🌍 World Cup: the 8 surprise stars of the group stage ⭐

🌍 World Cup: the 8 surprise stars of the group stage ⭐ The World Cup group stage is over, and it introduced us to unexpected teams, tiny nations, and also some talents who are now making themselves known at the highest level of international football. Let’s take a look at the players who surprised us the most, compared to expectations, in the group stage. Johan Manzambi - Switzerland The 2005-born midfielder from Freiburg leads the U21 World Cup scoring chart with 3 goals (+ 1 assist). Switzerland’s breakout star is worth around 50 million, for several reasons: he is a box-to-box midfielder with a great eye for goal, extraordinary physical ability, and excellent technique on the ball. He can still improve in his movement between the lines, but he is the prototype of the modern midfielder: dominant. Ayyoub Bouaddi  - Morocco The 2007-born Moroccan playmaker from Lille impressed both against Brazil and against Scotland, before being left on the bench against Haiti: accurate in his passing, committed in challenges, calm in his decisions, and intelligent in his positioning in every phase of play , both in his own half and in the opposition’s. That is why he is worth at least 70/80 million. Gustavo Puerta - Colombia Colombia are one of the surprises of the World Cup, and if their transitions and build-up play are working, a big part of the credit goes to Gustavo Puerta: the midfielder who was crucial in Racing Santander’s promotion to La Liga. The 2003-born player has excellent positional intelligence, moves the ball quickly, and often knows how to dribble past opponents with his first touch. Yan Diomandé - Ivory Coast The 2006-born Leipzig winger already had an astronomical valuation before the World Cup: this competition has only confirmed his top-level physical and technical qualities. He may not have scored yet, but he is one of the best dribblers in the tournament : with the ball at his feet, he always gives the sense that something dangerous could happen. Kerim Alajbegovic - Bosnia Italy already knew him very well since late March, and now the whole world has noticed the strength of Alajbegovic, the 2007-born Bayer Leverkusen player: dribbling, fearlessness, precise shooting, and uncommon mental strength . Ibrahimovic’s imprimatur is proof of that: “An 18-year-old kid at a World Cup [...] playing as if he owned the stadium. That is rare. He was not the typical young player just hoping to have a good game. He believed he was the best player on the pitch.” Gilberto Mora - Mexico The youngest Mexican ever at a World Cup: for 2008-born Gilberto Mora (still a minor), 24 minutes against South Africa and 72 against the Czech Republic were enough to show his talent in the attacking midfield area. Quick over the first few meters, vision in the final third, and a calmness that does not usually belong to a 17-year-old : Mexico’s rising star will not stay at Tijuana for much longer. Ismael Saibari - Morocco The Moroccan PSV forward, who should soon join Bayern Munich, introduced himself to the whole world with 3 straight goals. The versatility of Ismael Saibari (25 years old) will be useful to Kompany: the ability to score in the box, create play in attacking midfield, and drift all over the pitch, even as an out-and-out winger : a mix of technique, physicality, and a certain agility that makes him a player worth at least 40 million. Pedro Vite - Ecuador The 2002-born Ecuador midfielder has shown himself capable of being a reliable distributor, of being among the best players in the defeat against Ivory Coast, but also of putting up a wall against Germany, as well as providing an assist . Despite standing only 172 cm tall, the Pumas midfielder is a key man for Ecuador: that is why he did not miss a single minute. This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇮🇹 here.