5 Players who could be surprise trump cards for their teams in the World Cup

Football is a team game 11 players start for one team and try to win the match for their team. No matter how good a player is individually he cannot win if his team is not good enough, just ask Leo Messi.

The rules of the game also allow teams to make three substitutions and that is the place where the managers earn their money. The timing of the substitution has to be good so that the player can impact the game and who is he replacing is also crucial.

In the 2014 World Cup Mario Gotze was the trump card used by Germany and he won them the match by scoring the winner in extra time.

That is the reason why teams pick 23 players as a part of the squad so that they can give players good rest and experiment with the tactics without compromising on the result. Sometimes it easier for the new man on the pitch to influence the game because he is all fresh and the other team is tired.

The teams in this edition would not show all their colors so quickly and they would like to have players who can change the dynamics of the team and the win the match for them.

Here are 5 players who could be trump cards for their teams.-

#5 Julian Brandt (Germany)

Brandt was picked over Leroy Sane.

The German plays in the Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen and he has been one of the most promising youngsters in the Bundesliga. He is just 22 years old and last season he made 44 appearances for Leverkusen.

He is a very good dribbler of the ball and likes to play short passes. The former Wolfsburg product has a deadly left foot with an eye for a goal.

The youngster even managed to knock out Leroy Sane for a place in Germany's World Cup squad. While it will be mainly the likes of Draxler, Reus, Ozil who would be stealing the limelight on the wings, enter Julian Brandt.

Compared to other wingers in the squad, Brandt is relatively unknown which could exactly be used by Joachim Löw. While Germany's opponents would be fully ready and prepared to face their star players, Brandt could slip under the radar and if things are not going thier way he can turn the game around for them.

#4 Douglas Costa (Brazil)

Douglas Costa has been a superb sub for Juventus many times this season.

The Brazilian has been signed by Juventus this season permanently for £40 million after he spent a season on loan at the Allianz Stadium from Bayern Munich. Last season he was one of the best players for Juventus on the pitch.

Like all Brazilian's he is technically superb and very skillful and to add to his firepower he has plenty of speed and pace in him which makes it difficult for defenders to play against him.

Right now he is not a regular starter for Brazil as Neymar, Coutinho, and Willian have taken up the spots behind Jesus and this is exactly where he comes in, he is likely to be used as a substitute and when teams start to get tired and he comes on with his pace to influence the games it would mean a torrid time for the defenders.

The former Bayern winger many times pulled the game into Juventus favor single handily so many times. Costa has come off the bench for Juve and turned the game around for them and he could do the same for Brazil in Russia.

#3 Michy Batshuyi (Belguim)

Batshuyi

is a bench specialist.

'The Batsman or the King of Twitter' was in great form for Dortmund only for his season to be curtailed by an ankle injury, but he recovered in time and he is ready to shine in Russia for the Red Devils.

This season he made a total of combined 44 appearances for Chelsea and Dortmund and he still managed to score 25 goals.

Batshuyi could be crucial for Belguim when comes off the bench as for Chelsea he was a proper bench specialist who could come off the bench and win games for them. He came off the bench to score the winner which gave Chelsea the title in 201617 and he did the same against Watford and Atletico Madrid as well.

While Romelu Lukaku is the first choice for Belguim, he can add more mobility to their frontline and as the match progresses defenders tend to lose concentration and he can make runs in behind them and likes of Hazard and De Bryune can find him more easily as well.

#2 Oliver Giroud (France)

Giroud knows how to win games by coming off the bench.

The former Arsenal striker joined Chelsea in January after he failed to get enough playing time at the Emirates and in the process, he successfully managed to displace Chelsea's record signing Alvaro Morata.

He is known for his physicality and aerial ability. The Frenchman is also good in his defensive duties and providing key passes.

Despite the brilliant technical abilities of this golden generation of France, Didier Deschamps advised Giroud to make a move to Chelsea to boost his World Cup chances, as the French manager was keen to have him in Russia.

The simple reason why he is so crucial because he has been a super sub for Arsenal so many time and Chelsea as well. When his teams need a goal they bring him on, swing in lots of crosses and he uses his heading ability to score goals. Also, he can act as a target man or focal point for the likes of Dembele and Fekir who can make runs behind the defenders.

#1 Paulo Dybala (Argentina)

There is less pressure on Dybala with the national team.

The Juventus talisman is one of most highly rated forwards in the world and he has a deadly eye for goal with his left foot. He is also known by the nickname of 'La Roya' which means the jewel.

His playing style is similar to his Argentinian compatriot Lionel Messi and if Argentina manage to link up these two they will be unstoppable.

Though Messi will be the key for Argentina and opponents will focus more on him, and Dybala could use this as a distraction. With defenders getting more and more on Messi they are likely to leaves spaces behind them and Dybala could just use that space and his link up game with Higuain is also very good as both play for Juventus.

Also, there is less pressure on him compared to his other teammates likes Aguero, Higuain

Messi and DI Maria and this could just be beneficial for him to get the best out of him for Argentina.