<\/p>
Lionel Messi, Karim Benzema\u2026 Cristiano Ronaldo? Perhaps the Portuguese icon is a bit of a stretch these days, but there\u2019s no doubt football fans will be treated to watching the best footballers on the planet during the 2022 World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n If the World Cup is considered the pinnacle of international football, then reason dictates that it showcases the very best footballers. And thankfully 2022 in Qatar has just as rich a group of elite-level footballers as every previous World Cup.<\/span><\/p>\n Sadly, the likes of Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland won\u2019t be gracing the sands of Qatar. The Italians are also staying at home. But that doesn\u2019t mean there\u2019s a shortage of talent ready to compete for the World Cup trophy come mid-November.<\/span><\/p>\n And so, <\/span>RadioTimes.com<\/span><\/a> has dipped into the talent pool and come up with the five best players you need to keep an eye out for at the 2022 World Cup this winter!<\/span><\/p> Ballon d\u2019Or winner<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Recently voted the best footballer on the planet, Karim Benzema is perhaps <\/span>the<\/span><\/i> player to watch out for at this World Cup. The France striker will lead the line as <\/span>Les Bleus<\/span><\/i> seek to defend the trophy they won in 2018.<\/span><\/p>\n Benzema, 34, didn\u2019t play in the previous World Cup and has had a fairly slow start to the season for club side Real Madrid. But his 50 goals in 56 appearances for club and country in 2021\/22 indicates his class. Scoring for France doesn\u2019t always come as easily as for Real, but he remains one to watch.<\/span><\/p>\n Assist king<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Arguably the best footballer in the Premier League, Kevin De Bruyne is the metronome of both the Manchester City and Belgium squads. The playmaker has the ability to pick out a killer pass with the flick of an ankle.<\/span><\/p>\n De Bruyne provided two assists at the last World Cup, eight for Belgium last season, and already has more than eight in the Premier League this term. With Romelu Lukaku and Michy Batshuayi up front, there\u2019s plenty of opportunity for De Bruyne to become the Assist King again this winter.<\/span><\/p>\n Scoring for fun in Germany<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n The quality of a player is perhaps best understood when they are absent from a team. The fact Liverpool have endured such a miserable start to the Premier League season may well have something to do with Sadio Man\u00e9 not being there anymore. Man\u00e9 is instead ripping it up in the Bundesliga, and the Bayern Munich forward could take this World Cup by storm.<\/span><\/p>\n Man\u00e9, 30, was thought to have passed his peak but he is the heartbeat of this Senegal attack. Senegal have a very good chance of progressing into the knockout stages after being drawn in Qatar\u2019s group, and Man\u00e9 will fancy his chances even up against Netherlands\u2019 Virgil van Dijk. He could even rival other strikers from so-called better teams for the Golden Boot.<\/span><\/p>\n Deadliest finisher in Qatar<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Poland don\u2019t have an easy group alongside Argentina, Mexico and Saudi Arabia, but with Robert Lewandowski in the team anything can happen. Barcelona\u2019s summer singing has defied his 34 years by scoring for fun at the Nou Camp already.<\/span><\/p>\n Remarkably, the striker didn\u2019t score in any of Poland\u2019s three World Cup matches in Russia four years ago. But give him an inch and he\u2019ll likely take a mile. The forward could end up terrorising opposition defences here, and could reasonably claim a hat-trick against Saudi. With 76 international goals to his name already, there\u2019s no denying Lewandowski will be one to watch this winter.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Still one of the best players in the world?<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n Lionel Messi has seven Ballons d\u2019Or to his name, has won the Copa America, four Champions Leagues, 11 club league titles and was Player of the Tournament at the 2014 World Cup. But he doesn\u2019t have a World Cup medal. At 35, this is surely Messi\u2019s last World Cup, and his last chance to lead Argentina to glory.<\/span><\/p>\n And you know what? He could well do it. Messi might not be the whizzkid he once was but he is still a world-class talent, has the respect of his international team-mates, and is firing in the goals for PSG. Thousands of Argentines are expected in Qatar this winter and Messi and co are well placed to progress through the knockouts and towards the final. Who says Messi won\u2019t be there, leading the way?<\/span><\/p>\n If you\u2019re looking for something else to watch, check out our\u00a0TV Guide<\/a> and\u00a0Streaming Guide<\/a> <\/strong>or visit our <\/b>Sport<\/b><\/a> hub.<\/b><\/p>\nKarim Benzema \u2013 France\/Real Madrid<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Kevin De Bruyne \u2013 Belgium\/Manchester City<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Sadio Man\u00e9 \u2013 Senegal\/Bayern Munich<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Robert Lewandowski \u2013 Poland\/Barcelona<\/strong><\/h2>\n
Lionel Messi \u2013 Argentina\/PSG<\/strong><\/h2>\n