World Cup 2018: 4 Barcelona players who can dominate the World Cup

It goes without saying that FC Barcelona is one of the biggest sporting clubs in the world. The amount of money flowing in and out of the club's offices every day are enough to testify their influence on the sport.

Then comes the on-field performances of the Catalans. Barcelona is a central part of Spain's success on the footballing field. Not only for the national team but also for domestic football, Barcelona's unique style of football is an example in the Iberian peninsula.

La Masia, Barcelona's famed youth academy produces promising youth talents year after year.

Some people even say that although the 2010 FIFA World Cup success was celebrated in Madrid, it wasn't the country but the club which earned the title.

With the exception of Iker Casillas and Sergio Ramos, all other Spanish players who made a significant mark on the competition were Blaugrana. Surprisingly, each and every goal scored by the Spanish national side in that competition came off the boots of a Barcelona player.

If there are no injuries in the week or so left for the World Cup to kickoff, Barcelona would become the first and the only club to feature at least a single player in every group of the global competition.

Moreover, the club should be rather confident regarding its players and their performances in Russia.

Some of the finest players who would be representing their country on Russian soil in a few days are products of the fabled Catalan club. Let's have a look at some of these to-be heroes for their nations.

---

#4 Philippe Coutinho (Brazil)

Ready to fire some curlers in Russia?

The newest addition to Barcelona's squad, Coutinho has already won the hearts of millions at the club. His rocket-powered curlers and the chemistry he shares with Luis Suarez and Leo Messi have made him a crucial element of the system.

Coutinho's ability to win matches on his own and create chances for his teammates to make him one of the hottest properties in world football right now. The Brazilian is highly expected to lead the central line for Brazil in the upcoming World Cup.

While superstar Neymar would be doing the hard work on the flanks, Coutinho's finishing abilities would be tested to the level best in Russia.

The midfielder is an unalienable fulcrum of Tite's plan to succeed in the World Cup and he would be definitely aiming to win the sixth cup for his nation.

Coutinho is on red-hot form since making the jump from Anfield to Camp Nou. Having scored four goals for his country in the CONMEBOL qualifiers, Coutinho also averaged a goal scored per attack rate of 3.8 in La Liga, 2.9 more than the average for midfielders.

He only played six full games for Barcelona in the league and still managed to find the net eight times. This innate ability of Coutinho to score goals and assist teammates as a midfielder could make him the standout performer at the World Cup.

We also may see a goal or two from the boots of the Brazilian that could be a contender to win the FIFA Puskas Award.

All stats via transfermarkt

#3 Paulinho (Brazil)

Paulinho in a training session with Brazil

Not the fanciest player at the Camp Nou, Paulinho's transfer to Barcelona stirred controversy all around the globe.

A Premier League flop, as people called him, Paulinho made the jump from China to Spain last summer and was a key part of the double winning Barcelona squad under new manager Ernesto Valverde.

However, Paulinho is still far from getting a healthy status in the Barcelona society. While the majority of fans consider him as unfit for the Barcelona system and philosophy, Paulinho's physicality has made him a crucial part of the Brazil squad under Tite.

"Paulinho speaks for himself... his career speaks for itself. He is a Confederations Cup champion, he participated in the Club World Cup [of 2015], he deserves his spot, looking at current form too, not only his past.” - Tite

Paulinho is expected to hit at least 50 appearances for Brazil by the time Russia 2018 is over.

Finishing top in their qualification group, Brazil had help from their star-studded attacking lineup. The Seleção scored 41 goals in their 18 qualifiers, a whopping nine goals more than second placed Uruguay.

While players like Neymar and Coutinho were expected to lead the goal-scoring charts, Paulinho made way for himself and scored six goals in the campaign, only one short of Brazil goal-leader Gabriel Jesus.

Paulinho's physicality and leadership would be crucial in Brazil's fight for the World Cup title in Russia. He is expected to be a regular starter for the national side in next month's tournament.

#2 Sergio Busquets (Spain)

Sergio Busquets - dependable and consistent

Reliable as ever, Sergio Busquets would be again pulling the strings in the Spanish midfield in what could be his last World Cup. The Octopus of Badia, as people know him is one of the most underrated footballers in the modern world.

Omnipresent on the field, Busquets seldom has a bad game, and when he does, the whole team collapses. Often branded as the backbone of the modern Barcelona, Busquets' calm on the ball and his off-the-ball leadership are pure testaments to his natural talent.

Add flair and skills to the list, and you have one of the best defensive midfielders of the decade; Sergio Busquets.

"You watch the game, you don't see Busquets. You watch Busquets, you see the whole game." - Vicente del Bosque (former Spanish manager)

Busquets' passing accuracy and his ability to pick out forwards even from within the tightest of all defensive lines are so often match winning factors for his club, La Roja would be counting upon the services of the midfielder to repeat their 2010 success.

Sergio Busquets and Andres Iniesta are expected to start all matches for the national side in Russia as the Barcelona duo have the chemistry and the ability to tear apart opponents within the fraction of a second.

#1 Leo Messi (Argentina)

Is 2010 the year of La Pulga?

Messi again goes head-to-head with his biggest critics, his countrymen. Highly compared with El Diego, Messi is yet to deliver major silverware for the national side.

Having lost in three consecutive finals, the forward decided to retire from international football after the 2016 Copa America final in America but requests from the fans and his national side's situation in the qualification campaign forced La Pulga to come out of retirement and help throttle La Albiceleste to the grand stage.

Most pundits and fans deem Messi to be Argentina's only hope in Russia. Even the big man himself stated that this time his side won't be traveling to the World Cup as favourites.

But when a man of Messi's stature is determined to do something at a competition, knowing that it would be his last attempt, we sure are in for some entertainment.

A dejected Leo Messi walks past the World Cup trophy after losing to Germany in the 2014 final

Leo arguably single-handedly drove his side to three consecutive finals but was unfortunate to lose all of them. His contributions in Brazil were mesmerising and the Messiah must do a repeat of some of his heroics in Russia to throttle his team past the group stages and into the uncertainties of the knockouts.

“There’s a big challenge coming up for me personally as well as the group. For the country in general, their dream is the same as ours. We are not the best in the world, let’s be realistic, and with that humility, we have to go look for that dream.” - Leo Messi

Messi celebrates after scoring against Ecuador.

Messi scored seven goals for Argentina in the World Cup qualifiers, three of which came in the last match against Ecuador which confirmed Argentina's place in the finals under tough circumstances.

Messi's inclusion in Sampaoli's plan is a mere formality, as the pint-sized Argentine is unarguably the nation's trump card at the World Cup.

Can Messi pull off a miracle and lift the trophy in Moscow on the 15th of July? Only time, and Leo can tell.