World Cup 2018: Top five young players of the tournament
The World Cup has always proved to be the biggest stage for some of the upcoming footballing talents to showcase their skills in the past. Many footballers have made the most of the opportunities in previous World Cups by announcing their arrival on the biggest stage possible, by helping their team to go deep into the tournament or to grab the attention of the scouts and managers of the top European clubs.
Last time out in 2014, it was 21-year-old Paul Pogba who won the award for the best young player, having helped France reach the quarter-finals before bowing out to the eventual champions Germany. The award has served as a great motivator as Pogba was instrumental in helping his then club side Juventus to the 2015 UEFA Champions League Final, their first in 12 years. Pogba's impressive performance allowed him to return to Manchester United in 2016 for a then world record transfer fee. The fee paid for him remains the highest paid by an English club.
Pogba is not the only recipient of this prestigious award who has gone onto achieve great things. Landon Donovan in 2002, Lukas Podolski in 2006 and Thomas Muller in 2010 all won the award, and all of them have had stellar careers.
So, needless to say that reputations are built and destroyed in an instance, especially for the younger players as the whole world is watching them. This edition of the World Cup, considered by many as the best ever, was no different. Many young players announced their arrival and enhanced their reputation by showcasing their talent and skills and they were the vital cog behind the success of their team in this edition of the World Cup.
So, let's look at the top five young players who have impressed one and all at this World Cup.
#5 Hirving Lozano (Mexico- 22 years old)
Lozano played on the left side for the vast majority of the time for the Mexican National Team.
Lozano is right-footed and has all the attributes of a classic inverted winger. He possesses great power in his right foot and he often proved dangerous when shooting after cutting in from the left hand side. He is quick with or without the ball and has a very powerful and accurate shot.
Lozano also possesses decent passing ability and vision to find his team mate with either short or long balls. He has also got blistering pace and good ball control which was quite evident in the goal he scored at the Luzhniki Stadium against defending champions Germany. The significance of that goal was immense, as it not only gave Mexico the belief to go far in the tournament, but also rattled Germany's self belief which ultimately led to their early exit from the tournament in the group stage itself.
In 2015, Lozano was named as one of the best players in the world born after 1994. Upon his arrival to PSV Eindhoven, he was named among the top Eredevisie young players to watch for the 2017–18 season.
It is being reported that many top Premier League clubs are pursuing his signature and rightly so.