The World Cup may be an international tournament, but a player who does well can put themself in a great spot with their club team. So many young players are looking to step up on the big stage, and if successful, they could see more playing time or cash in on a big money transfer or contract on the club side.
Some of these players you know. Some of these players you may have heard of but not seen very much of. And some of these players you may not know. Nevertheless, these five (technically six) have a great chance to break out as a star at the World Cup:
Jude Bellingham – England
Jude Bellingham is on the cusp of making his big-time move to a top club team, and if the 19-year-old midfielder has a great World Cup, the price will only climb for Liverpool, Real Madrid, or someone else to obtain his services from Borussia Dortmund. The England National Team has a surplus of talented young midfielders, and that competition will make Bellingham even better.
Alphonso Davies – Canada
This is dependent on whether or not Alphonso Davies actually plays, given his hamstring injury. But if he does play, he’ll be an impact player for Canada. He’s already had a decorated club career with Bayern Munich, but this is the first time the 22-year-old takes charge of a team on the big stage. This is Canada’s first World Cup since 1986, and Davies is an important part of that.
Gavi/Pedri – Spain
One is 19, the other is 18. Both are midfielders. Both play for Barcelona. Gavi and Pedri are two dynamic players who can be the future of the Spanish National Team for the next 15 years. If they get on the pitch, their journey to stardom can start with this World Cup.
Takefusa Kubo – Japan
This could be the time for Takefusa Kubo to make a name for himself. For the amount of skill he has, he’s been rather under-appreciated. Bouncing around from Japan to Barcelona, back to Japan as a youth, then going back to Spain at Real Madrid as an adult. Well, Kubo hopped around various La Liga teams before residing at Real Sociedad. A great World Cup could be huge and make some top clubs have some regrets.
Aurélien Tchouaméni – France
The oldest player on this list at 22, Aurélien Tchouaméni is someone who’s currently experiencing his breakout on the club scene, recently transferring from Monaco to Real Madrid. He has momentum and will be playing for the defending World Cup champs. That could be a recipe to shine.