From Gakpo to Estupinan: The hidden gems of FIFA World Cup 2022
England’s Jude Bellingham, Germany’s Jamal Musiala, Spain’s Pedri and Gavi were already among the known faces when they boarded the flight to Qatar to participate in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.
But like always, lesser-known youngsters have also caught the eye with their lightning performances over the last couple of weeks.
From 21-year-old Goncalo Ramos, who scored a hat-trick in Portugal’s 6-1 thrashing of Switzerland, to American midfielder and skipper Tyler Adams to Netherlands’ forward Cody Gakpo and host of other names have emerged as the top transfer targets with their displays. Here’s a look at the players who have impressed in the World Cup so far.
Cody Gakpo
Age: 23
Country: Netherlands
Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Forward
Even before the World Cup, the Netherlands international was tipped to join Manchester United thanks to his scintillating start in the Dutch league with PSV which has seen him score nine goals and provide 12 assists in 14 games.
His price tag has sky-rocketed with his performance in Qatar which saw him become the first Dutch player to score in his first three World Cup matches. He usually operates on the left side of the forward line for PSV but Louis Van Gaal has used him more centrally. He has adjusted quickly and the Dutch have reaped the rewards.
With a brilliant header against Senegal, he has shown that he is good in the air, and with his feet when he ran through a maze of Qatari defenders around him to curl it past the goalkeeper.
Mohammed Kudus
Age: 22
Country: Ghana
Club: Ajax
Position: Attacking midfielder
Ghana skipper Andre Ayew describes him as the one with a "bright future". Coach Otto Addo is impressed with his pace and "good game intelligence". And his performance hasn't gone unnoticed. He was being linked to Barcelona, Manchester United and Liverpool among others.
This has been a breakthrough year for Kudus, who till last year was a fringe player for Ajax. This season he has broken through and grabbed attention with his performance in the Champions League which has seen him score four goals in six games even as Ajax were ousted in the group stage.
He is not short on confidence as well. While speaking to The Guardian in Doha last week, he said: "He's (Neymar) not better than me. He's just a higher-profile player, that's all.”
Tyler Adams
Age: 23
Country: United States
Club: Leeds United
Position: Defensive midfielder
That United States coach Gregg Berhalter’s handed him the captain’s armband shows how highly he is rated in the team. He was the youngest skipper in Qatar and during USA’s stay in the competition, he has impressed with his skills.
Fellow players hail him for the maturity he shows on the field and that showed in the robust shift he put in the midfield in the group stages, especially in a goalless draw against England and in 1-0 win over Iran which paved their way to the round of 16.
He joined Leeds United at the start of the season but there are already talks of him moving to a bigger club next season. So impressive he has been in Qatar that he has been put in the same league of top-class defensive midfielders as Casemiro, N’Golo Kante and Thiago to name a few.
Rafael Leao
Age: 23
Country: Portugal
Position: Forward
Club: AC Milan
He may have come in as a substitute in all four matches for Portugal but even in that limited time, he has impressed with the pace he possesses while playing on the left wing.
Born in Almada, Portugal, he moved the AC Milan from Lille at the start of 2019-20 season and since then his stock has been on the rise. Last season, when AC Milan won the Serie A title, was a breakthrough one for him which saw him score 11 goals and provide 10 assists in the league.
He has carried that form into the current season which has seen him score seven goals and provided nine assists in 20 matches in all competitions for the Rossoneri. He has been heavily linked to move to Chelsea next season if not in the upcoming winter transfer window.
Pervis Estupinan
Age: 24
Country: Ecuador
Club: Brighton
Position: Left-back
The Ecuadorian left-back was full of energy as he went up and down the field throughout the three group games. Not only was he good while attacking, he also wasn’t afraid to put in gutsy tackles when required. A player is judged by how he performs against top teams and he was electric against the Dutch during their 1-1 draw.
He may be playing at Brighton but top clubs have already noticed the work rate he puts in and Serie A or La Liga clubs are ready to swoop in if top Premier League clubs don’t show any interest.
Disclaimer: The copyright of this article belongs to the original author. Reposting this article is solely for the purpose of information dissemination and does not constitute any investment advice. If there is any infringement, please contact us immediately. We will make corrections or deletions as necessary. Thank you.
