A Player to Watch on Each of the 32 Teams at the 2022 World Cup (Part IV)
GROUP G
Brazil
Vinicius Jr. (LW) #20, Real Madrid
Brazilians are always going to have an abundance of flashy dribblers and attackers, and this year’s World Cup squad is no exception. Just to name a few, Neymar, Antony, Martinelli, Jesus, Raphinha, and Rodrygo are playing in Europe for some of the world’s biggest clubs.
Keep an eye on Flamengo’s Pedro as well. He likely won’t be starting at the World Cup, but he is an absolutely lethal finisher (0.99 non-penalty goals per 90 over the past year) and could head to Europe soon.
But Vinicius Jr. is the future of the Brazilian attack as the heir apparent to Neymar. Even with six goals and three assists to his name in 13 La Liga appearances, Vini Jr is still not even tapping into his full potential. He has an array of insane skills and tricks like what you would expect from a Brazilian winger, and this World Cup could elevate his star power even further.
Key stat- In just six Champions League appearances, Vini has four goals and an assist while also averaging 3.8 dribbles per game.
Serbia
Strahinja Pavlovic (CB) #31, Red Bull Salzburg
Serbians are some of the tallest people in the world, and Pavlovic is no exception at 194 cm (6'4"). When you look at Pavlovic for the first time, you’d probably assume he could pick you up and snap you like a twig. Just look at his profile picture on transfermarkt. He’s definitely not the kind of guy you’d want to see in a dark alleyway.
Much like his countryman and Manchester United legend Nemanja Vidic, the 21-year-old Pavlovic is also hard-nosed and unrelenting. He is dominant in the air, and his gangly legs help him win balls on the ground.
But aside from sheer physicality, he is also a gifted technical footballer. The left-footed Pavlovic likes to make runs with the ball, showing an elegance not normal for someone his size. However, he lacks consistency in his positioning from time to time, which is something he cannot do against the likes of Brazil.
Key stat- Among CBs in the past year, he is in the 97th percentile in tackles (2.67 per 90), 96th percentile in clearances (5.47), 99th percentile in aerial duels won (4.20), and 91st percentile in blocks (1.65). Somewhere in the world, Vidic is proud.
Switzerland
Granit Xhaka (CM) #10, Arsenal
Who else can it be but Xhaka for Switzerland? His redemption arc at Arsenal has been one of the stories of the EPL season. Arsenal are currently sitting atop the EPL table, and much of it has to be attributed to Xhaka’s improvement.
Throughout his career, Xhaka has been much-maligned for his hotheadedness and inconsistency. In his club career, Granit Xhaka has accumulated 123 yellow and 11 red cards.
Xhaka is playing more maturely and so far it has paid dividends for both himself and the club. His natural leadership, technical ability, and aggressiveness have been key for the Arsenal midfield. Can he bring this new-found self-belief and confidence to the Swiss national team?
Key stat- Xhaka has scored 3 goals on only 16 shots in the EPL and 3.57 goal-scoring actions per 90 (90th percentile).
Cameroon
Karl Toko Ekambi (LW) #12, Lyon
With a name like Karl Toko Louis Brilliant Ekambi, it’s a little surprising he isn’t talked about more often. Ekambi might be one of the most underrated scorers (and players) in world football not many people know about. In only 280 league games, Ekambi has scored 97 goals, mostly from the left wing. He’s a natural finisher, able to score goals with both feet and his head.
His silky dribbling, ball control, and clinical finishing have been vital for Lyon and Cameroon. But Ekambi isn’t just a scorer. His composure around the box allows him to also set up his teammates with good passes. Center forward Vincent Aboubakar could be a recipient of those passes at the World Cup.
Key stat- In the 2021 African Cup of Nations, Ekambi scored five goals in only seven appearances.
Brilliant, Ekambi.
GROUP H
Portugal
Diogo Dalot (RB) #2, Manchester United
Yeah, it’s not who you expected. We’ve probably all seen the interview by now, and do we really need to spend more time talking about You-Know-Who?
Instead, let’s talk about Diogo Dalot and his growth this season. Once seen as a player on the way out of United, Dalot’s time spent on loan at AC Milan last year helped him grow as a defender. Early in his United career, Dalot was caught between being a right winger and right back. Now more mature and with more top flight experience, Dalot has added more bite to his game.
For Portugal, we may see Dalot on the right while Man City’s talented fullback Cancelo can slide over to the left. Dalot is in great form for both club and country, scoring two goals against Czech Republic and recently assisting Bruno Fernandes in a friendly vs Nigeria.
Key stat- Dating back to an international friendly vs Qatar in October ’21, Dalot has started five games for the Portuguese national team, scoring two goals and assisting two more. In these games he’s started, Portugal has won four and drawn once with an impressive combined score of 14–1.
Ghana
Mohammed Kudus (AM) #20, Ajax
Ghana’s record in 2022 has been spotty at best. They disappointed at the 2021 AFCON, losing to Comoros (not the New York Cosmos) 2–3 in a surprising early exit from the competition.
Their international friendlies in 2022 have not gone so well either. They have been outscored 10–4 in six friendlies, although they are coming off a big morale-boosting win of 2–0 against Switzerland. Still, Ghana will enter this World Cup as big underdogs. But that does not mean that they don’t have talent on the squad.
Mohammed Kudus is one such name on the Ghanaian team sheet. Operating as a false nine for Ajax this season, his lethal finishing has led to five goals in only 504 minutes of play.
However, Kudus has stated that his favorite role is as a #10, and perhaps that is where his future lies. His versatility allows him to play in a multitude of positions, including CM and even DM for the national team.
Key stat- Kudus is averaging 0.89 goals per 90 in the Eredivisie this season.
Uruguay
Federico Valverde (CM/RW) #15, Real Madrid
With a great blend of experience and highly prized youth prospects, Uruguay will be a tough out for anyone in the World Cup. Ronald Araujo of Barcelona (albeit recently injured) is one of the best young center backs in the world. Powerful and quick Darwin Nunez is a force to be reckoned with.
But none have made as much impact as 24-year-old midfielder Federico Valverde. Ever since being called up from Castilla a few seasons ago, his influence has been growing every season.
This season, Fede Valverde has been on another level. His unique versatility allows him to play at all three levels in the outfield. In his career, Valverde has played at right back, center midfield, defensive midfield, and right wing.
His versatility and intelligence remind me of Joshua Kimmich in a way. That may sound strange because they have vastly different playing styles, but it speaks volumes to the complete nature of Valverde’s game.
Key stat- In La Liga, Valverde has six goals and most of his shots have come from outside of the box. The average distance on his shots is 23.3 yards. Opposing defenses need to close him down.
South Korea
For South Korea, we’re going to do things a little differently because I’ve written plenty about them the past month.
Check out my piece above on Kim “Monster” Min-jae, whom his Napoli teammate Kvara has recently spoken highly of:
I also have recently written a long-form piece on the full South Korean national team, which you can check out on the Fighting Stripes Substack or by clicking the link above.
Part 1:
Part 2:
Part 3:
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