16 players who could use World Cup to get a big tr...
Key takeaways
- It's the kind of spectacle that can launch careers and generate blockbuster transfers, as excitement over particular players will reach a fever pitch.
- For example, in 2014, Colombia's James Rodríguez won the World Cup Golden Boot and earned a €75 million move to Real Madrid.
- We've picked 16 players and split them into two categories: First are the young stars (aged 23 and under), all heading to their first-ever World Cup and hoping to boost their reputations on the global stage;
Why this matters: a sports story that could shift standings, legacies, or fan conversations.
It's the kind of spectacle that can launch careers and generate blockbuster transfers, as excitement over particular players will reach a fever pitch.
For example, in 2014, Colombia's James Rodríguez won the World Cup Golden Boot and earned a €75 million move to Real Madrid. Four years later, in 2018, Paris Saint-Germain forward Kylian Mbappé -- although already a household name in Europe -- became a globally recognized superstar thanks to his leading role in France's victory. So who is next in line?
We've picked 16 players and split them into two categories: First are the young stars (aged 23 and under), all heading to their first-ever World Cup and hoping to boost their reputations on the global stage; the second is for more established names, all of whom have won trophies before, but who could feasibly win a big move off the back of a great tournament.