Five players to watch in the World Cup quarter-finals
The early rounds of Qatar 2022 have not disappointed – and four more tantalising ties lie in store at the quarter-final stage.
All eight remaining nations will harbour hopes of lifting the World Cup trophy, while their star players will be looking to cement their individual legacies this winter.
With a remarkable array of talent set to be on display over the next two days, we’ve enlisted the help of the Twenty3 Toolbox, to identify who could make the difference in this weekend’s fixtures.
Kylian Mbappe
Kylian Mbappe is arguably the best player in the world — and he has proved why he is held in such high esteem at Qatar 2022.
The 23-year-old has scored the most goals at the tournament (5) and recorded the joint-second most assists (2).
Mbappe is consistently involved in the final third — he has had the most shots at the tournament (22) and has attempted more crosses than any other player (26).
As if that was not enough, the Parisian forward has also attempted the most passes in the final third (105) at the World Cup to date.
Richarlison
There was some debate about whether Richarlison was the best option to lead the line for Brazil, but he has certainly proved his worth so far.
The striker has scored three goals in three matches, which places him joint-second in the top scorers list.
Interestingly, he has only completed 30 passes in the tournament. But while his influence on build-up play may be limited, the 25-year-old is ruthless when chances come his way.
After all, he has only had four shots on target in Qatar, and scored from three of them.
Cody Gakpo
Cody Gakpo’s name is spreading like wildfire across Europe. after a stunning first half of the season for PSV Eindhoven – and now a breakout World Cup with the Netherlands.
The 23-year-old has taken to the big stage with ease, scoring the joint-second most goals (3) at the tournament.
Gakpo has certainly demonstrated his lethal nature. He has managed three shots on target in total, with all of them finding the back of the net.
And the Oranje will need their new star to come up with the goods once again, if they are to get past Argentina – seen by many as one of the favourites to lift the trophy.
Lionel Messi
Lionel Messi has been at his mesmerising best for Argentina in Qatar.
He has scored three goals this tournament, which places him joint-second – two behind Mbappe (5).
Unsurprisingly, the 35-year-old has the second most carries of five or more metres in the competition (79), and the most key actions (14) of any player.
Argentina supporters will hope he can continue to be a game-changing presence for La Albiceleste, when they face Louis van Gaal’s resilient Netherlands outfit.
Goncalo Ramos
Eyebrows were raised when Portuguese icon Cristiano Ronaldo was dropped against Switzerland, but Goncalo Ramos more than justified his selection.
The 21-year-old had only played 30 minutes at the World Cup before Tuesday night, but scored the first hat-trick of the tournament – and even managed to grab an assist.
It was a truly sensational display, and Ramos has now scored a goal every 35.67 minutes in Qatar.
Portugal will hope his red hot form continues, as the Selecao bid to reach their first World Cup semi-final since 2006.
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