REBELS — JUST FOR KICKS
Which phenoms will break out when the Cup kicks off in Russia in less than two weeks? Who will cave under the pressure? Here’s a sneak peek at 10 stars in the making ...
GABRIEL JESUS (BRAZIL)
Age: 21 Club: Manchester City
Position: Forward Each World Cup brings a new Brazilian star, and this time it could be Gabriel Jesus. Known for his pace, creativity and fancy dribbling, he has scored nine goals in 15 international matches. He was called up to the national team in September 2016, shortly after winning gold at the 2016 Olympics. In his first match, he scored two goals and Brazil beat Ecuador 3-0 at altitude in Quito. Jesus grew up in a Sao Paulo favela, and joined Palmeiras’s youth program as a pre-teen. At 16, he scored 54 goals in 48 games.
LEE SEUNG-WOO (KOREA)
Age: 20 Club: Verona
Position: Winger By age 12, Seung-Woo was nicknamed the Asian Messi and spotted by a Barcelona scout when he led all scorers at the Danone Nations Cup event. His body type — five-foot-seven and slender — and movement was reminiscent of Lionel Messi. He signed with Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia, and moved to Spain in 2011 at age 13. Barcelona sent him to Verona in 2017 but retains the right to re-sign him through 2019 and did. Key injuries to Korean stars have opened the door for Seung-Woo to make his mark.
ACHRAF HAKIMI (MOROCCO)
Age: 19 Club: Real Madrid
Position: Right back Fans of Real Madrid are familiar with Achraf, who goes by his first name. Born in Madrid to Moroccan parents, he represented Morocco on the under-17, 20 and 23 national teams before joining the senior team in October 2016 at age 17. He joined Real Madrid’s youth academy at age 8 and worked his way up. He joined the first team last fall as a backup to Dani Carvajal at right back and scored his first La Liga goal on Dec. 10 against Sevilla, becoming the first Moroccan player to score for Real .
KYLIAN MBAPPE (FRANCE)
Age: 19 Club: PSG
Position: Forward This teen phenom burst onto the international scene with Monaco, and French fans have been buzzing ever since. The talented forward has drawn comparisons to Thierry Henry. He scored a hat trick for Monaco as a 17-year-old and last summer was lent to PSG for big money. He made his senior national debut in March 2017, becoming the second-youngest player in French history behind Maryan Wisnieski to be called up. Mbappe will be wearing the No. 10 shirt made famous by Michel Platini.
LEANDER DENDONCKER (BELGIUM)
Age: 23 Club: Anderlecht
Position: Defensive midfield Dendoncker made headlines when Belgian coach Roberto Martinez chose him for the World Cup team over Roma star Radja (Il Ninja) Nainggolan, one of the world’s best midfielders. Dendoncker, a six-foot-two field general who can also play centre back, is one of only two domestic league players on the World Cup squad. He hasn’t missed a single minute through 32 Belgian league matches and 12 Europa League games — and is known for his work rate, decision-making and team-first attitude.
TIMO WERNER (GERMANY)
Age: 22 Club: RB Leipzig
Position: Forward Of all the promising World Cup players, Warner could make the biggest jump. Among those interested in the Leipzig forward are Real Madrid, Manchester United and Liverpool. At age 17 years, 4 months, he became the youngest player ever on VfB Stuttgart’s first team. He would go on to become the youngest to reach 100 and 150 Bundesliga games. He played for the German national youth teams from U15 to U21, scoring 34 goals in 48 matches, and won the Golden Boot trophy at the 2017 Confederations Cup.
RODRIGO BETANCUR (URUGUAY)
Age: 20 Club: Juventus
Position: Midfielder His career began in Argentina with Boca Juniors, where he played from 2015-17. He was part of the Carlos Tevez 2015 deal that sent the Argentine back to Boca, where his career started. In return, Juventus got the option to sign Betancur, which they did on July 1, 2017. He stood out at the under-20 World Cup, playing every minute. He’s tall (six-foot-two) and known for his physicality and box-to-box running. He was a surprise starter for Juventus in the Champions League quarterfinals.
HIRVING LOZANO (MEXICO)
Age: 22 Club: PSV Eindhoven
Position: Winger One of the most sought-after prospects in Europe this summer is a five-foot-nine, 154pound winger from Mexico, nicknamed Chucky. He has been a sensation since signing with PSV Eindhoven last summer. He was the first player in club history to score in his first three games, andfinished with 17 goals and 11 assists in 29 matches. He has also been a star in his national shirt, scoring seven goals in 24 appearances. A good World Cup could land him a big-time contract in Spain, England or Germany.
MARCO ASENSIO (SPAIN)
Age: 22 Club: Real Madrid
Position: Midfielder Son of a Spanish father and a Dutch mother, who died when Asensio was 15, this talented midfielder has been a star on Spain’s youth national teams. He shined with the under-21 team, scoring a hat trick in a 5-0 win over Macedonia in the U21 Euro Cup. He is eager to prove himself with the senior team. He signed with Real Madrid in 2014 as an 18-year-old, but spent the first few years on loan with Mallorca. This season, he scored four goals and had four assists in 17 games. His father and brother played pro soccer.
DAVINSON SANCHEZ (COLOMBIA)
Age: 21 (22 on June 12) Club: Tottenham
Position: Centre back Tottenham spent a club-record $56 million U.S. to get Sanchez from Ajax last summer, and he quickly became a regular. He played in 41 games for Spurs and the club just extended his contract through 2024. He began with Atletico Nacional in Colombia’s domestic league and was noticed by European scouts. Barcelona offered him a spot on its B squad, but he chose Ajax, where he was voted player of the year in his first season. He is expected to be an anchor on the Cafeteros backline for years to come.