The World Cup is now just hours away from beginning, and football fans across the globe are ready for a five-week feast of summer action.
Who’ll fire their team to victory at the tournament? Who will claim the Golden Boot? And which young talents will light up the tournament and become a household name overnight? In years gone by, the likes of Michael Owen, Thomas Muller and even Pelé have announced their arrival on the big stage.
Lamine Yamal is one of the teenage talents who have already exploded on the world stage, playing a crucial role for both Spain and Barcelona in recent years, though other young starlets will enter the tournament with little fanfare but leave as superstars.
Here are the 15 young players heading to the World Cup that we’re tipping to have big futures:
1. Keisuke Goto - Japan
The 20-year-old Anderlecht striker enjoyed a stunning breakout season after joining Belgian Pro League side St. Truiden on loan. Having earned his first international cap in November, Goto will head to the World Cup for the first time this summer, having scored 11 goals and assisted a further seven at The Stayen. | SNS Group
2. Kendry Paez - Ecuador
Viewed as one of world football's wonderkids, the 19-year-old attacker is ready to introduce himself on the biggest stage after spending the last season on loan to River Plate. Allowed to move to the Argentinian side on loan from Chelsea last summer, Paez has shown flashes of his undoubted potential with his elite-level dribbling ability, vision, and maturity beyond his years. A major player for Ecuador, who face a tough task of qualifying from a group that includes Germany, Ivory Coast and Curacao. | Getty Images
3. Chemsdine Talbi - Morocco
The 21-year-old is one of the biggest talents in African football and has already made his mark on the English Premier League. Signed by Sunderland for £17million last summer, he rose to prominence after scoring a brace for Club Brugge in the Champions League, and has continued his goal-scoring exploits on Wearside with four goals in 16 starts. | Getty Images
4. Ibrahim Maza - Algeria
The 20-year-old is a creative, roaming, advanced playmaker who has risen to prominence at Bayer Leverkusen over the last season after being snapped up from Hertha Berlin. Excellent in tight spaces, he has a low centre of gravity and the ability to cut open defences with line-splitting passes. Maza opted to represent Algeria despite representing Germany at various youth levels. Scored five goals and assisted five more during his debut campaign at the BayArena. | AFP via Getty Images