FIFA 2022 World Cup: Protest Kits, Sobering Tents and Football Fans Unable to Watch Games On TV in Qatar
The World Cup, without a single shadow of a doubt, is the biggest sporting event on the planet and the event as a whole brings out the best of those top talents that take part in the footballing spectacle.
The individuals that really shine tend to fall into two specific categories. They might be household names that are eagerly viewed by hungry fans who are well and truly on the world stage, or they can, fairly frequently, come in the form of relative unknowns who explode onto the scene with a powerful display or mesmerizing performance.
If they fall into the second category, they may well use this base as a springboard, with big money moves often taking place after a great showing during the World Cup, and they then grow into the household name category alluded to earlier.
These surprise packages may well impact your World Cup betting plans, especially if you can predict them ahead of time and factor them into your overall strategy. Think, for instance, if you were to earmark a bet on a lesser-known player to pull off a shock and finish as the top-scorer, and in doing so, reap the lucrative rewards of a big payout.
To help you spot potential game-changers and match-winners for the upcoming finals in Qatar, here are five players we think could make a massive impact at the tournament.
Jamal Muslala (Germany & Bayern Munich)
The potential already shown by the 19-year-old attacking midfielder is frankly frightening, and we think he may have an outstanding tournament and could even be an outside shot to win the FIFA Golden Ball (awarded to the player of the tournament).
The teenager is now a regular in Hans Flick’s national team set-up, already racking up 17 caps, and he may well be a key performer as Germany seeks to triumph in Qatar. Indeed the German national team comes into the competition as a side that is not heavily fancied (sixth favourites with most football betting sites), which may help them gather up a head of steam.
Lionel Messi (Argentina & PSG)
Yes, clearly, the 37-year-old falls into the household name category, and we feel that because it’s the final time the PSG man represents his country in the tournament, we might just see something truly astonishing.
He may even pull off a series of other-worldly displays akin to how Diego Maradona single-handedly led Argentina to the World Cup in 1986, and this should be part of your thinking when you consider just what Lionel Scaloni’s side can achieve in Qatar.
It would be churlish to state that Messi has disappointed in terms of his World Cup displays up to now, but he is still without the ultimate crown, and he is just the type of once-in-a-generation talent that can step up and take things to a new level.
Phil Foden (England & Man City)
Remember how Michael Owen set hearts racing in 1998 and arrived on the scene with a bang? Think Phil Foden and 2022.
In many ways, Foden doesn’t get as much attention and credit as he deserves; this may be down to a number of reasons, including the fact that he’s been around for a few years and therefore, we almost forget he’s still only 22 years of age.
Foden may well make a big splash in Qatar, and a lot will depend on whether he’s a nailed-on starter for Gareth Southgate. He’s in great form right now, netting seven times this term, and will be confident about his ability to shine on the biggest of stages.
Federico Valverde (Uruguay & Real Madrid)
Carlo Ancelotti had no issues selling Brazilian stalwart Casemiro to Man United in the summer transfer window, mainly because he knew he could rely upon Federico Valverde to give him what he needed at the heart of the Real Madrid midfield.
Valverde has taken his time to force himself into the Bernabeu first-team picture regularly, and he is now a player they can not do without.
In an Uruguayan side that is still dominated by the old guard (Luis Suarez, Diego Godin, Fernando Muslera and Edinson Cavani), Valverde may just be a catalyst for a decent run for the South American side at the finals.
He was outstanding in qualifying and is the type of player that can run the show, cementing the midfield while also offering a real threat going forward. We expect him to have a solid and potentially spectacular tournament.
Gabriel Jesus (Brazil & Arsenal)
There is some talk that national team coach Tite may not select the in-form forward in his World Cup squad, but that simply won’t happen. The way in which the adaptable striker has taken to life at the Emirates Stadium will make the former Man City man a very dangerous prospect in Qatar.
The move to Arsenal has offered him a new lease of life and will have helped the attacker feel he has more to offer than simply a means to an end of something of a bit-part player, as he was for much of his time under Pep Guardiola.
Make no mistake; if Jesus plays a key part in Brazil’s bid for a first World Cup crown since 2002, then you can be sure he’ll be in the running to finish as the tournament’s top scorer, a bet that you can get a hugely rewarding 33/1 with BoyleSports today.
