World Cup: Top 3 players who faded away after promising starts 

With the 2018 World Cup final eight almost decided, a number of players in teams exited will have felt they could have done something different to alter their chances. Top players like Messi, Ronaldo and Costa will face heaps of blame for underperforming. But it's a cruel tournament in many ways and players will have to live with their mistakes and shortcomings.

The history of the World Cup has been littered with great talents displaying their skills on the grandest stage but only a few have consistently performed through the grand slam of football.

Here we look at three players who faded away in World Cups after promising starts.

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#3 Feni Opabunmi

Opabunmi struggled to get his career back on track

Former Nigerian youth prodigy, Feni Opabunmi made a lot of headlines in 2001 during the U-17 World Championships as he displayed some fantastic performances, earning himself a national team call-up.

With a lot of people taking notice, Opabunmi was selected for the country's World Cup squad and made his debut at the age of 17 years, 3 months, and 9 days in a game against England in Osaka.

The game ended 0-0 although Opabunmi was never called up to the national team set-up thereafter. He made only 3 appearances for his country and retired from the sport after a gruesome eye injury cut short his career.

He began his career in France in 2001 and then moved to Greece and Isreal for short stint and called time on his career after 5 years at the age of 23. Opabunmi was a left winger who showcased some superb displays as a youngster although could never display his skill at his best due to his injury.

#2 Norman Whiteside

Whiteside in action for Northern Ireland

Former Northern Ireland and Manchester United attacking player Norman Whiteside is the youngest player in history to make an appearance in a FIFA World Cup. During the 1982 World Cup, in Spain, Whiteside made his debut at the age of 17 years, 1 month, and 10 days in a game between Yugoslavia and Northern Ireland that ended 0-0.

Whiteside was selected as part of the national team set-up for the World Cup, because of some brilliant displays for his club Manchester United as a 17-year-old. Whiteside, however, didn't win many honours during his career.

A move to Everton was confirmed in 1989 as Whiteside spent two more years playing at the highest level with the Blues of Merseyside before calling time on his career. Whiteside played in two World Cups but didn't perform as well as he could have.

#1 Johan Cruyff

Cruyff in action as captain for Holland

Though his swagger as a player and ideas as a coach had such an influence on the world game, Dutch legend Cruyff also fell just short on the grandest stage of them all. Cruyff won player of the tournament in 1974, but his Netherlands side lost 2-1 against hosts West Germany in the final of the World Cup.

Cruyff never played a World Cup game again although impacted the game of football for generations to come. A flamboyant footballer and personality, Cruyff is adored by thousands around the world and helped a number of people around the world through the Johan Cruyff Foundation.

In a strictly personal footballing sense, Johan Cruyff faded away from the international game for Holland after displaying the most profound and magnificent style of football ever played in Germany 74.