GROUP C
FRANCE – Corentin Tolisso
Unlikely to start the tournament having made his competitive debut in October, but there are noises – and those noises are boos – that Paul Pogba could be left out of the starting XI and Tolisso start in Russia. The only one of France’s last eight games that they lost was the one Tolisso didn’t play.
DENMARK – Kasper Dolberg
Ajax’s next big thing has scored 22 Eredivisie goals in two seasons despite still being just 20, but has yet to break out on the international scene. Made his debut back in November 2016 but still only has five caps and a single goal. That should change in the next fortnight. He’s better than Nicklas Bendtner, for goodness sake.
PERU – Miguel Araujo
South America is producing some bloody good young central defenders, and Araujo is the cream of Peru’s crop. Linked with a move to Europe at the end of this tournament, he is likely to start in central defence in Russia having marked Lionel Messi out of a qualifier in Buenos Aires in October 2017.
AUSTRALIA – Daniel Arzani
The youngest player at the World Cup also has a belting first name. Born in Iran, Arzani was named in the A-League Team of the Season after bursting onto the scene for Melbourne City. Expect him to be sold to Manchester City and then immediately loaned to Girona.