15 Players to Watch During the 2022 FIFA World Cup

The FIFA World Cup is the pinnacle of soccer. Every four years, the greatest players on the planet showcase their talents throughout the month-long tournament.

The 2022 World Cup is set to kick off in Qatar on November 21. With just over three months until the action gets underway, I thought it would be a good idea to profile the best players to watch in the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

Unfortunately, high-profile stars like Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland won’t be at the tournament. But there are still plenty of world-class 2022 FIFA World Cup players to keep an eye on.

So, join me as I look at 15 of the biggest 2022 FIFA World Cup stars. To make things a little more interesting, I decided to limit my list to one player per country.

It is no surprise that all the best sports betting sites favor Kylian Mbappé to win the Golden Ball in Qatar. After all, the 23-year-old French forward is widely regarded as the greatest player on the planet.

Four years ago, the PSG star bagged four goals and one assist in Russia – firing his country to World Cup glory. If his efforts during the 2021-22 campaign are anything to go by, he is destined to eclipse his 2018 tally.

Mbappé racked up 38 goals and 26 assists for PSG last season, highlighting his ruthlessness. Naturally, his is among the best World Cup players to watch in 2022.

Pedri will still be a teenager when the tournament kicks off, but he is undoubtedly one of the top players to track at the FIFA World Cup in Qatar.

At 19, the midfield maestro has already made 73 first-team appearances for Barcelona. On top of that, he has 12 international caps under his belt. Very few 19-year-olds can claim to have that level of experience.

Best known for his expert passing, tireless work-rate, and composure on the ball, Pedri looks set to play a key role for Spain later this year. Can he guide his nation to glory? I guess we’ll have to wait and see!

You cannot talk about the biggest stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup without mentioning Cristiano Ronaldo. Sure, the Portuguese megastar is past his best. But he will go down as one of the best World Cup players of all time.

Having netted 117 goals in 189 appearances for Portugal, CR7 is the all-time leading goalscorer in men’s international soccer.

It is worth noting that Ronaldo has scored 15 goals across his past 17 international appearances. Even at the ripe old age of 37, the legendary forward is still one of the most prolific strikers in the game.

Of course, I couldn’t feature Ronaldo on my list of the best 2022 FIFA World Cup players without including Lionel Messi. Although both men are in the twilight of their careers, they are still among the top players on the planet.

Messi lit up the 2021 Copa America, bagging four goals and five goals on his way to lifting the trophy with Argentina. Can he go one better in Qatar?

When it comes to coming to a decision in the Ronaldo vs. Messi debate, there are many different factors to consider. If one of them can guide their country to World Cup glory, they could settle the argument once and for all.

I toyed with the idea of including Neymar on my list of the top World Cup players to watch in Qatar. However, I decided to make Vinícius Júnior my Brazilian inclusion.

Vini Jr is one of the hottest properties in world soccer right now. Last season, the Real Madrid superstar chalked up a whopping 22 goals and 20 assists en route to a memorable La Liga-Champions League double with Los Blancos.

Funnily enough, Vini Jr is also the subject of one of my top 2022 World Cup prop bets. Follow the link below to check out all of my recommended FIFA World Cup props.

So far, I have only covered 2022 FIFA World Cup players from Europe and South America. But what about the top World Cup players from the CONCACAF region?

In my eyes, Alphonso Davies is the best North American soccer player right now. The Bayern Munich left-back is the leading light in the Canadian national team and is destined to enhance his status at the World Cup.

Canada’s Jonathan David is among the players who could break Ronaldo’s scoring record. Still, there is no denying that Davies is the Maple Leafs’ highest-profile star.

The only goalkeeper on this list, Édouard Mendy has to be viewed as one of the best players to watch in the 2022 FIFA World Cup. Thibaut Courtois and Alisson are also worth keeping an eye on, but I already have players from Belgium on Brazil on my list.

Mendy played a pivotal role in Chelsea’s Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup triumphs last year. A few months later, he starred as Senegal secured the Africa Cup of Nations trophy.

Having been named both the Champions League Goalkeeper of the Season and Africa Cup of Nations Best Goalkeeper, few would argue that Mendy is not among the biggest 2022 FIFA World Cup stars.

Virgil van Dijk is widely regarded as the best center-back on the planet. Accordingly, I had to include him on my list of the best 2022 FIFA World Cup players to watch in Qatar.

Best known for his genius reading of the game, lethal aerial presence, and deceiving speed, the Dutchman is blessed with countless attributes. Thanks to his prowess, the Liverpool star is a Premier League and Champions League winner.

Can the deadly duo set the foundations for the Netherlands’ title charge?

