Top five Under-23 players at the 2018 World Cup

Ousmane Dembele

France are stacked with talented youngsters and Dembele is another hugely talented prospect alongside Mbappe. His season didn’t go as anticipated because injuries derailed his start at Barcelona after a huge summer move. He showed signs of his talent, though, with an electric display against Villarreal as well as a top performance against Chelsea being some of the best.

Dembele has sky-high potential because of the mixture of abilities he possesses. He is both-footed, so he is capable of playing on either wing while also being able to cut inside or act like a more traditional winger. There isn’t really a weak area for him in an attacking sense because he is composed in front of goal, can thread through intricate balls, possesses pace in abundance with quick feet, is accurate with his crosses and has remarkable vision.

He is also able to play in a variety of styles due to his intelligence. Therefore, it’s hard to limit his influence and this team can stick to basics such as counter-attacking football if needed. His start with the national team has been slow because he has scored twice and assisted another in 507 minutes. However, he scored four goals and assisted eight in 1130 minutes for Barcelona across all major competitions last season.

This could be the tournament where he really makes his mark in international football. The whole world is watching, but he thrives at the top-level of football. His partnership with Mbappe has the potential to be special and it could light up this tournament.