French news agency AFP has compiled a list of five players who will be the most worth following in the upcoming World Cup.
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With three weeks to go until the FIFA World Cup, questions still remain about the fitness of some key players. Meanwhile, French news agency AFP has compiled a list of five players who will be the most worth following in the upcoming World Cup. Moreover, among the many players from 48 countries participating in this World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico, all eyes will be on these five stars.
Now we will discuss these five players.
Kylian Mbappe (France)
Mbappe has a great opportunity to become the top scorer in World Cup history. But this opportunity has been created, in the tense situation he has spent in recent times for Real Madrid. The 27-year-old player has not been able to win a single title since joining Real. He has been empty-handed for two seasons since joining the Spanish giants.
Recently, questions have also been raised about Mbappe's dedication to the game. The way he celebrated his holiday while injured has been criticized. However, the international break that is coming now may have come at the right time for Mbappe. This may be what he needs.
He was just a teenager when he played for France in the 2018 World Cup. That was the occasion when he first gained great fame. At that time, France also became the champion. Four years ago, France was defeated by Argentina in the final on a penalty shootout. Mbappe is only four goals away from the record of 16 goals held by Germany's Miroslav Klose.
Erling Haaland (Norway)
Norway is playing the World Cup again after a 28-year wait. In the process, a player like Haaland has also got the opportunity to play in a major international tournament for the first time. The Manchester City striker has scored 16 goals in 8 European qualifiers for Norway. This includes Norway's two victories against Italy.
With such performances, Haaland's number of goals has reached 55 in 49 international matches. Among the current players of the Norwegian golden generation, he is the face that the whole world will win. There is also another player like Martin Odegaard in the Norwegian team. That is why many consider the Norwegian team to be a 'dark horse' in this World Cup.
But to do justice to this image, Haaland will have to perform at the best of his playing career. On top of that, Norway has been placed in a difficult group this time. That is, Group 'I', which includes France and African champions Senegal. That is why the first goal for Norway this time is to get through this group and reach the knockout stage.
Vinicius Junior (Brazil)
Neymar's return to the Brazilian team is now all the talk. But Junior will be the key player for Brazil. Who will get more chances, Neymar or Junior, will largely depend on coach Carlo Ancelotti. But many predict that Junior will be more beloved by him than Neymar.
Junior is ahead of Real in playing the best this season, probably even ahead of Mbappe. He has the opportunity to become an all-time hero for Brazil in this World Cup. If this happens, he will be the candidate to win the next Ballon d'Or. Again, this is the award that Junior is yearning for.
Real and other team players boycotted the awards ceremony when Rodri won the award for Manchester City in his place two years ago. At that time, he performed well in the European Champions League. But so far, his junior performances for Brazil have not done justice to his reputation. He has only 8 goals in 47 caps for Brazil.
Harry Kane (England)
Kane is not only the captain of the English team, he is also the all-time top scorer. He is probably playing the last major tournament of his playing career this time. If not, this could be his last chance to win the World Cup. He has been in great form for Bayern this season.
He has scored 58 goals in 50 games for Bayern as they won the Bundesliga. Bayern itself did not reach the Champions League final, stopping in the semi-finals. England has also recently become a candidate for the title in major tournaments, but the team has not been able to win a single major title in 60 years.
England has been without a title since winning the World Cup on its own home turf in 1966. One fear about Kane now is that these players may be tired from playing continuously for a long time. Bayern must also understand this, and have given him less time on the field. One reason for this is that they are sure to win the Bundesliga.
Lamine Yamal (Spain)
Yamal is a player who has become a big star since the 2024 Euro. He performed a sensational game for Spain in that tournament. But recently this player has been injured. Now he is trying to completely get rid of his hamstring injury. The 18-year-old has not played for Barcelona since April 22.
It is understood that he will miss two of Spain's league matches. These will be against Cape Verde and Saudi Arabia. So it may not be too stressful for Spain. Lamine has been in fine form for Barcelona at the start of the season. His 24 goals were crucial in Barcelona's second consecutive league title.
Spain will likely not have a difficult time in the knockout stages of this World Cup. But the team's main concern will be the knockout stages. By then, Yamal will be fully fit and can make a significant contribution to the team. If Spain is to be considered a strong contender for the World Cup title this time, his strong presence will be essential.
