Forget the Kylian Mbappe’s and the Marcus Rashford’s. It’s high time some of the Qatar World Cup’s breakout stars got the credit they deserve.
Without further ado, here’s our best XI surprise stars from the 2022 tournament…
Andries Noppert – Netherlands and Heerenveen
You’ve probably heard the story ad nauseum by now but it certainly bears repeating one more time. This most late-blooming of shot-stoppers came into his maiden international tournament having played just 32 top-flight games in his entire professional career.
It’s been quite the rise for 6ft 8ins Noppert. The tallest player at the Qatar World Cup is certainly re-paying Louis van Gaal’s faith too, making a series of eye-catching saves en route to the quarter-finals.
Angelo Preciado – Ecuador and Genk
It was the Genk full-back who provided the first assist of Qatar 2022; his wicked delivery setting up Enner Valencia’s thumping header during Ecuador’s 2-0 opening day victory over the host nation. Preciado was a near-constant threat down the flank in the group-stages.
Alistair Johnston – Canada and Celtic
Every tournament, there is always a handful of players who catch the eye on the biggest of stages before earning themselves a life-changing transfer. And Johnston, impressing both at right-back and in the centre for John Herdman’s plucky Canada side, sealed a reported £3.5 million move to Scottish champions Celtic this weekend.
Hassan Al-Tambakti – Saudi Arabia and Al-Shabab
Has there been a better defensive performance at the 2022 World Cup so far than Al-Tambakti’s against Argentina? The Al-Shabab colossus celebrated as if he’d just scored the winner after his inch-perfect sliding tackle denied Lionel Messi what looked like a certain goal during that famous 2-1 triumph over the two-time champions.
Harry Souttar – Australia and Stoke City
The 6ft 7ins centre-back jetted out to Qatar having played just one Championship game all season for Stoke City. But if there were concerns that Souttar would be suffering any after effects from an ACL injury which kept him out of action for around 12 months, the former Fleetwood Town man dispelled those rather emphatically in the Middle East.
A massive aerial presence and superb on the ball, it’s no wonder Souttar had so many Premier League admirers before rupturing his ligaments in 2021.
Craig Goodwin – Australia and Adelaide United
A la Noppert, Goodwin’s is another remarkable rags to riches tale. After nearly a decade out of the international wilderness, a player who made his A-League debut while still working shifts at his local KFC kicked off Australia’s tournament in some style with a fierce finish against holders France in the group-stages.
It was also Goodwin’s (admittedly massively deflected) effort which halved the deficit during the 2-1 last-16 defeat to Argentina.
Sofyan Amrabat – Morocco and Fiorentina
According to Morocco coach Walid Regragui, it is only a matter of time before the ‘world-class’ Amrabat is thudding into tackles for one of Europe’s very best clubs. His prediction could come true sooner rather than later. Liverpool are reportedly keeping tabs on a tenacious defensive midfielder who came close to joining Tottenham for a bargain £12 million deal not so long ago (Corriere dello Sport).
Jhegson Mendez – Ecuador and Los Angeles FC
While overshadowed by his more vaunted midfield partner Moises Caicedo, do not underestimate Mendez’s importance to this Ecuador side. The Los Angeles FC enforcer was the best player on the pitch against Qatar; orchestrating proceedings from his deep-lying role while breaking the lines with his surgical passing.
It’s no coincidence that, with Mendez unavailable due to suspension, Ecuador were outmuscled and outran during that devastating defeat to Senegal.
Tyler Adams – USA and Leeds United
Now, those who have watched Adams strut his stuff week-in, week-out at Elland Road knew the former RB Leipzig ace was a pretty decent football player. His ferocious performances in Qatar, however, may have taken even the most ardent Leeds supporters by surprise.
“The youngest captain at the World Cup. He’s huge!” USA legend DaMarcus Beasley tells talkSPORT of Adams. “He was the Man of the Match by far (against Wales). Phenomenal. Phenomenal. He’s going to be so important against England.”
Only one midfielder – the Netherlands’ Frenkie de Jong – averaged more tackles per game than Adams’ 3.3 in the group-stage (WhoScored).
Ritsu Doan – Freiburg and Japan
Strangely enough, Doan only started one of Japan’s three group-stage fixtures but arguably made a bigger impact on the tournament than any of Hajime Moriyasu’s other World Cup heroes. Doan, a key player for PSV before joining Champions League-chasing Freiburg, rose from the bench to score crucial goals in those comeback wins over both Germany and Spain.
Takuma Asano – Bochum and Japan
Like Doan, Bochum’s one-time Arsenal prospect Asano puts the ‘super’ in ‘supersub’. Amid all the drama that followed his late winner against Germany on matchday one, the touch and the technique of Asano’s wonderful solo goal has been lost somewhat.
One things for certain, however; neither Nico Schlotterbeck nor Niklas Sule will be forgetting it in a hurry.
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