As we near the end of the group stages of the 2018 World Cup, the gap between the favourites and the underdogs still doesn’t look as big as it was expected before the start. The reason is that national teams are pooled from the different clubs we are used to, and players who didn’t seem as comfortable in the club set-up suddenly look lethal here. In addition to that, players who have dazzled for their clubs this season have gone on to replicate their form for the national team, while others haven’t been able to. A few more have gone from the thick of the action to warming the bench, not quite high on the pecking order when it comes to national duties.
5 Tottenham Hotspur
Remember when the former Arsenal defender, Tony Adams said that England are not going to win the World Cup because of Tottenham players? A certain striker whose name is close to a natural calamity would beg to differ. The attacking force of the club have all carried over their form into the tournament – Harry Kane leads the Golden Boot race with 5 goals to his name; Eriksen has been involved in both of his side’s goals, an assist and scoring a banger; Son Heung-Min’s goal against Mexico in the dying moments is the reason South Korea still have a little hope of making it through.
4 Barcelona
Before you throw Lionel Messi in my face and call me names for putting Barcelona on the list, there are other players on the team as well and they have performed rather admirably. Although I agree with you on the Messi front.
Philippe Coutinho and Luis Suarez both have 2 goals to their names and are their side’s leading goal scorers at the moment, while Ivan Rakitic has been even more solid than his time at Barcelona. He was an integral part of the Croatia team that ensured no magic from the Argentine, and Rakitic also scored at the end
Iniesta has been as stellar as he is, but is prone to the occasional lapse in concentration (see Morocco’s first goal against Spain). Sergio Busquets has had a mixed tournament as well, probably overworked from his time with Barcelona.
3 Chelsea
If we can count all the players who have played at Chelsea, they will probably at the top of this list, but counting only the players who are currently playing for the side, it is still a remarkable performance from their players.
Eden Hazard, with 2 goals, has been the driving force of the Belgium team and was awarded the man of the match for his performance against Tunisia. N’golo Kante, after having run all his way to Russia, has shown no sign of stopping and has been France’s best player so far in the tournament.
Michy Batshuayi (considering he was only on loan with Borussia Dortmund) scored 1 goal in 20 minutes and could have scored 3 times that number if only his luck was better.
Azpilicueta and Cahill haven’t been part of their team’s starting XI so far, and their chances of featuring in the coming matches also don’t look so good. Victor Moses, on the other hand, has been more prominent in the Nigeria squad and offers a more attacking option than he is at Chelsea.
2 Atletico Madrid
After the drama that is the Griezmann transfer saga came to an end, Atletico Madrid fans can finally let out a sigh of relief and the team has already started strengthening themselves with the signing of Lemar from Monaco. Another thing that will cheer them up is the performance from their players in the WC.
Diego Costa has scored 3 goals so far, and despite worries that he will not be able to combine with the Spanish midfield, he has been just as clinical as he is with Atletico. Griezmann might have scored only one goal (a penalty) but France is yet to come together as an attacking side, and when/if that happens, a lot more goals can be expected of him.
1 Real Madrid
Yeah, this was not even a close fight.
Cristiano Ronaldo came close to breaking the internet with his inspired hat-trick against Spain in the opening game and then scored the winner against Morocco to lead the Golden Boot race momentarily. With Portugal facing Uruguay in the RO16, he will take on familiar foes in Diego Godin and Gimenez.
