A few futbol players to keep an eye on…
You don’t have to be a fan of soccer to enjoy the World Cup. I think of it a little like the Olympics: I may not regularly watch alpine skiing, but for a few weeks every four years? Sure, I can be all in.
The same can be true of the World Cup, especially when it’s happening right here in our own front yards. For the next few weeks, soccer will be on TV non-stop, which means it’s easy to find. But who should you be looking out for? Here’s a list of ten players from around the world to keep an eye on if you’re a soccer newbie…
Kylian Mbappe, France — Arguably the best offensive player in the world, Mbappe has been terrific in the last two World Cups. France is stacked, as Mbappe plays alongside one of my favorite players, Ousmane Dembele.
Lamine Yamal, Spain — The 18-year-old has been recovering from a hamstring injury but is said to be fit. When healthy, Yamal is an unstoppable all-around player. Also, he apparently enjoys Walmart.
Lionel Messi, Argentina — One of the GOATs is back in the World Cup, trying to help Argentina repeat their 2022 title. Messi may be 38 years old, but he’s still dominant in MLS. We’ll see if that carries over on the international stage.
Weston McKinnie, USA — McKinnie’s teammate Christian Pulisic is arguably a bigger name, but for my money McKinnie is Team USA’s best all-around player. Plays with an edge and owns the midfield.
Vini Jr., Brazil — One of the best players in the world while playing for his club team, Real Madrid, but he’s historically struggled playing for Brazil. Scored a masterful no-look goal in Brazil’s first game, so maybe he’s getting on track?
Yan Diomande, Ivory Coast — In every World Cup, one player tends to have a break-out tournament. Diomande may be this year’s winner, a 19-year-old wing player who spent a few years training in Florida before breaking out internationally.
Erling Haaland, Norway — A prolific goal scorer who plays for Manchester City. I got to see Haaland play in person when I was in England over spring break, and his unique combination of size and speed reminded me of watching LeBron.
Harry Kane, England — Not only an elite goal scorer, but also maybe the best passing forward in the World Cup. We’ll see if Kane can team up with Jude Bellingham to finally lift England into the top tier.
Bruno Fernandes, Portugal — Does everything really well. As a Manchester United fan, I watch Fernandes week after week and marvel at the totality of his skill. Will play alongside Christiano Ronaldo, who at 41 years old must prove he has something left in the tank.
Zion Suzuki, Japan — Japan had a fun first match, so I’m including their goalkeeper on this list, because he’s basically a local: Suzuki was born in Little Rock, Arkansas, to a Ghanian father and Japanese mother.