FIFA World Cup: 6 players to watch out for in Round of 16 in Qatar
As the FIFA World Cup 2022 Round of 16 begins in Qatar tonight (December 3), fans across the globe are rooting for their favourite players to perform.
This World Cup has had its share of excitement in the first round of group stage matches itself when Saudi Arabia defeated Argentina by 2-1 to heavyweights Germany and Belgium already being knocked out. This season also witnessed the first instance of a female referee officiating a match.
Also read: Full coverage of FIFA World Cup 2022
The tournament also witnessed major upsets like Tunisia defeating France 1-0, Japan defeating Germany and Spain 2-1 each and Morocco upsetting Belgium 2-0 among others.
As the journey toward the top enters the knockout stage, sports aficionados are at the edge of their seats to see the action unfold. While it is the last World Cup for football legends Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo and Neymar, it also happens to be a first for emerging players like Cody Gakpo, Philip Foden, Pedi and Gavi among others.
Watch: Who all made it to Round of 16 in Qatar?
Turning the heat up, here are 6 players to look out for in the FIFA World Cup 2022 Round of 16.
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Widely regarded as one of the greats of the game, Messi proves to be a prolific goalscorer and master playmaker. Argentina suffered a rather surprising loss in its opening match against Saudi Arabia. The team bounced back in the next match against Mexico wherein Messi scored his second goal of the tournament. In the third match against Poland, even after missing a penalty, Messi inspired Argentina towards a 2-0 win subsequently qualifying for the round of 16. Argentina faces Australia in the last 16.
Also read: Substitutes light up Qatar World Cup
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
The first male player to score in five World Cups, Ronaldo started his 2022 World Cup by scoring a penalty against Ghana. After winning the European championship in 2016, will Ronaldo be able to make an exceptional addition to his shrined cabinet of trophies as this could be his last World Cup appearance? After having a goal taken away from him, Ronaldo seems eager to prove the haters wrong in Portugal’s next match against South Korea.
Neymar (Brazil)
Outstanding goal scorer and playmaker of Brazil, Neymar will be seen performing and bringing the glory of the FIFA World Cup after 20 years. Having missed two of the group-stage matches due to his recent ankle injury, Brazil is confident that Neymar will be making a comeback for the Round of 16 as it meets South Korea.
Kylian Mbappe (France)
France and PSG’s shining star is considered to be the best young talent of this generation. Struggling with their injury-hit squad, France will look up to Mbappe to sail the team across and defend its World Cup title. Having scored three goals in the group stages, Mbappe is lighting up the World Cup with his terrific performance as a forward. France will be facing Poland in the round of 16.
Philip Foden (England)
Midfielder for Premier League club Manchester City and the England national team, Foden is considered one of the best young players in the world. After not being selected in the playing 11 for the first two matches, Foden inspired England in a 3-0 victory over Wales in their last group stage match, supporting them to qualify for the next stage. England will be facing Senegal in their next match.
Cody Gakpo (Netherlands)
The rising star of the Netherlands has already taken the World Cup by storm by scoring three goals in three matches against Senegal, Ecuador and Qatar. The 23-year-old PSV star will look to continue with his football form in the knockout round against the USA. After not being able to qualify for the 2018 Russia World Cup, Gakpo and Netherlands will hope to make history by winning the World Cup for the very first time.
Will these players live up to the hopes of millions of fans? There is an exciting time ahead for football.
Live TV and streaming information: You can watch the FIFA World Cup 2022 matches Live on MTV HD, Sports18 and JioCinema.
