The 2022 FIFA World Cup presented a golden opportunity for both players and teams to showcase their talents on a global stage.
However, there are players who demonstrated exemplary and outstanding performances during the global soccer event in Qatar.
Some of the breakout stars at this year’s showpiece tournament in Qatar are listed below:
Vincent Aboubakar
Aboubakar’s win against Brazil in their final group game seemed like a fulfilment of the Saudi Arabia-based striker’s potential at the perfect time.
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He paid the price for taking off his shirt in celebration by collecting a second yellow card and thus a red one, but nothing could dampen Aboubakar’s brilliant run at the showpiece event in Qatar.
His excitement was understandable because despite a group stage exit, Cameroon had become the first team to beat the five-time champions in the World Cup group stage since Norway at the 1998 edition in France — ending an unbeaten run of 17 group matches.
The win was also the first time an African nation would beat five-time champions Brazil at a World Cup.
Aboubakar had come off the bench in another group game to score one goal and set up another as the Indomitable Lions rescued a vital point in a 3-3 draw with Serbia that ended a run of eight successive World Cup losses for the Central Africans.
Yassine Bounou
Morocco has been hailed for its defensive display and success at the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar.
Underpinning Morocco’s backline is Yassine Bounou, who must now be considered superior to Edouard Mendy as the finest African goalkeeper on the continent today.
His save to deny Joao Felix late on was top-class, while he also made a late block to deny Cristiano Ronaldo and keep Portugal at bay.
Bono’s calm assurance and organisation of the defence has been a critical asset for the Canada-born stopper.
Dominik Livakovic
Croatia goalkeeper Dominik Livakovic helped his team knockout five-time champions Brazil and reach the World Cup semi-finals.
In the game that finished 1-1, Bruno Petkovic denied Rodrygo from the spot to help Croatia triumph 4-2 on penalties.
The 27-year-old who plays for Dynamo Zagreb made 10 saves against the Selecao.
The stopper had already won hearts back home after making three penalty saves in the round of 16 shootouts effectively sending Japan packing
Livakovic was on the bench four years ago in Russia, when Croatia finished runners-up to France, watching on as first-choice Danijel Subasic became a hero himself.
Subasic helped Croatia win shootouts against Denmark and Russia on the way to the final.
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