World Cup 2018: 5 quality young wingers to look out for

#2 Julian Brandt (Germany)

Brandt fits Germany's model style better than Sané

The dropping of Manchester City's in-form winger Leroy Sané from Germany's 23-man party to the World Cup has raised some dust (ironically more in the British media).

The man that has been chosen in place of the PFA Young Player of the Year is no slouch, though. The 21-year-old Brandt was one of the standout performers in the just concluded Bundesliga season.

A fresh-faced, chubby-cheeked wide man, the graduate of Bayer Leverkusen's famed academy is a devilish trickster who loves nothing more than to run at defenders and cause havoc to the opposition's backline.

Capable of playing on either flank or behind a striker, Brandt’s intelligence, dribbling skills and ability to come into the midfield and affect play make him a better fit for Die Mannschaft than Sané at this moment.

He is also adept at putting in more than his fair share of defensive work. Given that coach Joachim Low's first choice full-backs: Jonas Hector and Joshua Kimmich are encouraged to bomb forward, Brandt's hustling and pressing will give Germany an extra defensive option.