With almost a year remaining until the 2018 World Cup kicks off in Russia, FIFA’s dress rehearsal, the Confederations Cup, is set to begin soon.
All six continental champions will take part in this festival, plus hosts Russia and World Cup winners Germany. These eight teams have been split into two pools of four, with the top two sides advancing into the semi-finals. After two weeks of action, the final will take place in St Petersburg on July 2.
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Some of the world’s finest players will be on show, but equally there are a number of stars from traditionally lesser nations eager to prove themselves on a global scale before the big competition next year.
Also read: FIFA Confederations Cup 2017: 5 most exciting midfielders to watch out for
Here are six players particularly worth keeping an eye on:
#6 Vincent Aboubakar
If Cameroon are to cause an upset in a group that contains reigning world champions Germany and Africa’s best side in the form of Cameroon, Besiktas striker Vincent Aboubakar is likely to have a lot to do with it.
The 25-year-old has yet to really play on a big stage, having broken through at Lorient in France before moving to Porto and then Turkey, but wherever he has gone, he has scored goals. This season was no different as he managed a goal every other game, including three from six in the Champions League, notably grabbing a double in a 3-2 victory away against Napoli.
Formidable in the air, he is also an expert at bringing his team-mates into the game.
#5 Bernardo Silva
Of course Cristiano Ronaldo will be Portugal’s star man once again, but it’s not possible even for the Real Madrid man to do everything himself. New Manchester City signing Bernardo Silva will be expected to step forward and pick up some of the slack, particularly as he missed out on his nation’s victorious Euro 2016 campaign last summer due to injury.
This will be his first opportunity to shine since joining Pep Guardiola’s men for £43.5 million from Monaco, and if he can find a way to fit into Fernando Santos’ rather dour system, he is sure to be a big factor in the tournament. There are few players as capable in retaining possession as the 22-year-old.
Highly rated Porto striker Andre Silva has scored five times in six international outings and is another to keep an eye on.
#4 Julian Draxler
Germany go into the tournament with an exceptionally young side. It is the start of a new era for Joachim Low’s men, who will be without a number of familiar faces. Leroy Sane has also been forced to pull out of the squad due to injury, which leaves captain Julian Draxler with quite the burden to carry.
At just 23, he has won more caps than anyone else in the squad and has enjoyed something of a rejuvenation since moving to Paris Saint-Germain from Wolfsburg in January. His confidence has started to return following the €38 million transfer.
His dribbling out wide has added a fresh dimension to Unai Emery’s side, who finished the season strongly, but he will have to be more consistent if the international side are to thrive, particularly as he is such a key man.
This could be a coming of age.
#3 Javier Hernandez
It has been a difficult season for Javier Hernandez at Bayer Leverkusen. Although the former Manchester United forward mustered 11 goals in the Bundesliga, his future at the club looks distinctly uncertain.
His contract is up in 12 months with the German side and it is widely reported that he will leave in the summer, with Lyon among those sides credited with an interest.
Hernandez recently became Mexico’s record scorer when he scored in the 2-1 friendly loss against Croatia and in the aftermath of that encounter, he was dubbed “one of the best finishers in the world” by head coach Juan Carlos Osorio. High praise indeed, and he will be expected, therefore, to lead Mexico’s charge in Russia.
#2 Tom Rogic
It is going to be a tough ask for Australia, the champions of Asia, to make an impression in Russia. Paired in a fiercely competitive group with Germany, Chile and Cameroon, reaching the semi-finals would be a notable accomplishment.
Coach Ange Postecoglou has named a young squad for the tournament and one of their rising stars is Celtic playmaker Tom Rogic. The 24-year-old will go into the competition fresh after missing much of the second half of the campaign due to injury, but equally he should be full of confidence after scoring the winning goal in the Scottish Cup final in the middle of May.
Standing at over 6 feet, he is not the typical shape of a creative midfielder, particularly as he is also physically strong, but his feet are sharp and this tournament could represent a real breakthrough.
#1 Arturo Vidal
With Alexis Sanchez joining the squad after a long season in England with Arsenal and his future still up in the air, the 28-year-old might be forgiven if his weary mind is on other things in Russia this summer. For that reason, Chile will turn to their other star man, Arturo Vidal, who has had longer to prepare with the squad, featuring in friendlies against Burkina Faso and Russia.
The Germany-based player is not lacking in experience or quality, having excelled previously on the big stage. Vidal was a great factor as Chile won the 2015 Copa America, despite being pulled up for a drunk driving charge in the midst of the competition, and was man of the match in the final.
His influence was not quite so great a year later as Chile won the Copa America Centenario, yet he was still named in the Team of the Tournament.
