Potential stars of the 2022 World Cup
The year 2022 will be marked by the World Cup, which will take place this autumn in Qatar. We take a close look at the stars, who are already in the starting blocks, with the aim of keeping their leadership. Keep an eye on these stars so you can bet wisely when the time comes! Don’t hesitate to take advantage of this livescore bonus code during the World Cup!
Lionel Messi
Ballon d’Or winner for the seventh time in his career, the Argentine international is still chasing the World Cup, and is not desperate to add a fifth Champions League title to his trophy cabinet, seven years after his last one in 2015. If he succeeds, he will also be making PSG history by being the first player from the club to win the Ballon d’Or with only a few games played.
Cristiano Ronaldo
On 5 February 2022, CR7 will turn 37 and will know whether he should prepare for his fifth World Cup. If Portugal make it out of the play-offs, he will have one last chance to hope for a sixth Ballon d’Or, his ultimate goal. Unless, as time goes by, his ambitions remain more reasonable and focused on his club, certainly the last, Manchester United, in the middle of a year-end turmoil.
Mohamed Salah
If Liverpool are no longer as dominant as they were in 2019 and 2020, it is certainly not his fault. The Egyptian international has continued to perform well and was the Premier League’s top scorer at the end of the season, and would have deserved to remain in the top five of the Ballon d’Or for the third time in a row. He could go on to win a fourth edition, provided he can take his country to Qatar and bring the Reds back to the top of Europe.
Kylian Mbappé
After a botched Euro 2021 and another missed Champions League, he could be in the revenge category. He has the future ahead of him and is being considered for the title of best player in the world. In Qatar with Les Bleus, in L1 and Champions League with PSG, Mbappé will have three opportunities to receive his first Ballon d’Or in a year. Failing that, a transfer to Real Madrid already underway could prove to be an ideal springboard.
Harry Kane
The Spurs youngster is no longer destined to stay much longer at a club where he has yet to win anything and which no longer seems to have the means to fulfil its ambitions. The top scorer at the last World Cup, first player to have achieved a hat-trick in C1, C3 and C4 (!) will certainly fly to other countries before heading to Qatar with the Three Lions to assert their status as number one outsiders.
Robert Lewandowski
The unofficial Ballon d’Or winner in 2020, runner-up to Messi in 2021, has certainly missed out on the supreme honour, but without calling into question his destiny as an exceptional serial goalscorer and the best foreign striker in the history of the Bundesliga. In 2022, as since his arrival at Bayern, he will continue to pull the strings of a career that has allowed him to accumulate records. If Poland manage to qualify for the World Cup, he will be looking to score his first World Cup goal after a first appearance unworthy of his talent in 2018.
Jorginho
From the podium of the Ballon d’Or 2021 (3rd), the Brazilian-born Italian midfielder contemplated 2022 with the fear of seeing the World Cup pass him by for the second time in a row. The Azzurri had a tough play-off on the way to Qatar. The former Napoli player had a big challenge ahead of him with Chelsea, a Champions League title to keep and a first Premier League title to win. What a way to stay on top!
Ryad Mahrez
His performances with Manchester City have made him one of the most unpredictable and talented strikers in world football in the four years he has been with the Citizens. After conquering Africa in 2019 (CAN with Algeria), England in 2016, 2019 and 2021 (Premier League), he now has the Champions League and the World Cup in mind. Before perhaps signing for Paris, the Sarcelles native will have stars in his eyes in 2022.