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Denis Zakaria (Borussia Mönchengladbach).
It’s finally 2018 which means the World Cup is just around the corner. With groups A to D already looked at before Christmas now we can look at groups E & F. The Bundesliga features heavily here and one youngster from Calcio A is someone I’m backing to take the world by storm.
Brazil Name: Walace Club: Hamburger SV Age: 22 Position: Defensive Midfield International Appearances: 2 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 2/10
Potential: 7/10
The Brazilian national team picks itself and most of the squad is over twenty-three. The talented youngsters that will be going are glaringly obvious talents such as Marquinhos and Gabriel Jesus. Hamburg May be fighting relegation this season, but new signing Wallace has been one of their impressive players in his debut season for the club. The Brazil squad has competition in midfield and with the resurgence of Paulinho its be difficult to see Walace joining the squad in Russia this summer. If he goes and manages to get in a few performances I feel he could be a surprise inclusion at the competition. If Hamburg do get relegated too he’ll be available on the cheap for clubs looking to bring in a new defensive midfielder.
Switzerland Name: Denis Zakaria Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach Age: 21 Position: Defensive Midfield International Appearances: 3 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 4/10
Potential: 8/10
Borussia Mönchengladbach are always in the top quarter of the Bundesliga and they always seem to find talent on the cheap, but later lose them to bigger squads. Less Southampton in relying on their youth academy an more Atletico Madrid and relying on their scouts. Zakaria joined the club from Young Boys in the summer and has played in eleven of the nineteen Bundesliga games so far. He’s tall, quick and powerful. One thing I admire most about him is his ability to stick to his job. Modern defensive midfielders fancy themselves as a playmaker and often wander forward in search of gut busting run to gain a goal or assist, Zakaria trusts his teammates to do the fancy stuff while he keeps it simple. He reminds me of Mascherano, just almost a foot taller taller. He’s tenacious and has no fear in getting stuck in.
Costa Rica Name: Rónald Matarrita Club: New York City Age: 23 Position: Left Back
International Appearances: 18
Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 9/10
Potential: 5/10
The MLS gets a lot of stick for being a nothing league, but the level of talent really has improved since the days of David Beckham. It’s no longer the easy going League to spend your final years playing in to keep it easy. That’s evident enough when players have started going to Qatar or China instead. The MLS isn’t a walk in the park. It’s competitive and it’s best talents would do well in Europe’s top five leagues. There will remain a stigma about the league so when the big nations select their squads they won’t ever look at the MLS talent pool seriously which is unfair on youngsters like Jack Harrison who was rejected by both Liverpool and Manchester United as a youngster. Recently called up to the Under twenty-ones it’s clear there’s real talent in the MLS and Russia is a great stage to demonstrate that talent. Players like Mararrita will have an opportunity to showcase how good the MLS is and perhaps bring some outside attention to it. The MLS gained my respect after the United States stunned everyone in Brazil four years ago. A lot of Central American nations use players from the MLS, so expect to see some big European clubs to be turned by the players on display in Russia.
Serbia Name: Sergej Milinković-Savić Club: Lazio Age: 22 Position: Midfield International Appearances: 2 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 9/10
Potential: 10/10
Milinković-Savić is an incredible young player that doesn’t get enough attention. Strength, height, skilful and versatile. He’s got a tremendous work ethic and combined with natural ability and naturally athletic and you have the base for a world class player. At twenty-two I’d argue he’s already world class. He controls the Lazio team and considering they’re third in Italy that’s a hell of a n achievement for such a young player. We can see players leaving clubs for crazy amounts of money and sticking in line with that, getting this lad for anything less than £100 million would be a bargain. After the World Club I expect the biggest clubs in Europe to being looking for his signature.
Germany Name: Timo Werner Club: RB Leipzig Age: 21 Position: Striker International Appearances: 10 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 10/10
Potential: 10/10
Just like Brazil, it’s incredibly hard to find unexpected talents in the German squad. There’s forty players everyone knows that are in line to be selected so it’s never really unexpected. One thing that is unexpected though are centre forwards in the German squad. Since the days of Klosé Germany haven’t exactly been gifted strikers, but for their sake the emergence of Timo Werner could be the player they’ve been looking for. Ten caps and seven goals after breaking in the national team last year. Last season and so far this season Werner has scored 35 goals in 57 appearances. Germany need a focal point in
Mexico Name: Hirving Lozano Club: PSV Eindhoven Age: 22 Position: Winger International Appearances: 24 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 10/10
Potential: 9/10
Another player who recently transferred, Lozano joined PSV in the summer and has hit the ground running. 13 goals and 4 assists in twenty appearances for the team sitting top of the league. He’s the leading scorer in the Eredivisie and the leading scorer of the Eredivisie Is always a player that gains the attention of the big clubs in Europe’s top five leagues from Ibrahimovic to Suarez, the Eredivisie is just one of those leagues that gets talented players then offloads them for millions. Loazano has the opportunity to show his worth at the World Cup. Showing he can adjust to new surroundings from this season and a few impressive displays at the World Cup, Lozano could be a name every fan starts demanding their club buys.
Sweden Name: Alexander Isak Club: Borussia Dortmund Age: 18 Position: Striker International Appearances: 2 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 5/10
Potential: 10/10
Isak has only recently started his first game for Dortmund, but he’s got bags of talent. Dortmund have had issues with want away striker Aubameyang and this has allowed Isak to step up and show his talents. Many Dortmund fans feel that Isak is already better than Aubameyang in every department except finishing. It would be truly amazing if Dortmund found a third star striker in a row after Lewandowski and Aubameyang. The club seems to know how to find strikers, a lot like Atletico Madrid. Sweden will be looking for someone to fill the boots of Ibrahimovic who retired from international duty, although he could make a return for the World Cup. Isak could be the player to fill those very large boots. If Aubameyang leaves Dortmund this month, I suspect Dortmund will use their squad rather than sign a replacement, which means Isak will have four months to prove his worth to force his way into the Sweden twenty-three man squad.
South Korea Name: Kim Min-Jae Club: Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors Age: 21 Position: Centre Back International Appearances: 2 Likelihood of going to the World Cup: 4/10
Potential: 5/10
For Kim Min-Jae and twenty-one of his teammates the pressure is off. All the expectations will be on the shoulders of Son Heung-Min which means all the other players will have the freedom to just play their game. As a centre back Min-Jae will have to deal with some Germany, Mexico and Sweden’s attacking forces. He’ll be up against some of the finest attackers in the game and should he go, him and his teammates will have an opportunity to show what they can do up against the likes of Özil. I’m expecting a defender or midfielder from South Korea to come out of the competition full of praise and that player for me is Min-Jae should he be in Russia.