Harry Kane’s international record speaks for itself. In 73 games for England, the 29-year-old has netted 50 goals – meaning he averages 0.68 goals per game for his country.

England manager Gareth Southgate has plenty of world-class players at his disposal, including Raheem Sterling, Trent Alexander-Arnold, Phil Foden, and Declan Rice. But few would argue that Kane is not the pick of the bunch.

According to the bookies’ 2022 FIFA World Cup Golden Boot odds, Kane is among the favorites to score the most goals in Qatar. Why not check out my Golden Boot prediction and pick below?

If the 2022-23 Premier League Player of the Year odds are correct, Kevin De Bruyne is in contention to win the award for a third time in four seasons. That tells you everything you need to know about the Belgian’s ability.

KDB has won four Premier League titles, five EFL Cups, and one FA Cup with Manchester City, notching plenty of goals and assists along the way. In fact, he has registered 86 goals and 121 assists in 307 appearances for the English giant.

The 31-year-old grabbed one goal and two assists at the 2018 World Cup, firing his nation to a third-place finish. Needless to say, he will be eager to go one better this time around.

Not so long ago, the United States was a minor soccer nation. Fast-forward to today – picking just one American for my list of the top players to watch in the 2022 FIFA World Cup is a tricky task.

Household names such as Christian Pulisic, Gio Reyna, Tyler Adams, and Sergiño Dest all deserve a mention. In my opinion, though, Weston McKennie holds the key to his country’s chances of success later this year.

The box-to-box Juventus midfielder invariably covers every blade of grass, combining tough tackles and clever movement with creative passes and long-range shots. He could help the Stars and Stripes unlock their full potential in Qatar.

If you already know a thing or two about soccer, you probably don’t need me to tell you that Joshua Kimmich is among the best players to monitor in the World Cup.

The versatile Bayern Munich star is more than comfortable in almost any position, making him a dream player for any manager. At 27, he already has seven Bundesliga titles and 67 international caps under his belt.

Kimmich is one of the biggest reasons why many of the top World Cup betting sites view Germany as a genuine contender for the silverware. Here are the latest World Cup winner odds, courtesy of BetOnline.

ODDS TO WIN THE 2022 FIFA WORLD CUP

Believe it or not, Achraf Hakimi is still just 23. Given that he has already played for – and won trophies with – Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Inter Milan, and PSG, it is easy to forget that he is still an up-and-coming player.

The marauding right-back was named in the 2019-20 Bundesliga Team of the Year before making it into the 2020-21 Serie A Team of the Year. Last season, he bagged four goals and six assists en route to lifting the Ligue 1 trophy.

Remarkably, Hakimi also has 51 international caps to his name. The Moroccan is well on his way to becoming one of the greatest African players of all time, so I had to include him among the best World Cup players to watch in Qatar.

There is absolutely no denying that Son Heung-min is the best Asian soccer player of his generation. Naturally, that makes him one of the top 2022 FIFA World Cup players to monitor.

Son has made a century of appearances for South Korea, scoring 32 goals along the way. Of course, the South Koreans are not expected to go deep into this year’s tournament. But Son will be one of the biggest stars at the 2022 FIFA World Cup.

The Tottenham talisman clinched the Premier League Golden Boot last season, netting 23 goals. Can he defend his crown? Follow the link below to discover my prediction for the 2022-23 EPL Golden Boot.

When Christian Eriksen suffered an on-field cardiac arrest at last summer’s European Championship, everyone feared the worst. Now, fitted with an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator (ICD), he is ready to be one of the biggest 2022 FIFA World Cup stars.

Given what happened at Euro 2020, it is easy to forget what Eriksen has achieved in his career. The 30-year-old has won top-flight titles in the Netherlands and Italy and also reached the Champions League final with Spurs.

Eriksen’s international record is phenomenal, too. The midfield maestro has racked up 38 goals and 26 assists in 115 appearances for Denmark, emphasizing his qualities.

With so many high-profile names to choose from, picking just 15 players to watch in the 2022 FIFA World Cup is no easy task. It’s fairly arguable that the list could be a lot longer, too.

Naturally, it’s only right that I include some honorable mentions.

In an effort to not leave anyone out that’s deserving, let’s expand my list to wrap things up. With that, here are 15 more of the best 2022 FIFA World Cup players to track in Qatar.

That concludes my take on the top players to watch at the 2022 World Cup. If you can think of any more standout players who deserve a spot on my list, why not share your thoughts in the comment section below?

Do you plan to bet on the World Cup? If so, grab one of the best soccer betting apps, follow the top World Cup betting tips, and prepare your wagers!