| Host nation: Qatar Dates: 20 November-18 December Coverage: Live on BBC TV, BBC iPlayer, BBC Radio 5 Live, BBC Sounds and the BBC Sport website and app. Day-by-day TV listings - Full coverage details |
Morocco became the first country to reach the semi-finals of the World Cup. On their run to the last four, Croatia were marshalled by a 20-year-old man wearing a mask.
The Argentine may get the trophy after the final. The stock of an English teenager continued to rise. Two people in their early 20s hit different triples.
Six players who have performed well in the Middle East have been assessed.
Gakpo scored in his first three World Cup matches.
He has scored 13 goals and provided 17 assists in 24 games for PSV Eindhoven this season, and he has impressed those on the international stage around him.
"Cody has everything it takes to become a star," said Louis van Gaal, who stepped down after their World Cup quarter-Final exit at the hands of Argentina.
Oranje skipper Virgil van Dijk said Gakpo - who has been linked with a move to Manchester United - can "go to the moon and back", and his asking price is likely to have skyrocketed.
Before the World Cup, he had not started a match for Argentina, but he has been one of the team's best players.
After being stunned by Saudi Arabia in the opener, the 21-year-old scored a delightful, curling goal in the second group game victory over Mexico.
In the semi- final win over Croatia, no player made more tackles than Fernandez, while his 62 passes was the joint-high for Argentina.
Signed by Portuguese side Benfica for a bargain initial fee of £8.6m six months ago, Fernandez has a reported release clause of £103m and Liverpool have been linked with a move.
I don't know where this guy comes from. They had a number eight. I'm sorry, I don't recall his name.
Ounahi was not well known before the tournament. Spain's coach didn't know who he was, but he wouldn't forget his name in a second.
The 22-year-old was a vital part of the African side's historic run to the semi-finals, helping to dump Luis Enrique's Spain out at the last-16 stage.
He had more dribbles than any other player and won more duels than any other player in the quarter-finals.
Ounahi plays for the French top flight's bottom side Angers, but a transfer to the big time may be on the cards with La Liga giants Barcelona reportedly considering a January move.
A mention must be given to Amrabat, who has been impressive as well, and it's possible that he's going to be offered by another club next month.
the man is wearing a mask
In the lead-up to the World Cup, Gvardiol had a broken nose and entered the pitch in a costume.
The 20-year-old's superheroic performances at the heart of Croatia's defence helped them to a semi-finals place where they were beaten by Argentina.
Pat Nevin of Radio 5 Live described Gvardiol as a "Rolls-Royce of a defender".
Shearer said that he has had to do a lot of defending and work because of the way Croatia play.
He has stood up, he has been brave on the ball, and he has done a good job in the tackle. He was turned inside out by the great Messi during the semi-finals.
According to reports, Europe's giants are interested in making a £70 million move.
He thinks he will be the best in the world. During the World Cup, Phil Foden assessed Jude Bellingham.
Bellingham is only 19 years old, but he has an old head on his shoulders.
After his penalty miss against France, he ran over to Harry Kane and put an arm around him. Is he going to be the Three Lions captain in the future?
Michael Owen was England's second- youngest scorer at a World Cup, after scoring in the 1998 tournament.
He became the first teenager in at least 50 years to assist in a World Cup knockout stage game when he did so in the last 16 victory over Senegal.
England's run came to an end in the next round, but Bellingham's performances have sparked reported interest from European champions Real Madrid and Liverpool.
How about announcing yourself on the global stage?
It was an unenviable task for Goncalo Ramos to come into the starting line-up in place of Portugal's talismanic player.
But the 21-year-old performed spectacularly, grabbing a hat-trick an an assist on his first World Cup starts, and already has more goals in knockout- stage games than the former Manchester United forward.
Ramos became the first player from his country to score a hat trick in a World Cup knockout match since Eusebio in 1966 and now the youngster needs to chase down the Portugal legend's record 473 goals at Benfica.
Get the latest results and goal notifications for any team at the Fifa World Cup by downloading the BBC Sport app: Apple - Android - Amazon
You can get a daily dose of the World Cup on the radio.
All Rights Reserved © 2024
