Stars to watch out for at the 2022 World Cup

Lionel Messi has stated that this will be his final World Cup. At 35, the clock is ticking, but Messi has shown that he is as hungry for glory as he was when he was in his mid-20s. He led Argentina to the Copa America title in 2021 and will be hoping for a final hurrah in Qatar. The World Cup trophy would be a deserving parting gift if he can find that youthful spark once more.

Out of favor at Manchester United, Cristiano Ronaldo, now 37, remains a key man for his national team. Yet, the star of Portuguese football has a missing diadem in his trophy cabinet: the World Cup. He will go to Qatar knowing that this is the final attempt in an illustrious career that has seen him win four Ballons d'Or and every trophy at club level. 

Neymar, 30, leads one of most in-form teams to the World Cup this year. In his third tournament, there is pressure on him to finally win the title, as many of Brazil's biggest stars have done in the past. His team is filled with many talented players and his leadership and creativity will be important in Qatar.

Aged just 23, Kylian Mbappe is already returning to the World Cup as a defending champion after scoring four goals during his debut at Russia 2018. However, his national team adventures have not been as rewarding since that victory in Moscow. He failed to score a decisive penalty in the last 16 at Euro 2020 as France were eliminated by Switzerland. He will hope Qatar is a more fruitful expedition.

As one of the hottest strikers in the world, Harry Kane's return to the World Cup with the Three Lions brings expectations of a long-awaited title. England finished fourth in 2018, so nothing short of reaching the final would be considered progress for a team which lost the European Championship final to Italy on penalties at Wembley in 2021. It's been 56 long years of waiting for England's men.

The Bayern Munich star is traveling to Qatar despite picking up an injury at club level. The 30-year-old has had a great year, leading his country to their first African title and qualifying for the World Cup, converting decisive penalty kicks along the way. Senegal, partaking in their third World Cup, is one of the teams to watch, and success may hinge on Mane's fitness.

Lewandowski tried to drag Poland through last time out, but his side exited early. This time around, older and more experienced, he will hope that they can make it past the group stage where they will play against Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia. This is likely to be the last World Cup for the 34-year-old who has won the lot at club level, particularly during his time at Bayern Munich.

Widely regarded as the best Asian player heading to the World Cup, Son will hope South Korea can suceed on their home continent. The last time the World Cup was hosted in Asia, South Korea reached the semifinals in front of a home crowd. Son, who shared the Premier League golden boot last season with 23 goals for Tottenham Hotspur, will be counted on to lead his side to big things in Qatar.

The Manchester City midfielder leads the final hurrah for Belgium's golden generation. They lost in the semifinal at Russia 2018 and will hope to go one better this year. At 31, De Bruyne is the conductor of this talented Red Devils team that has failed to make their mark when it really matters. This could be the last opportunity for them to put that right.

The Dutch, complete with their central defensive lynchpin, return to the World Cup after they missed out on Russia 2018. The 31-year-old defender is the biggest star and captain of the Oranje and will be pushing them to a big finish in Qatar. While the Netherlands do not look like the top side that reached the final of the 2010 World Cup, van Dijk will be key to how they react in Qatar.