There will be plenty of familiar faces at the World Cup next year, the showpiece event is a fantastic stage for Premier League players to show what they can do. There will also be plenty of exciting players that fans of the English game may not have seen too much of. This is a list of the youngsters predicted to shine in South Africa.
Marek Hamsik (Slovakia)
The Napoli man has been attracting plenty of interest in recent months with his performances in Serie A. He is a creative midfielder capable of scoring goals; he will be at the centre of most of Slovakia’s attacking play.
Mesut Özil (Germany)
One of two highly rated Werder Bremen players on this list, Özil is recognised as one of the best players in the Bundesliga. His performances at the under-21 European Championships over the summer were a key part of his side’s victory in that competition. He already has 7 caps for Germany and while he may not start the first game, the youngster is predicted to make an impact in South Africa.
Marko Marin (Germany)
Özil’s Werder Bremen teammate, Marin is not quite as highly rated, but he has been impressive for Werder Bremen in recent months. Also with 7 caps for Germany, the winger is pushing for inclusion in Joachim Löw’s squad. If he makes it, he is another that could surprise opposition defenders from the bench.
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Moussa Sissoko (France)
Linked with a number of Premier League clubs, Moussa Sissoko has drawn favourable comparisons with Patrick Vieira as a result of his impressive form for Toulouse. He has earned 2 caps for France and if he continues to demonstrate good form, this box-to-box player may force his way into the squad. If he does so, appearances may be limited at first as the central midfield pairing of Lassana Diarra and Jérémy Toulalan is preferred.
Luis Suarez (Uruguay)
The 22 year-old captain of Ajax is already a big star in Holland and he is destined to shine in South Africa alongside Diego Forlan. His scoring record in the Dutch league is phenomenal with 56 in 78 appearances and he will be keen to show what he can do on the biggest stage.
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Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
One of a number of talented young Argentine forwards, Di Maria has already made an impact on English fans this season as he tore the Everton defence apart in the Europa League game at Benfica. An exciting player to watch, his pace and vision should earn him many fans this summer.
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