The Best Young Players At The 2022 World Cup
Vinicius Junior of Real Madrid celebrates after scoring their team's first goal during the UEFA Champions League final match between Liverpool FC and Real Madrid at Stade de France on May 28, 2022 in Paris, France. Credit: Alexander Hassenstein - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images
When you’re watching a World Cup, such as the one in Qatar, you’re likely going to be keeping an eye on the superstars, with Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi prime examples. However, the World Cup is also a chance to watch the new generation of talent coming to the fore, and there are some excellent young players leaving their mark on world football.
Gavi
Gavi, who plays for Spain, is one of the hottest young talents around. The eighteen-year-old, who represents Barcelona at club level, already looks at home in the heart of Spain's midfield, which is great because the days of Xavi and Andres Iniesta are long gone. He was named the best young player in the world in October at the Ballon d'Or ceremony, and with him positioned nicely in Luis Enrique's Spain midfield, they always have a chance of success, which was reflected by the World Cup betting online at bwin and other experienced bookmakers.
Jude Bellingham
When Birmingham City decided to retire Jude Bellingham’s number twenty-two shirt, everyone thought they were mad. They took the decision when Bellingham swapped Birmingham City for Borussia Dortmund, and it’s fair to say that he’s gone from strength to strength since. At just nineteen years old, Bellingham has not only fast become one of Dortmund’s most integral players, but England’s too, finding a starting berth in Gareth Southgate’s XI. The World Cup is also proving to be perfect for the midfielder as he plots his next big career move, with it highly likely he will call time on his Dortmund career in the summer and move to pastures new.
Vinicius Jr
You won’t find many wingers dominating world football right now than Real Madrid and Brazil star Vinicus Jr. The twenty-two-year-old is flourishing at club level under the guidance of Carlo Ancelotti, who just appears to know how to get the best out of one of the hottest properties in the game right now. There have been question marks previously about where he’d star for Brazil because he plays in the same position as Neymar, but manager Tite has found a way to accommodate both to devastating effect. Vinicius Jr brings raw speed but with some insane trickery and the ability to beat a man too.
Antony
The final entry on our list of the best young players to watch at the 2022 World Cup is also another inclusion of a Brazilian, and this time it’s Antony. The twenty-two-year-old joined Manchester United from Ajax in the summer and is already proving his worth. On the international scene, Antony plays on the opposite flank to Vinicus Jr for Brazil, but they both possess similar qualities, such as pace and trickery. At present, Antony is battling with former Leeds star Raphinha for a starting birth but is impressing off of the bench, and you’d expect him to make the position his own in the future.
