Take a look at some of the emerging players who have lit up the World Cup in Brazil.
Divock Origi makes an impact for Belgium, Giancarlo Gonzalez has performed impeccably as the central defender for Costa Rica.
Divock Origi (Belgium, 19) : A surprise inclusion who has made a massive impact on a Belgium team that have looked stale and slow off the mark. Uncapped and fast-tracked from the under-19 side before securing a last-minute call-up, the young forward with African roots (his striker father, Mike, was a regular for Kenya) has – with his blistering pace, physicality, opportunism and enthusiasm – practically turned the game for Belgium twice after coming off the bench for the ineffective Romelu Lukaku. As a product of the Lille academy, Origi is walking in the footsteps of his big idol, Eden Hazard.
Jose Juan Vazquez (Mexico, 26) : The midfielder has been one of Mexico’s top performers in Brazil, despite only securing a place in the starting lineup following an injury to the presumed regular, Juan Carlos Medina.
Vazquez spent his early twenties in the Mexican second division and is now making up for lost time with some first-class performances for his country. A fierce, combative, holding midfielder, he is good at reading the game, intercepting passes and distributing the ball efficiently. He proves that mobility and a sense of anticipation often outweigh pure physicality in the defensive midfield role.
Giancarlo Gonzalez (Costa Rica, 26) : One of the real Cinderella stories of the World Cup this far, the gangly centre-back was discarded by the Norwegian club Valerenga earlier this year after failing to impress during a two-season stint in Scandinavia. Having embarked on a new adventure across the Atlantic with Columbus Crew, Gonzalez has stood out as one of the top central defenders in Brazil. Faced with the task of coping with a devastating mixture of the world’s greatest forwards, the focal point of the Costa Rica back five has performed impeccably, always operating with composure and a great sense of positioning and anticipation.
Ahmed Musa (Nigeria, 21) : Brazil 2014 has represented not so much a breakthrough as a return to the spotlight for the Nigeria winger.
On the wishlist of many big European clubs before moving from Dutch football to CSKA Moscow, the fast forward, who can play anywhere off a main striker, has re-emerged as a prime target on the back of being the Super Eagles’ top performer. Though not always as incisive for his club side, Musa’s performance against Argentina – humiliating the vastly experienced right-back Pablo Zabaleta in the process – was nothing short of an exhibition of pace and skill.
Jose Maria Gimenez (Uruguay, 19) : Thrown in at the deep end against England in place of the unimpressive captain, Diego Lugano, the young central defender has been the defensive revelation of the tournament. From the typical “streetwise” Uruguayan school, he is mobile, aggressive and an excellent reader of the game.
A perfect size for a centre-back, he seamlessly slotted in as understudy to his club colleague Diego Godín in the middle of Uruguay’s back line. Snapped up by Atletico Madrid after his excellent showing at last summer’s Under-20 World Cup, next season he looks certain to add significantly to his one La Liga start – that is, if Atletico manages to retain its gem.
© Guardian Newspapers Limited, 2014
