FIFA World Cup 2022 Best Players: Group G
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 G at the World Cup.
Brazil
FIFA World Ranking: 1
Best players at the FIFA World Cup for Brazil:
Neymar, age 30 is in his third and likely final opportunity to win the World Cup. The Brazilian squad is always loaded with young offensive talent, yet Neymar is in excellent form this season with PSG. Neymar with 75 goals in 121 matches is two goals behind Pele as the Brazilian all-time top goal scorer. Although Neymar has won almost everything in world football, a World Cup victory would be his greatest accomplishment. Neymar typically plays on the left wing of the attack, however, Brazil has used him in an attacking-midfielder/central-forward/second-striker role.
Vinicius Junior is Brazil’s most dangerous attacking player and is usually deployed as a left-winger. Although Vinicius has only 16 international caps, the 22-year-old is Brazil’s highest-valued player on Transfermarkt. Vinicius is lightning quick, playing a huge role in the Champions League winning Real Madrid squad. After playing a minor role in last year’s Copa America campaign for Brazil, Vinicius worked his way into a regular starting role during the World Cup qualifying campaign. Already a two-time La Liga Champion, Vinicius could become one of the biggest names at the World Cup.
Marquinhos is arguably the world’s greatest centre-back, placed in the starting 11 of Top World Football’s all-star team. At age 28, Marquinhos will play his first meaningful role for Brazil at the World Cup. Marquinhos has played 71 matches for Brazil, on occasion as captain. In Brazil’s 2019 Copa America winning campaign Marquinhos started every match. Marquinhos also played a huge role in Brazil’s 2021 Copa America campaign, however losing in the final. With Paris Saint-Germain, Marquinhos is a seven-time French Ligue 1 champion.
Switzerland
FIFA World Ranking: 15
Best players at the FIFA World Cup for Switzerland:
Granit Xhaka age 30 is the captain of Switzerland and will be playing in his third World Cup. Xhaka is a world-class defensive midfielder with 106 international caps for Switzerland. Starting his career with FC Basel, Xhaka won two Swiss championships before moving on to Borussia Monchengladbach in Germany. In 2016 Xhaka moved to Premier League side Arsenal, where he’s won two FA cups and served as team captain. Xhaka is a staple in Arsenal’s starting 11, and they’re currently in first place in the world’s top domestic league.
Breel Embolo has played in 58 games for Switzerland notching 11 goals since joining the Swiss national team in 2015. Embolo has a goal in each of Switzerland’s last two Nations League games, both victories. Embolo won three Swiss championships with FC Basel before moving to the German Bundesliga in 2016. This summer Embolo transferred to Monaco in the French Ligue 1. Embolo already has seven goals for Monaco so far this season. The 25-year-old should be Switzerland’s starting striker.
Xherdan Shaqiri is the most accomplished footballer in the Switzerland squad. Playing in 108 matches for Switzerland, Shaqiri age 31 has scored 26 goals, this will be his fourth World Cup. Shaqiri won the UEFA Champions League with Bayern Munich in 2013 and with Liverpool in 2019. Although he wasn’t used as a substitute in either final, he contributed throughout those seasons.
Serbia
FIFA World Ranking: 21
Best players at the FIFA World Cup for Serbia:
Dusan Vlahovic age 22 is a rising star of world football. Although Vlahovic has only played 16 games for Serbia, he already has eight goals. After starting his career with Partizan Belgrade, Vlahovic transferred to Italian side Fiorentina in 2018. In January 2022 Vlahovic began his career with Juventus, one of the world’s most prestigious clubs. Vlahovic was the top scorer in last season’s Copa Italia. Vlahovic should provide Serbia with a world-class option at striker for many years to come.
Sergej Milinkovic-Savic age 27, is another Serbian star in Italy. In 2015 the attack-minded central midfielder Milinkovic-Savic joined Roman club Lazio. He’s played more than 300 matches for Lazio, scoring over 60 goals. Winning the Copa Italia in 2019 was a huge accomplishment for Milinkovic-Savic. He played his first match for Serbia’s senior team in 2017 and started all of Serbia’s 2018 World Cup matches. Milinkovic-Savic has six goals in 35 matches for Serbia.
Aleksandar Mitrovic is having an outstanding season in the English Premier League for London club Fulham. Among the leading Premier League scorers, Mitrovic age 28 has scored over 100 goals in England since 2015. Although many of those were in the Championship with Newcastle and Fulham, where Mitrovic won titles with both clubs. With Serbia, Mitrovic has scored 50 goals in 76 matches including one at the 2018 World Cup. A lot of people are paying attention to Mitrovic now and he gives Serbia a lot of strength in their attacking options.
Cameroon
FIFA World Ranking: 43
Best players at the FIFA World Cup for Cameroon:
Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting is in top form for Bayern Munich this season as their striker in the starting 11. Choupo-Moting won the French league with PSG in 2020 before moving to Bayern that year. Playing 68 matches for Cameroon, Choupo-Moting has scored 18 goals. This will be Choupo-Moting’s second World Cup, having played all three of Cameroon’s matches in the 2014 tournament. Choupo-Moting is 33 years old yet is playing at the highest level of his career this season.
Frank Anguissa is enjoying an amazing season with Napoli in Italy and is a huge part of the team’s success. Anguissa has the highest market value of any Cameroon player according to Transfermarkt. Turning 27 before the start of the World Cup, Anguissa is a well-travelled central midfielder; he played in France, England and Spain before joining Napoli. Anguissa joined the Cameroon national team in 2017, having played 42 matches since then with five goals.
Vincent Aboubakar age 30 has captained the Cameroon squad for several years and plays as a centre-forward. Aboubakar has been a national hero since scoring the winning goal in the Africa Cup of Nations Final in 2017. In 88 games for Cameroon, Aboubakar has scored 33 goals. Aboubakar has enjoyed championship seasons for Besiktas in Turkey and with FC Porto in Portugal. In the summer of 2021, Aboubakar joined Saudi Arabian club Al Nassr.
