From Pele to Miroslav Klose, there have been some deadly strikers throughout the FIFA World Cup. Let us look at five young strikers who could dazzle at Qatar 2022.
5. Vinicius Junior (Brazil)
The 22-year-old is part of the Brazilian squad. He is known for his high pace and shooting and the Brazilian coach, Tite, will hope that Vinicius Jr will replicate that in the World Cup. The Real Madrid No. 20 has just scored once in 16 appearances for the Selecao but he will look to multiply the number of goals during this World Cup. Vinicius ended the 2021- 22 season as Real Madrid’s second-best goal-scorer with 22 strikes in all competitions.
4. Joao Felix (Portugal)
Atletico Madrid’s Joe Felix has been in fine form for his club. He was part of the Portugal squad when they won the Nations League in 2019. The 23-year-old will hope to replicate his Atletico Madrid form while donning Portuguese colours. Felix helped Atletico Madrid clinch the 2020-21 La Liga title, which ended the club's seven-year wait.
3. Ansu Fati (Spain)
Barcelona’s No. 10, Ansu Fati, will be one of the crucial players in Luis Enrique’s squad. Considered one of Spain’s most exciting talents, the 20-year-old will look to make a name for himself at his first World Cup. Fati, who made his debut for Spain in 2020, has only one goal in four appearances for the national side, but he will look to increase those numbers during the World Cup.
2. Ferran Torres (Spain)
Ferran Torres has been in the Spanish team since 2020 and his stats are pretty good, scoring 13 goals in 30 appearances for La Roja. The 22-year-old was part of the Spanish team, which ended runners-up during last year’s UEFA Nations League. Torres was the joint top-scorer in the 2021 Nations League along with Belgium’s Romelu Lukaku and Norway’s Earling Haaland (six goals).
1. Kyilian Mbappe (France)
Paris Saint-Germain star, Kyilian Mbappe, is considered one of the best players in the world, becoming only the second teenager, after Pele, to score in a World Cup final. Mbappe has seen World Cup glory in 2018 and to add to that, he also clinched the FIFA World Cup Best Young Player Award four years ago. The No. 10 also won the 2021 UEFA Nations League with the Les Bleus. Mbappe, who will turn 24 on December 20, is considered a phenomenal player by many for his sheer speed and goal-scoring abilities.