There is no bigger stage to showcase your talent than the World Cup.
Lionel Messi and Kylian Mbappe were already household names before heading to Qatar, therefore their exploits were to be expected. However, at every World Cup, there are a handful of players who either come from nowhere or send a burgeoning reputation sky-high.
Some superstars in the making are already on the books of big-name European clubs, while others can expect their agents’ phones to be running hot after lighting up the tournament. Our team of writers highlight six players who have grabbed the opportunity to demonstrate their star quality in Qatar with dazzling performances for their countries.
Jude Bellingham
England
Age: 19
By John Cross
Jude Bellingham established himself as a player on the biggest stage at this World Cup. The Borussia Dortmund midfielder was one of England’s star turns as he dominated games, showed his class and proved exactly why he has been such a sensation in the Champions League.
It is so easy to forget that Bellingham is still only 19 because he has such maturity on and off the pitch. He looks a certain future England captain and has already shown great leadership qualities, consoling team mates and barking out orders.
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His best moments were against Senegal, the reigning African champions. England were labouring, struggling even, and then Bellingham took the game by the scruff of the neck. This is a World Cup last-16 tie, let’s not forget.
Bellingham drove forward from midfield, he played a part in the two goals before half-time which changed the course of the game. That is his quality, on the biggest stage, and it shows how he can dominate and why he is already the most sought-after young midfielder in Europe.
Aurelien Tchouameni
France
Age: 22
By Andy Dunn
For someone who signed for Real Madrid from Monaco in the summer for £85million, Aurelien Tchouameni had already announced himself in club football. But the 22-year-old French midfielder told the world about his stellar talent with a series of impressive box-to-box displays for the World Cup finalists, as England know to their cost.
His stunning goal in the quarter-final set up the French win and the young man who got his chance because of injuries to Paul Pogba and N’Golo Kante has been a star of the tournament. French pundits believe Tchouameni made for the loss of both of those blue-chip players, combining the tall elegance of Pogba with the work-rate of N’Kante.
No wonder Mbappe was said to be very disappointed when Tchouameni chose Real Madrid over PSG - and Liverpool - earlier this year.
Goncalo Ramos
Portugal
Age: 21
By Matthew Dunn
What a way to win an argument! With Cristiano Ronaldo and Portugal coach Fernando Santos at loggerheads, the latter played his last desperate card – consigning the global legend to the bench.
That only works if there is something capable of stepping into the shoes of the national hero – and it turns out Goncalo Ramos was the perfect fit. Despite having just 35 minutes of previous international football under his belt, he hit the floor running, scoring against Switzerland in the last-16 match within 17 minutes. Two more in the second half completed a memorable hat-trick.
It was enough to earn him a start in the quarter-final but, with Portugal chasing the game against Morocco, he was taken off after 69 minutes. Speculation immediately went into overdrive that he could be Ronaldo’s replacement at Old Trafford as well but Manchester United will not be moving too quickly in January as he has a £100m-plus release clause in his Benfica contract.
The 21-year-old has time on his side, however, and if the Portuguese club are prepared to cut a deal in the summer, Erik Ten Hag will be just one of a number of suitors.
Dominik Livakovic
Croatia
Age: 27
By Neil Squires
The Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper emerged as a genuine home-town hero in Croatia’s run to the semi-finals. Livakovic was the penalty king of the tournament, twice inspiring the 2018 finalists to victory in the knockout stages.
Four shootout saves in the tournament equalled the World Cup record. After saving three against Japan, the only Croatian-based player in the starting line-up then helped eliminate Brazil by denying Rodrygo from the spot.
It was down to Livakovic that Croatia had taken the game so far in the first place ,with his 11 saves in the 120 minutes against the Brazilians taking the match to extra time.
In the end, he could not stop Lionel Messi and Argentina - but he was not alone in that. At 27, Livakovic is no spring chicken but his performances on the biggest stage will surely have alerted some of Europe’s biggest clubs.
Azzedine Ounahi
Morocco
Age: 22
By Jeremy Cross
Ounahi was at the heart of Morocco's shock run to the World Cup semi-finals to announce himself on the greatest stage of all. The midfielder has relentless energy and wonderful passing ability.
Little wonder he earned a new fan in the shape of former Spain boss Luis Enrique, after Morocco dumped the European giants out of the competition. "My goodness, where does that boy come from?," said Enrique. "He plays like the Spanish players. I was very surprised. He hasn't stopped running, he must be exhausted."
Ounahi actually comes from Casablanca - and just 18 months ago was an unknown toiling away in the third tier of French football. But a move to Ligue 1 club Angers changed all that and he's never looked back.
His performances have alerted a host of leading clubs, with Leicester and Leeds among those interested in signing him. Angers chairman Said Chabane said of Ounahi: "Is the phone ringing? It's ringing quite a lot. You know very well that we can't hold back a player who wants to leave."
Julian Alvarez
Argentina
Age: 22
By Chris McKenna
A lot is made of the millions spent by Pep Guardiola and Manchester City to win Premier League titles. But the £14m they stumped up on this Argentina ace could be the best value they’ve ever got.
Alvarez, at 22, looks set to take the throne of his country’s talisman when Lionel Messi walks away. He scored four goals at the World Cup and was the perfect supporting act for the main man in Lionel Scaloni’s team.
It was 10 years ago that he was posing alongside Messi as a fanboy in awe of his hero. On Sunday, he helped his idol and Argentina win their first World Cup since 1986. It’s a remarkable journey but he’s only just getting started. City and Argentina have a superstar on their hands.
