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From Russia's emphatic 5-0 win over Saudi Arabia on the opening day to France's historic 4-2 win over Croatia in the final, this World Cup has been nothing short of spectacular. Considered by many the best ever edition, this World Cup surpassed expectations with each passing game.
Reputations were made and some individual performances were etched in the living memory. From Cristiano Ronaldo's sensational hat-trick against Spain to Kylian Mbappe's arrival on the big stage against Argentina, the Russian carnival provided us with some brilliant displays.
Now that the World Cup is over, it is time for analyzing the best performers that have dazzled for their respective countries. In this segment, we will take a look at the top 10 players from the 2018 FIFA World Cup who have been judged on consistency and influence to their respective sides:
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Honourable mentions
1) Harry Kane (England)
The Golden boot winner finds it tough to find a place in this elite top 10 list. Kane scored 6 goals in the tournament and was England's talisman in their run to the semis. But his failure to light up the knockout stages eluded him a place in the top 10 players list in Russia.
2) Yerry Mina (Colombia)
The centre-back scored three towering headers in four games and was a major reason behind Colombia's run to the round of 16. He was a dangerous presence in set pieces and made the most of his physicality and aerial prowess to score three crucial goals. After an impressive World Cup, a move to the Premier League awaits the defender.
3) Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
The great man scored a stunning hattrick against Spain and followed that up with a match-saving goal against Morocco. He became the oldest player to score a hattrick in the World Cup finals and also had the most shots per game ratio for any player in the competition.
#10 Denis Cheryshev (Russia)
From a Real Madrid reject to being the poster boy for the World Cup hosts, Denis Cheryshev has well and truly marked his name on the game. Coming on as a 24th-minute substitute for Alan Dzagoev in the first match against Saudi Arabia, Cheryshev scored a delightful brace.
He again scored against Egypt and was an influencing personality in the 3-1 win. Cheryshev then got on the scoresheet against Croatia in the quarterfinals which was the finest of his four and one of the best in the competition. The tireless running of the 27-year-old combined with an eye for goal made Cheryshev Russia's most valuable player in their emphatic run to the final eight.
#9 Kieran Trippier (England)
The Three Lions were the strongest in set pieces and the reason behind that was the delivery of Kieran Trippier. Be it his swerving corners or his dipping free kicks, Trippier turned out to be the biggest weapon in England's artillery.
Trippier was a menace on the right flank and the decision to accommodate him due to his set-piece prowess was an inspired move by Gareth Southgate. His sumptuous freekick against Croatia was the highest point for Trippier's World Cup campaign.
The Bury Beckham, as he is now known as across England, created 24 chances in the tournament with 7 of them coming for Harry Maguire. To put things into perspective, Lionel Messi created 23 in the Golden Ball-winning 2014 World Cup campaign.
#8 Danijel Subasic (Croatia)
With eight saves in normal time and four penalty saves, no other goalkeeper comes close to having the influence that Danijel Subasic had on his national side. Yes, Thibaut Courtois won the Golden Glove and yes, Hugo Lloris is the World Cup winner but it is Subasic that grabbed the most eyeballs in Russia and for all the good reasons.
Subasic played through the pain barrier against Sweden and was the star performer in the penalty shootout. He was also a solid presence in the penalty shootout win over Russia. Subasic also made a mind-boggling save against England's Harry Kane from close range to keep Croatia in the game. No one had predicted that Subasic had stopped Kane's shot and had to be found out with the help of slow motion.
#7 Philippe Coutinho (Brazil)
Coutinho was the star performer of the group stages. He scored a sublime winner against Switzerland, scored the go-ahead goal against Costa Rica and delivered a pinpoint assist to Paulinho against Serbia. Playing in a midfield role, Tite brought the best out of the Barcelona man.
With Neymar lacking match fitness and being slacked for his histrionics, it was Philippe Coutinho who rose to the stage and was Brazil's best player this World Cup. The Selecao mightily underperformed in Russia but that criticism cannot be held true for Coutinho. He combined his playmaking skills with the duties of a midfielder and was a Golden Ball contender until Brazil's exit.
#6 Paul Pogba (France)
Move over the dabs and the haircuts, the real Paul Pogba was on show in Russia. Dominating the midfield alongside N'golo Kante, Pogba most importantly played level-headedly. He kept it simple when the situation demanded him to be and also tried the spectacular when he had the time to do so.
