Azzedine Ounahi (left) and Josko Gvardiol
Doha: The FIFA World Cup has proven to be the ultimate platform for showcasing football talent, as dozens of young players caught the eye with their quality and bravery on the sport’s biggest stage.
Enzo Fernandez was adjudged by FIFA’s Technical Study Group to be the most influential overall, and rewarded with the FIFA Young Player award. But here are five other youngsters who impressed during another stellar footballing festival.
Azzedine Ounahi (Morocco)
Morocco’s fairy tale run to the semi-final of the World Cup was certainly a collective team effort rather than a story headlined by one or two individuals, but the performances of 22-year-old Azzedine Ounahi in the Atlas Lions’ midfield certainly caught attention.
Morocco typically operated in a low-block 4-3-3, shape meaning there was emphasis on defensive solidity, combined with an ability to play the ball when Walid Regragui’s men had it to get it up the pitch to alleviate the strain on the backline.
Ounahi was terrific in both aspects, completing ten of his twelve dribbles over the tournament (the highest success rate of all players in Qatar who attempted at least eight), and completed the third-most passes out of his Moroccan team mates with 216.
He achieved this all while dazzling with his close-control and skill, as the Angers hotshot proved to be one of the most important cogs in this record-achieving machine.
Josko Gvardiol (Croatia)
Less a diamond in the rough but a glistening gem sparkling for all to see, Josko Gvardiol enjoyed the tournament many tipped him for as the 20-year-old headlined another heroic Croatian effort and claimed a bronze World Cup medal.
Although the RB Leipzig superstar scored in that third-place play-off victory over Morocco, his impact was typically closer to his own goal, marshalling a backline which conceded just once during an unbeaten group stage and only twice in their opening two knockout fixtures.
Colossal displays against Belgium and Japan in particular stuck out as Gvardiol made the seventh-most tackles in the competition out of all centre-backs and blocked the second-most shots, as the defender threw his body on the line when his country needed him most.
Jude Bellingham
Jude Bellingham (England)
The rapid rise of Bellingham at club level has evolved the midfield maestro from a fringe pick at the delayed UEFA EURO 2020 to a bona fide starter at the World Cup less than 18 months later.
His ability to play on the left side of a midfield three gave the 19-year-old licence to roam further forward and overload the left channel in tandem with Luke Shaw and Phil Foden, a facet of his game best demonstrated during an impressive Round of 16 performance against Senegal.
An admiring Roy Keane stated that he hadn’t seen a midfielder play like Bellingham for years as the No22 slid a pinpoint ball in for Jordan Henderson to score, before embarking on a marauding run which helped set up England’s second on the night in an eventual 3-0 win.
The change from a back-three formation benefited Bellingham more than anybody in the Three Lions’ set-up, with the promise of plenty more to come from England’s latest prospect.
Yunus Musah (USA)
The USA might have only tasted victory once in Qatar, but Gregg Berhalter’s side earned plaudits for their dynamism and energy during their stay, with a midfield trio of Tyler Adams, Weston Mckennie and Yunus Musah at the heart of their run.
A product of the Arsenal youth academy, Musah now plies his trade for Valencia and has already raked up 23 caps for the national side, catching the eye with his all-action style as he notched ten tackles and interceptions in four games, helping the USA to clean sheets in two of those.
The 20-year-old’s four dribbles completed were only bettered by Sergino Dest in the US’ squad and ranked Musah favourably among other central midfielders at the tournament.
Julian Alvarez (Argentina)
While Enzo Fernandez flew the flag for young players in La Albiceleste’s title-winning side, Manchester City forward Julian Alvarez came into the first XI to great effect at the end of the group stage and stayed there until the very end.
He opened his account in the final group C game with Poland, as Fernandez slipped through a delicate pass which the 22-year-old thumped into the top corner, before repeating the feat in the Round of 16 clash with Australia when he pounced on a Mat Ryan error to steer home a second.
But his tournament will most fondly be remembered for a superbly taken brace against Croatia in the semi-final, with the forward powering his way to a terrific solo goal before turning home a brilliant Lionel Messi assist to take Argentina to a sixth World Cup Final. FIFA
