There will be some top young players on show at the 2014 World Cup in Brazil. Here are a few to keep your eye on:
Julien Draxler (Schalke)
Germany
Julien Draxler, who recently turned 20 managed to score 11 goals in the last campaign and has already drawn comparisons to former Germany star Michael Ballack. He has been capped seven times already and looks to help Germany to World Cup glory.
Draxler is a promising attacking midfielder with brilliant flair and attacking ability who will really shine on the big stage.
William Carvalho (Sporting Lisbon)
Portugal
William Carvalho’s price has seemed to have risen substantially in the last few months, thanks to great spells for both Sporting Lisbon and Portugal.
While not the fastest or most explosive player, Carvalho excels in his holding role thanks to positioning, great timing of tackles, keeping possession and dictating play with his fine passing. He is a major target for a number of top European clubs and should excel in the upcoming tournament.
Lorenzo Insigne (Napoli)
Italy
The Napoli forward is an undoubted talent. He has the dogged tenacity of Antonio Cassano and shades of the diminutive Antonio di Natale with his wonderful first-touch and busy dribbling style.
He’s become an integral cog in Rafa Benitez’s attacking machine, with Marek Hamsik, Gonzalo Higuain and Jose Callejon also helping Napoli to second in Serie A.
Paul Pogba (Juventus)
France
Manchester United have needed to sign a dynamic central midfielder capable of playing between both penalty boxes, and while David Moyes presumably signed Marouane Fellaini to fill this role last summer, his predecessor Sir Alex Ferguson failed to see he already had a player capable of that role on his books in Paul Pogba.
The 6’1″ midfielder left Old Trafford for Juventus in summer 2012, and immediately made an impact in the first team, earning his first league title after a fine debut season in Serie A.
In December 2013 Pogba won the Golden Boy award for the best young player in Europe, and he looks set for great success with both Juventus and France in future.
Neymar (Barcelona)
Brazil
Neymar is the definitely the youngster with the biggest shoulders to fill this World Cup. With the whole Brazilian nation behind him we expect him to excel and really show what he is capable of on the greatest stage in the world.
It has been an inconsistent beginning to his Barcelona career but we expect this not to affect him as he and his teammates seek to bring the trophy back to Brazil.
So…
all of these youngsters have great potential, but which youngster is going to lead their country to victory. To find great value odds on the country you think will win World Cup 2014 click here.