He was France's midfield metronome in the wins over Australia and Peru and was also instrumental in the knockout stages. Special mention to his pass for Kylian Mbappe in the final in the buildup to his goal which in all fairness, was a piece of art!
And, Pogba saved the best for the last. In a sensational performance last night, the midfielder silenced his critics with a midfield masterclass. He capped it off with a beautifully cushioned goal, becoming the first Manchester United player to score in a World Cup final.
#5 Ivan Perisic (Croatia)
The Inter Milan winger took some time to announce himself on the biggest of stages but when he did, Perisic made sure he made the most out of it. From scoring a last minute winner against Iceland to his match-winning performance against England to his equalizer against France, Perisic landed some heavy blows to the opponents.
It can be argued that Ivan Perisic was Croatia's second best player in Russia. If Luka Modric was the matador of this Croatian side, Perisic surely was the raging bull. The man never stopped running, with or without the ball, Perisic was a man possessed in the knockout stages. He was Croatia's top scorer in the World Cup and scored a goal worthy of a World Cup final yesterday.
#4 N'golo Kante (France)
Just as he did for Leicester City and Chelsea in the Premier League, N'golo Kante proved to be the unsung hero for France. Safeguarding the back four and unlocking Paul Pogba, Kante provided the perfect platform for France's counter-attacking football to flourish.
Making close to 50 ball recoveries in the tournament, Kante was a force to reckon with. Deschamps' strategy to hit teams on the counter proved to be successful due to Kante's presence in the middle. Be it breaking up play or cutting passing lines for the opponents, Kante often gave the impression of being the world's best defensive midfielder.
His performance against Belgium deserves a special mention. Kante not only stopped the service from getting to Romelu Lukaku, he cut down channels for Kevin De Bruyne and stopped Eden Hazard's darting runs when he cut inside from the left. No other French player deserves the World Cup medal more than this ever-smiling Duracell bunny.
#3 Eden Hazard (Belgium)
The golden generation of Belgium had a lost resting upon the shoulders of Eden Hazard. With an uncertain future at a club level, Hazard arrived in Russia amidst much pressure. But match after match, Hazard grew in stature and in the knockout phase, the winger was Belgium's MVP.
In a team enhanced by De Bruyne's magic and Lukaku's brawn, Hazard brought the X-factor to Roberto Martinez's side. Playing as an inside winger in a 3-4-3 or a traditional wide player in a 4-3-3, Hazard excelled as per the role that was given to him.
He set up Marouane Fellaini's goal against Japan, was literally unstoppable in counterattacks against Brazil and at the end, Hazard was one of the contenders to win the Golden Ball. If this was an audition for a move to Real Madrid this summer, Hazard has passed the test with flying colours.
Hazard's numbers at the World Cup:
3 Goals
2 Assists
40 Take-Ons
17 Chances Created
423 Touches
67 Duels Won
4 Man of the Matches
#2 Kylian Mbappe (France)
It took some time but we have finally found the successor to break the domination of Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi. Kylian Mbappe was a known name in the circuit due to his exploits for AS Monaco and PSG but he only truly arrived on the stage in Russia.
After a slow start in the group stages, Mbappe burst onto the stage against Argentina in the round of 16 and since then, there has been no looking back for the teenager. Combining his brutal pace with a football mind beyond his age, the winger absolutely terrified defenders.
His breathtaking run against Messi's Argentina, his stunning piece of skill to create a chance for Olivier Giroud to his long-range strike in the final against Croatia; this World Cup will be known as the time Kylian Mbappe announced himself to the world.
A fun and terrifying fact: Kylian Mbappe will be just 23 in the Qatar 2022 FIFA World Cup!
#1 Luka Modric (Croatia)
Luka Modric arrived at this World Cup with a reputation of being an overachiever with Real Madrid but often underperforming for Croatia. The national side had not seen the face of knockout stages since 1998. Leading the side in Russia, Modric not only managed to enhance his legendary status, he ensured the Croatian national team became a household name and also the neutral's favourites.
From tearing Argentina apart in the group stage to missing a penalty against Denmark and then scoring one in the shootout, Modric was undoubtedly Croatia's go-to guy. He scored in the shootout against Russia and then proved to be unstoppable in the second half against England.
Getting into spaces between the lines, delivering passes with the perfect weight, knowing when to release and when to hold onto the ball, Modric displayed a midfield masterclass in the World Cup. The 32-year-old also combined his playmaking skills with an insane work rate. There were no apprehensions yesterday when Modric won the Golden Ball.
Who made to your top 10 list? Let us know in the comments section below!
