2 weeks ago
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World Cups are wherever rising stars of shot rapidly alteration into planetary icons.
AFP Sport looks astatine 5 of the contenders to go the game’s adjacent superstar astatine this year’s finals successful the United States, Mexico and Canada:
Nico Paz (Argentina)
The lad of erstwhile Argentine planetary Pablo Paz has opted to play for the satellite champions contempt being calved and raised successful Spain.
File photograph of Argentina’s Nico Paz | Photo Credit: Reuters
A rising prima successful the Real Madrid academy, Paz has flourished successful 2 years moving nether Cesc Fabregas since a determination to Como successful Italy.
Madrid are reportedly acceptable to workout their buyback enactment connected the 21-year-old.
His method quality and oculus for extremity from scope has alerted Europe’s different apical clubs.
Paz could person the daunting task of filling successful for Lionel Messi with Argentina manager Lionel Scaloni expected to negociate the 38-year-old’s minutes during the champions’ rubric defence.
Desire Doue (France)
Doue has already lit up the biggest signifier successful nine football, winning the man-of-the-match grant and scoring doubly successful Paris Saint-Germain’s Champions League last thrashing of Inter Milan past year.
But this volition beryllium the 20-year-old’s archetypal sensation of a large planetary tournament.
File photograph of France’s Desire Doue. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Doue has a conflict conscionable to guarantee helium starts for Les Bleus among a dazzling show of attacking endowment that includes Kylian Mbappe, Ballon d’Or victor Ousmane Dembele and Bayern Munich’s Michael Olise.
But Doue gave Didier Deschamps a timely reminder of his prime with his archetypal 2 planetary goals successful a 3-1 affable triumph implicit Colombia successful France’s past outing successful March.
Nico O’Reilly (England)
O’Reilly, 21, has already earned the spot of Pep Guardiola to go a regular for Manchester City.
Scorer of 2 goals from left-back successful City’s League Cup last triumph implicit Arsenal successful March, O’Reilly began his vocation arsenic a goalscoring midfielder.
FIle photograph of England’s Nico O’Reilly. | Photo Credit: Reuters
Guardiola has harnessed his blend of height, velocity and accomplishment arsenic an attacking limb from heavy and whitethorn person solved a occupation presumption for England manager Thomas Tuchel successful the process.
England reached the last of Euro 2024 without a earthy left-back for the bulk of the tourney owed to Luke Shaw’s deficiency of fitness.
“What a player,” said Guardiola. “He has made an unthinkable measurement up and helium has had a batch of minutes, but helium deserves it.”
Endrick (Brazil)
A teenage prodigy who made his Palmeiras debut astatine 16 and was snapped up by Real Madrid earlier his 18th birthday, Endrick’s hopes of shining astatine the World Cup person been rekindled by a palmy indebtedness determination astatine French nine Lyon.
Endrick burst onto the planetary country by scoring the victor against England astatine Wembley 2 years agone and becoming Brazil’s youngest goalscorer since Ronaldo successful the process.
FIle photograph of Brazil’s Endrick | Photo Credit: Reuters
Relegated down planetary team-mate Vinicius Junior and Mbappe aft his large determination to Madrid 2 years ago, the 19-year-old has recovered his scoring interaction since his power to France successful January.
Often compared to different Brazilian large Romario for his squat but almighty physique, Endrick volition beryllium hoping to recreate the former’s occurrence successful scoring 5 goals arsenic Brazil won the World Cup connected US ungraded successful 1994.
Pedri (Spain)
Spain’s latest passing metronome, Pedri has proven to beryllium a fitting heir to Xavi Hernandez for some nine and country.
File photograph of Spain’s Pedri | Photo Credit: Reuters
After archetypal rising to prominence arsenic an 18-year-old astatine Euro 2020, Pedri was cardinal to Spain’s tally to conquering Europe 2 years agone successful Germany, but wounded prevented him from featuring successful the semi-finals and final.
For Barcelona helium has enactment his fittingness troubles down him nether Hansi Flick, playing a starring relation successful back-to-back La Liga rubric triumphs implicit the past 2 seasons.
