Saturday, June 16, 2018
FFB 18.02 "Rising Stars to Watch"
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[ Foster's Football Brew:  Euro 2012 | Euro 2016 | WC 2018 ]

[ ARG | BRA | COL | EGY | FRA | GER | POR | URU | Rest ]

ARGENTINA doesn't have a stand-out rising star, and certainly no one closely resembling the next Messi. And there's the rub...the sun is setting on La Pulga and his generation, and they'll have to win with the usual suspects.  Two unproven youngsters I should mention would be Giovani Lo Celso and Paulo Dybala.  At age 24, Dybala is a mainstay striker for Juventus, scoring 22 goals in 33 matches.  But with Argentina, he has but 8 caps, and his natural position is occupied by a moored teammate...Leo Messi.  Perhaps he gets at least one substitution opportunity during the World Cup round robin stage...a small window of time to generate an impact.  Lo Celso, on the other hand, may not even make an appearance.  Only 22 years old, the midfielder notched 4 goals in 32 PSG appearances this season...this rising talent may have to wait til 2022 to make an impact on Argentina’s fortunes.

BRAZIL.  Getting a roster spot for this team is tough, given the depth of quality Brazil produces.  So, it's no coincidence the bulk of starters surrounding Neymar are in their primes, aged mid 20's to late 30's. Players who've proven themselves at the club level are a who's-who of solid footballers, including Casemiro (Real Madrid), Coutinho (Liverpool/Barca), Fernandinho (Man City), Firmino (Liverpool), Marcelo (Real Madrid), Willian (Chelsea), and the list goes on.

So, did Brazil's manager bother nabbing any up-and-coming youngsters to join this crowded class of established talent?  Yes, but just one, the 21 year-old Gabriel Jesus.  A regularly starter in place of the oft-injured Sergio Aguero at Man City, Jesus is a quick and capable striker with 13 goals in 19 starts and 10 substitute appearances last season in the EPL.  With almost as many combined goals & assists per minutes played as Aguero, let’s hope we see him get a start or two during this World Cup.  There will certainly be opponents or game-time situations calling for the services of Brazil's speediest forward.

COLOMBIA has the only rising star I’m tracking this World Cup who plays defense.  Davinson Sanchez is a high-paid recent signing of Tottenham (EPL).  Aged just 22, he’ll be part of a fortified Colombia back line.  Although not in the most glorious position, Sanchez is a key component to protecting the South American hopeful’s chances.

EGYPT:  This country’s team may not spark initial interest, but if you’ve followed the EPL or European Championships, then you’ve probably heard of Mohamed Salah.  Regardless, Egypt’s games are a MUST watch!  Coming off a shoulder injury after netting a near-record 32 goals in the EPL this season, I expect to see Mohammed Salah start or sub against Russia and Saudi Arabia.  He is the closest thing to “the next Messi” I have seen, able to change direction on a dime, keeps the ball glued to his feet, executes set pieces superbly, finishes easy opportunities, and always ends up in the right place at the right time during broken plays to score improbable goals.  He’s a humble competitor leading an underdog everyone wants to root for…and I predict he will lead them to the knockout stage, second in Group A behind Uruguay.      

FRANCE is a team loaded with young talent.  By now, most of you are familiar with Paul Pogba, Antoine Griezman, Raphael Varane, and Blaise Matuidi.  The new name that will match if not outshine the luster of that list is rising star striker Kylian Mbappé.  The second youngest player in the entire tournament, the 19 year-old has already made an impact at his club team Paris St. Germain (PSG), helping them win the French Ligue 1 this past season.  Expect Mbappé to notch a few goals linking up with wingman Griezman with assists from Pogba.

GERMANY lost some key veterans, and with them a lot of on-the-field leadership since winning the last World Cup.  While much of that championship team’s core remains, a few newbies have been added to this squad.  One player who wasn’t included as a mere back-up, 22 year-old Timo Werner (Leipzig) is a legit starting forward.  He’s the fastest-paced striker on the roster, and with 8 goals in just 14 caps for Germany, watch for him to combine with Thomas Mueller as the highest-scoring duo in the World Cup.  Werner might be the top rising star of the 2018 tournament.

PORTUGAL.  Portuguese football is synonymous with Ronaldo.  But who are the teammates he needs to finally hoist the World Cup Trophy?  Some of them are established veterans Pepe, Bruno Alves, and Joao Moutinho.  Yet there are two emerging stars who already proved to be the difference makers in Portugal's first World Cup match against arch rival Spain - William Carvalho and Bernardo Silva.

The former, who goes simply by "William", was a beast.  He won every aerial challenge that came his way, securing more possession for Portugal.  William was also instrumental in ball distribution and defensive duties.  Currently playing at Sporting Lisbon, he'll surely get picked up by a bigger-ticket European club looking for a bruising midfielder reminiscent of Yaya Touré.  In a complimentary role, the 23 year-old Bernardo Silva adds an extra dimension of offense to Portugal’s traditional defend-and-counter style.  The fact that Silva recently landed a big role - occasional starter and regular sub in midfield at Manchester City under Pep Guardiola - says a lot about his talent and potential growth.

After their effort against Spain, I may have to take back what I said about Portugal being a Pretender more than Contender.  The level of aggression and attack mode Portugal employed compared to the Euro 2016 will make them more entertaining to watch and a lot more dangerous with the likes of William and Silva supporting the GOAT CR7.

URUGUAY have a more formidable team than in 2014, thanks to a new style and refreshed attacking talent in the midfield.  Newbies Federico Valverde (Deportivo La Coruña on loan from Real Madrid), Rodrigo Bentancur (Juventus), and Matías Vecino (Internazionale) join the brightest of the group, Nahitan Nández.  The 22 year-old star at Boca Juniors will have the eyes of many European club scouts on him in Russia.  Nández will be the catalyst enabling Luis Suarez to notch a bundle of goals in the 2018 World Cup.  In the first game against Egypt, Nandez and Bentancur were most impressive for Uruguay.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

-Mexico:  Hirving Lozano (Forward, Age 23)

-Poland:  Piotr Zielinski (Midfielder, Age 24)

-Senegal:  Keita Balde (Forward, Age 23)

-Serbia:  Luka Jovic (Forward, Age 20)

-Switzerland:  Breel Embolo (Forward, Age 21)

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Next Issue of FFB:  FALLEN STARS.  I'll mention some previous rising stars that were mysteriously (or otherwise) left off their countries’ World Cup Rosters in 2018.. ...
Eric