Best players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup: Group D
Who are the best players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup? Top World Football looks at the top three star players on each team in Group D at the World Cup.
France
FIFA World Ranking: 4
Best players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for France:
Kylian Mbappe has a market value unmatched by any footballer, (although Erling Haaland could overtake him soon). The 23-year-old centre-forward aims to repeat a World Cup victory for France in his second tournament. Mbappe who plays football domestically for Paris St. Germain is already a five-time French Champion. He’s led the French league in goal-scoring for the last four seasons in a row. Mbappe has played 59 games for France, scoring in 28 of those. He was listed in the Top World Football all-star team starting 11.
Aurelien Tchouameni has just begun to assert himself into the French squad over the last year. In his fifth match with France, he helped them win the Nations League over Spain last year. He’s only 22, yet recently stepped into a huge role starting as Real Madrid’s central defensive midfielder. With France’s star midfielders Paul Pogba and N’golo Kante recovering from injuries, this is Tchouameni’s opportunity to shine.
Karim Benzema looks fully recovered from injury and should feature heavily in the French World Cup squad. France is very deep so he’ll face stiff competition to find a place in the squad. However, the 34-year-old five-time Champions League winner has a winning pedigree. The winner of the 2022 UEFA Best Player in Europe, was actually left out of the 2018 World Cup-winning squad. Perhaps that fueled his desire to win the World Cup. Benzema has scored 37 goals for France in 97 games.
Denmark
FIFA World Ranking: 10
Best players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Denmark:
Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg has played 60 games for Denmark since joining the national team in 2014. At 27 he’s in the peak of his career and could play every minute of the World Cup for Denmark. He’s been a vital part of Tottenham’s central midfield since joining them in August 2020. Hojbjerg is expected to help lead Denmark out of the group stage at the World Cup.
Andreas Christensen is Denmark’s best defensive player. The 26-year-old centre-back has already played 58 games for Denmark. Christensen won the Champions League with Chelsea in 2021 and transferred this summer to Barcelona. He’s playing a massive part in the Barcelona squad as they challenge for the La Liga title. His experience at the highest level of world football is vital for Denmark.
Christian Eriksen has scored 39 goals for Denmark in 117 matches since 2010. Many thought his career was over after suffering a heart attack at the Euro Cup. However, Eriksen has persevered and worked his way onto Manchester United where he’s a regular starter. At age 30 this could be his third and final World Cup. Eriksen played every minute of Denmark’s 2018 tournament, including 120 minutes against eventual runners-up Croatia in the round of 16.
Tunisia
FIFA World Ranking: 30
Best players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Tunisia:
Tunisia
Ellyes Skhiri age 27 has played in 48 matches for Tunisia according to Transfermarkt. In that time he’s scored three goals since joining the squad in 2018. Skhiri plays as a defensive midfielder and was named Tunisian Footballer of the year in 2021. He plays in the Bundesliga for FC Koln, where he’s been since the summer of 2019. Skhiri plays a ton of minutes in Germany’s best league against top-end talent. He’s likely to be Tunisia’s most important player at the World Cup.
Naim Sliti age 30 plays a huge part in the Tunisian attack and should be relied upon heavily at the World Cup. Typically lining up as a left-winger, he’s played in 68 matches for Tunisia scoring 13 goals. Although he’s played professionally in France, Sliti currently plays for Al-Ettifaq in the Saudi Arabia Pro League. This will be Sliti’s second World Cup, having played in all three of Tunisia’s matches in the 2018 tournament.
Wahbi Khazri age 31 typically lines up as a centre-forward, and often captains the Tunisian squad. He’s scored 24 goals in 71 matches for the national team. Khazri plays for Montpellier in France’s Ligue 1 following a summer transfer away from Saint-Etienne. Khazri played in all three matches of Tunisia’s last World Cup campaign, scoring two goals. Tunisia will be counting on him if they want to advance.
Australia
FIFA World Ranking: 38
Best players at the 2022 FIFA World Cup for Australia:
Aaron Mooy played for 120 minutes against Peru in the extra-time intercontinental play-off, sending Australia to the World Cup. The 32-year-old central midfielder has played 53 matches for Australia scoring seven goals. In 2014 he helped Western Sidney Wanderers to the Asian Football Confederation Champions League title. Mooy is now with Celtic in the Scottish Premier League and recently featured in two UEFA Champions League matches.
Matthew Ryan has played in 75 matches for Australia, including every match of their victorious 2015 Asian Cup championship. Ryan has plenty of English Premier League experience with Brighton and was even loaned out to Arsenal for a few games in 2021. He’s currently with FC Copenhagen in Denmark who face some stiff competition in their UEFA Champions League group. With matches against Manchester City, Sevilla and Borussia Dortmund just before the World Cup, it should help prepare Ryan for Qatar.
Jackson Irvine is currently the captain of St. Pauli in the German Bundesliga 2. Most of his football career has been spent in the Scottish Premier League and with Hull City in England. Irvine started featuring regularly in the Australian squad in 2016 and has scored seven goals in 49 matches. He featured prominently throughout Australia’s World Cup qualifying campaign, typically as a defensive midfielder.
