Group E is going to be one of the tightest groups in World Cup 2022 given the collective experience and talent that they have.
The upcoming matchup between favourites Spain and Germany – a rematch of World Cup 2010 semi-finals – is likely to deliver numerous World Cup 2022 highlights, but Japan and Costa Rica are also capable of mounting a serious challenge for the knockout phase.
SBOTOP football fans are going to be familiar with the names that we’ll mention here since all of them have plied their trade in Europe’s top 5 leagues. So, continue to read on below as we list down the players to watch out for from this group.
Pedri, Spain
Pedri is a key footballer not only to Barcelona, but also to La Roja. The 2021 Golden Boy awardee has kept rolling since his spectacular Euro 2020 campaign, where he tremendously boosted his transfer value.
His totals so far this season may be modest for Barcelona with only two goals, but there’s so much to expect from this precocious talent.
The Barcelona youngster made his debut for the Spain senior team on March 2021 at the start of World Cup 2022 qualifying. He currently has 14 caps and is still looking for his first senior goal.
His quick feet and ball handling makes him a fun player to watch, and Xavi has already likened him to his former teammate Andres Iniesta. But don’t let his baby face fool you as he’s also tenacious and he doesn’t shy from doing the dirty work when necessary.
Xavi and Luis Enrique clearly trusts him as they believe that he’ll be their main man on the midfield for the foreseeable future alongside Gavi. Hopefully, he stays healthy throughout this term.
Jamal Musiala, Germany
Like Spain, Germany also have some exciting young midfielders to watch and one of them is Jamal Musiala.
Directly involved in 12 goals for Die Bayern’s first 14 games this term with six goals and six assists, Musiala has become a star for the reigning Bundesliga champions, which is much-needed since Robert Lewandowski left the club this summer.
He was once part of England’s Under-21s but ultimately decided to play for Germany where he was born. The 19-year-old made his international debut for them in March 2021 and became the youngest Die Mannschaft footballer to appear at a major tournament during Euro 2020.
Moreover, Musiala already has 17 caps to his name, which just goes to show how much Hansi Flick – his former manager at Bayern Munich – trusts him.
Takefusa Kubo, Japan
Despite being only 21, Takefusa Kubo already has a ton of football experience under his belt since he’s been in La Liga for three years now, which should help him and Japan in the World Cup.
Kubo now plays for Real Sociedad after signing a permanent deal with them this summer, and he quickly emerged as one of their most important players.
For the Samurai Blue, Kubo made his national team debut on June 2019 and he scored his first goal during the 2020 Olympics against South Africa. He has collected 19 caps as of this writing.
Physicality is not his main strength, but his technical ability makes up for his slight frame. If given space to operate, the livewire Kubo can give opposing coaches headaches because of his ability to carve up defences with his searing pace and skill.
Kubo will join Ritsu Doan and Takumi Minamino to form one of the most underrated front trios heading into Qatar.
Joel Campbell, Costa Rica
Costa Rica will aim to defy the World Cup 2022 odds, similar to what they did back in 2014 where they went to as far as the quarter-finals.
If they Central American nation are gunning for a similar outcome in Qatar, their chances rest on the shoulders of Joel Campbell.
Compared to the other players in this list, Campbell is approaching past his prime so he’ll look to make it count. The 30-year-old was first called up to the senior team in March 2011 and has amassed 118 caps and 25 goals ever since.
The former Arsenal forward was integral to Costa Rica’s qualifying campaign, which includes scoring the winning goals against Jamaica and El Salvador for a spot in the World Cup play-offs, where he eventually delivered once more versus New Zealand to send his country to their third straight World Cup.
Campbell will lead the line once again for Los Ticos alongside veteran goalkeeper Keylor Navas. Spain, Germany, and Japan should not take Costa Rica lightly at all.
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