FIFA World Cup: Five stars of the World Cup group stage who stand out
The lucky 16 have cruised into the knockouts of the World Cup, but before that, we'd like to look back at the tournament's best moments so far.
Jude Bellingham, England's rising superstar.Some of these moments are credited to the young and rising stars of football who are on the path to becoming legends in the game.
Here is a list of five breakout stars from the competition's group stage:
Tyler Adams (USA)
The United States of America booked a spot in the last 16, thanks to Tyler Adams, who captained his team through the group stage. The Leeds midfielder is known for being composed in high-pressure situations.
He adds a sense of robustness and power to the squad alongside Weston McKennie and Yunus Musah, who held their own against England and Wales.
Adams was a key player in their 1-0 victory against Iran, and his performances in Qatar have drawn Europe's biggest clubs towards him.
Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)
Cody Gakpo scored in all three group games for the Netherlands after a memorable season at PSV Eindhoven. In their opening match, he scored a header against Senegal in a 2-0 victory.
During the Oranje's 1-1 draw against Ecuador, Gakpo's left footer saved his side from slumping into a defeat. Then, he contributed another tidy goal to his tally as they beat Qatar 2-0.
Netherlands' coach Louis van Gaal said: "He has everything it takes to become a star."
He is expected to leave his boyhood club shortly, and Manchester United seems to be a possible destination.
Enzo Fernandez (Argentina)
Enzo Fernandez has turned into a key player in Argentina following his group-stage exploits in the tournament. He has found a spot in the starting lineup of Lionel Scaloni's side.
The 21-year-old midfielder came off the bench and scored against Mexico. He started the next game and netted his team's second goal against Poland.
Fernandez transferred to Benfica from River Plate in the summer and led his club to the top of the group rankings in the Champions League. He became Argentina's second-youngest goalscorer at the World Cup, only behind Lionel Messi.
Jude Bellingham (England)
The 2022 World Cup marks Jude Bellingham's second tournament after he appeared in Euro 2022 for England. The 19-year-old plays for Borussia Dortmund and has become a key player in Gareth Southgate's midfield in Qatar.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Jude Bellingham, very good at football.</p>— Borussia Dortmund (@BlackYellow) <a href="https://twitter.com/BlackYellow/status/1438187318876250117?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 15, 2021</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>
He scored during England's opening 6-2 victory over Iran. Bellingham is slowly evolving alongside Dortmund, and he seemed comfortable as a part of the England squad that topped Group B.
Josko Gvardiol (Croatia)
The 20-year-old Josko Gvardiol is an upcoming star in Croatia's defence, and his talent boosts a squad on the verge of decline. His last-minute block on Belgium's Romelu Lukaku saved Croatia from losing to their opponent.
He fractured his nose and had an insufferable swelling around his right eye a week before the World Cup. However, he is unfazed in the face of adversity.
His performance has stood out at the Croatia backline despite his issues. Croatia coach Zlatko Dalic deemed him the best defender in the world.