4 Low-Key Players to Look Out For in FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022
The World Cup showcases not only the best players in the world but also a ton of exciting new potential. There are other factors at play than merely expensive players, as we often see at FC Barcelona, Manchester City, PSG, or Real Madrid. The competition provides a stage for athletes like South African winger Siphiwe Tshabalala, who in 2010 scored a thriller of a goal in the opening match to send the whole nation on a wild celebration.
We have another FIFA World Cup to look forward to as 2022 is now underway. Let’s examine a few low-key players that, based on our forecasts, have the potential to triumph in this year’s event.
Akram Afif – Qatar
Akram Afif, who is little known beyond the European circles, may be one of Qatar’s most fascinating players. The 25-year-old has played professionally in Europe, including Gijon in the Spanish La Liga and Eupen in Belgium’s Pro League, before heading to Qatar to join Xavi’s Al Sadd.
Afif has established himself as a fierce offensive threat throughout his career. He put on a show in the Asian Cup, contributing ten assists and a goal in only seven games as Qatar won the competition. The Doha-born forward finished the previous campaign with 14 goals in only 18 games, which was yet another achievement.
Despite the fact that he was not given an opportunity to shine during World Cup qualification, his domination as a wide forward who is capable of both scoring and creating goals has been highlighted by Qatar’s involvement in the CONCACAF Gold Cup and the FIFA Arab Cup.
Ilias Chair – Morocco
Playing his trade with Queens Park Rangers in the EFL Championship, Ilias Chair has consistently excelled since his first debut in west London on January 2017. The attacking midfielder, who joined the team from Lierse SK, made his Rangers debut at 19 in the EFL Cup match against Northampton Town and has progressed tremendously since then. So far, he has racked up a total of 155 appearances for the club, scoring 24 goals and assisting in another 24 in the process.
The 24-year-old Moroccan player has a chance to make an impression in this year’s World Cup. He won’t likely start, at least not in the important games; instead, he’ll come off the bench as he did in the majority of Morocco’s World Cup qualifying campaign.
Joško Gvardiol – Croatia
Joko Gvardiol is already at the pinnacle of his career despite just being 20 years old. The fact that he has played in more than 100 senior club games in the center of the defense is a remarkable accomplishment for a defensive player of that age.
After finishing his time in his home country’s capital playing for Dinamo Zagreb, Gvardiol became a permanent member of the Croatia national team. Since then, he has moved on to join RB Leipzig, which is regarded as one of the most exciting football clubs in Europe.
Gvardiol’s outstanding performance when in possession, as well as his mobility, have earned him a notable place in a back-three system, where he is preferred as the left-sided center-back. We anticipate him to play a significant part for Croatia, who are projected to finish in second place in their group according to predictions made by some of the most reputable World cup betting sites in Australia.
Kacper Kozlowski – SBV Vitesse
Poland’s Kacper Kozlowski is predicted to have an outstanding year in both club and international play. The young athlete, who at the time was only 17 years and 246 days old, made a record for being the youngest player ever to compete in the European Championships last summer and is expected to be a member of Poland’s team for the 2022 tournament in Qatar.
The midfielder moved to Brighton in England’s Premier League for €9.9 million in January, thanks to his fine performances for Pogon Szczecin. He made nine appearances while on loan at Union SG in Belgium during the second part of the season. This term, he has already been loaned to SBV Vitesse, where he is eager to perform well in preparation for the major competition kicking off in November.
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