Neymar Jr
- Age: 26
- Club: Paris Saint-Germain
- Country: Brazil
Neymar has long been regarded as the heir apparent to Messi and Ronaldo. He shocked the world when he left Barcelona for PSG last summer in a record-breaking £200m deal. Technical, strong and quick, Neymar attempted more dribbles per game than any other player in Europe’s top five league’s last season.
Mohamed Salah
- Age: 25
- Club: Liverpool
- Country: Egypt
When Liverpool spent £37m to sign Mohamed Salah from Roma last summer, many questioned whether the winger would be worth the bucks. Nine months since, the transfer looks like the bargain of the century, with the Egyptian scoring a record 32 EPL goals in one season and lighting up the Champions League with his stunning play.
Antoine Griezmann
- Age: 27
- Club: Atletico Madrid
- Country: France
The wily attacker whose hilarious goal celebrations have made him a viral star, has been tipped to link up with Messi at Barcelona this summer. His performance in the Europa League final—two goals and an assist—in a 3-0 win over Marseille shows he can deliver big. Les Bleus will be expecting more magic from him in Russia.
Eden Hazard
- Age: 27
- Club: Chelsea
- Country: Belgium
When Hazard has a good season, Chelsea usually win the Premier League. The mercurial attacker can score at will and bamboozle defenders with his mazy runs but hasn’t yet found the consistency to reach Messi-Ronaldo level. A leading-light of Belgium’s golden generation, Hazard has long been coveted by Real Madrid.
Paulo Dybala
- Age: 24
- Club: Juventus
- Country: Argentina
With three Serie A title wins and 68 goals in 106 games at Juventus, Dybala is the star that any team’s coach would want. Incredibly, he is far from a favourite of Argentina boss Jorge Sampaoli who has viewed him as bit of a misfit in his Messi-centric system. The tireless attacker is brilliant on the counter attack and adept at free kicks.
Kylian Mbappe
- Age: 19
- Club: Paris Saint-Germain
- Country: French
The breakout star of the 16/17 UEFA Champions League, Mbappe earned himself a lucrative transfer to PSG from Monaco last summer. Freakishly fast, the Paris-born star has been likened to a young Thierry Henry and has scored or assisted 34 goals in 48 appearances for the French champions this season.
Kevin De Bruyne
- Age: 26
- Club: Manchester City
- Country: Belgium
A wide attacker reinvented by City boss Pep Guardiola into a central playmaker, De Bruyne finished the Premier League season with 16 assists—more than any other top flight player. The red-haired maestro will have plenty of possession for Belgium at the World Cup, and can pick a killer pass out of nothing.
Paul Pogba
- Age: 25
- Club: Manchester United
- Country: France
Tall, powerful and technically-adept, Pogba has all the attributes to be one of the finest midfielder on the planet. He seemed destined to reach the top when Manchester United spent a, then record, £89m on him in 2016. The Frenchman has not quite hit the top of his game at Old Trafford since but will be a very crucial player for France in Russia.
Photographs by Getty Images
