Countless stars have seen World Cups open doors to life-changing transfers – and more are set to follow in the coming months.
While the world’s eyes will be focused on the heavyweights of the game, Premier League managers and their recruitment teams are set for hours studying those who might surprise.
Here, former Celtic scout Neil McGuinness, who spotted the formidable talent of Virgil van Dijk before anyone in the Premier League, runs through six players who could represent a bargain for clubs this summer – and one more expensive young star destined for the very top.
James Rodriguez of Colombia was the standout star at the World Cup in Brazil four years ago
Wilmar Barrios (Colombia)
Position: Midfield
Age: 24
Club: Boca Juniors
Price: £10-15m
I have watched Barrios a lot over the past couple of seasons and he has been developing into a key player for Boca. He operates mainly in the holding midfield role but rather than just being able to break up play – which he does very well – he also has great technical ability and skill on the ball.
A player with good balance and agility, he can float past players with a drop of the shoulder and astutely anticipates opponent movements.
Barrios is strongly suited to European football and I would be surprised if he stays in Argentina much longer. Colombia have a very strong midfield currently so it depends what approach they want to take into the group stages but I would expect Barrios to be involved.
Wilmar Barrios is a defensive midfielder capable of breaking up play but also has plenty of skill
Hee-Chan Hwang (South Korea)
Position: Forward
Age: 22
Club: Red Bull Salzburg
Price: £10-15m
Korea will hope that Hwang turns up for this tournament in good form because they will need him to be at his best if they have any chance of progressing from what is a very difficult group alongside Germany, Mexico and Sweden.
Intelligent with the timing of his runs in the final third, often finding a yard of space inside the box, he’s a player with electric movement.
He likes to commit his opponent into one-on-one situations and can be very effective when in full flow with a hard-working mentality. He should be on the shopping list of a few bigger sides in the strong leagues of Europe.
Hee-Chan Hwang (left) is an intelligent forward with electric movement inside the penalty box
Aleksandr Golovin (Russia)
Position: Midfield
Age: 21
Club: CSKA Moscow
Price: £15-20m
There is huge pressure on the Russian national team to do the country proud and in Golovin they have a young player with massive expectation on his shoulders.
Predominantly a central midfield player, he is technically very tidy with his passing range and ball control.
Owns an offensive mindset and likes to get into attacking positions whenever he can, offering a good box-to-box workrate. He occasionally struggles against more physical opponents but has showed tenacity in his play to keep going under pressure. If he plays well, Russia should play well.
Aleksandr Golovin (left) pictured playing against Arsenal’s Aaron Ramsey in the Europa League
Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim (Egypt)
Position: Forward
Age: 24
Club: Zamalek
Price £2-4m
Egypt are in a group where they have a fighting chance of qualifying through to the knockout rounds, particularly given the talent at their disposal with Mo Salah and Abdel-Moneim.
Currently playing on loan at Al-Ittihad in Saudi Arabia, he is not being tested in a strong league week in week out. But he has shown enough during international matches to suggest that he has the ability to challenge himself in Europe again following previous spells in Switzerland.
His two key attributes are his quick feet and lightning pace, capable of bursting away from opponents with really quick acceleration over the first five yards. He becomes quicker as his stride opens up. If Egypt find themselves needing to rely on fast counter attacks, Abdel-Moneim could be vital.
Egypt’s Mahmoud Abdel-Moneim has the pace to excel in a counter-attacking system
Daniel Arzani (Australia)
Position: Central or wide midfield
Age: 19
Club: Melbourne City
Price: £250,000-500,000
The youngest player in the Socceroo’s squad by far and still yet to make his senior international debut. Arzani is being taken based on his impressive league form this season.
A skilful player, very quick in his decision-making and capable of playing across either wing or even in behind the striker, he offers Australia something that they don’t really have elsewhere in the squad.
It remains to be seen if he will see any playing time but reports are that he has integrated well into the senior side and is showing strong form in training sessions leading up to the tournament.
I would expect to see him getting some time off the bench in the last 10-15 minutes of games if things aren’t going Australia’s way and that could provide him a platform to flourish.
Daniel Arzani, 19, is by far the youngest player in Australia’s squad but deserves his place
Lucas Torreira (Uruguay)
Position: Central midfield
Age: 22
Club: Sampdoria
Price: £30-40m
A mainstay in the Sampdoria team and one of the most important players for them this season, Torreira has star quality and the attributes and potential to go to the top sides in Europe.
I would be surprised if he remains at Sampdoria for much longer. Only recently becoming part of the Uruguay senior squad, he may not be guaranteed a starting slot in Russia but he possesses a very strong case for it.
A deep lying playmaker, small in stature but tenacious in his workrate, his timing to step in and break up play is strong. Technically he has a varied passing range and is also comfortable taking set pieces.
Torreira can be the engine room for a team that will want to get the ball into the likes of Luis Suarez and Edinson Cavani as quick as possible.
Lucas Torreira (left) is a deep lying playmaker with the ability to be Uruguay’s engine room
And one a little bit pricier…
Timo Werner (Germany)
Position: Striker
Age: 22
Club: Red Bull Leipzig
Price: £70-100 million
Werner is hardly a player under the radar but at 22 and still with a relatively small club, Red Bull’s financial backing aside, this World Cup could be the shop window he needs to get the big move he is ready for.
Already a key figure for Leipzig and with an outstanding seven goals in 12 games for the senior national team, he will go into this tournament with a lot of expectation from the German supporters and media.
Quick, great movement and a natural finisher, he has all the tools to be a huge success in Russia. When he does eventually move, and that should be sooner rather than later, it will be to a Champions League regular.
Timo Werner heads to this summer’s World Cup with the chance to show the world his class