbling the ball forward. They can impact the World Cup groups with a single pass or shot attempt made on a whim.
Let’s browse through every single group and see which men should you pay attention to in the tight World Cup schedule.
Group A: Mohamed Salah, Egypt
There’s hardly any question that Mohamed Salah is the one to keep an eye on in Group A.
While Egypt aren’t the biggest team in the group, his feats on the pitch have made him a player to watch out for as well. He has played so well for Liverpool that he is inspiring Reds fans and Muslim children.
His biggest competition in Group A is arguably Uruguay striker and Liverpool alum Luis Suarez. The Barcelona target man wants to redefine his legacy after his embarrassing biting incident in Brazil and will mount a fierce resistance.
Group B: Cristiano Ronaldo, Portugal
It seems a bit unfair that I am giving preferential treatment to Cristiano Ronaldo when almost every single player in Spain could be chosen. However, this little nugget is what makes Ronaldo special in my eyes.
CR7 has been doing his best in lifting an undermanned Portugal team in international competitions for the longest time. He will surely be a problem for every nation they will face in Group B. Even Spain, a team full of players who are familiar with Ronaldo’s dominance, will find it hard to contain the cocky attacker.
Just like what Angelo mentioned in his piece, this World Cup may be Ronaldo’s last. With this in mind, it is understandable if people will keep their eyes on Portugal’s No 7. After all, we may never see a player like him again.
Group C: Paul Pogba, France
France are heavy favourites to hoist the trophy, and Paul Pogba is the key that Didier Deschamps’ camp needs for the victory.
Pogba has been nothing short of brilliant for Manchester United, but his inconsistent streak has brought frustration to Jose Mourinho time and time again. Deschamps needs to make sure that Pogba would be able to play well as the anchor of the entire formation in order to help France reach the final.
It may seem like France has a troublesome star in their hands, but it’s a good problem to have. The Premier League knows all too well that he is hard to stop once he finds his groove. After all, he also enjoys being judged on a different plane.
Group D: Lionel Messi, Argentina
Lionel Messi has been blessed with team-mates who thrived in Europe, but he hasn’t delivered important trophies back to his home nation. His lack of international successes has only deepened the wedge that already existed between him and his home country.
Again, he is coming to Russia with one of the most talented World Cup teams. He has Gonzalo Higuain, Sergio Aguero, Manuel Lanzini, Nicolas Otamenti and Javier Mascherano to call as team-mates. While it may be unfair to lump all of the responsibility on him, it is his destiny to carry it all.
It is fate that the one who cases the ghost of Diego Maradona is to be burdened by such weights.
Group E: Neymar, Brazil
While Messi is carrying the world, Neymar is free to solely focus on winning the World Cup.
The Canarinha found a bit of closure after avenging their embarrassing loss to Germany during their March friendly. He can now focus on recovering and making sure that he is at his best by the start of the tournament.
Anyone who took notice of PSG’s season knows that Neymar will be a pain to deal with in the competition. Despite playing only 19 games in his debut Ligue 1 campaign, he scored 19 goals and got 13 assists. Costa Rica, Switzerland and Serbia better plan how to contain his prolific attacks.
Group F: Son Heung-Min, Korea Republic
Germany are easy favourites to cruise through this group, given the number of talented players they have. However, the one man to watch will not be coming from them.
Son Heung-Min will be leading a Korean side that appears to be outclassed by every single country in their group. They will likely struggle in every game they play, but we can expect Tottenham’s Son to push through and force the issue down the middle for Korea Republic. He is likely the only thing that is keeping the Taegeuk Warriors dangerous.
Group G: Eden Hazard, Belgium
There are a lot of talented players in this group. England alone have several stars that can leave their marks.
However, Eden Hazard is still the man to be mindful of among the players in this group. The Chelsea lynchpin is one of the few bright spots in a rather disappointing title defence for the Blues, and Les Diables Rouges can expect the same quality of performance from him on the international stage. Even Neymar mentioned him as one of the players that will thrive in Russia.
The mere thought of him working with Romelu Lukaku and Michy Batshuayi on the attack is enough to make England supporters break into a cold sweat.
Group H: Robert Lewandowski, Poland
The two standout men in this group are Bayern Munich team-mates: Robert Lewandowski and James Rodriguez. However, the one thing that puts the Polish striker above the Colombian in my book is their gravity in the team.
While James is an important figure for La Tricolor, there are several attacking options that can score the football. Radamel Falcao and Carlos Bacca are two of Colombia’s prolific attackers that can attract opposing defences.
Meanwhile, Lewandowski holds an irreplaceable spot on the Eagles’ roster. He alone scored 16 of Poland’s 28 goals during their qualifying campaign. They could be watching the World Cup at home if it wasn’t for him and his knack for scoring.
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