Germany-vs-Argentina

Nothing is more exciting in a Fifa World Cup than seeing the emergence of young players. No one would have heard of Pele when he came to Sweden with the Brazilian team in 1958 as a callow 17-year-old. Even his coach had doubts about his readiness to step up to the highest level in international football. Pele was a rural boy who didn’t know much other than kicking a hard, spherical ball around on a rectangular pitch. He had worn pants for the first time in his life only after joining Santos as an apprentice two years earlier. By the end of the World Cup, though, Pele had become a household name across the globe. He was a central figure in Brazil’s maiden trophy. The teenager, who would later become the king of football, kept the word he had given to his father that he would one day lift the Jules Rimet trophy. Among all creative endeavours, nothing rewards youth like sports. Experience is a double-edged sword. A calming influence at times, it can also act as a deterrent to spontaneity, the lifeblood of success in any sport.

The 20th edition of the World Cup has thrown up its fair share of players who will continue to grab the headlines for their clubs before attaining maturity, in football terms, by the time of the 2018 World Cup in Russia. Colombia’s James Rodriguez is the leader of the youth brigade. The baby-faced midfielder came of age across his country’s eastern border. Frenchman Paul Pogba is another player who has used the World Cup to exhibit his talents as an all-action midfielder.

Here is the lowdown on young players that shone the brightest in Brazil. Keep an eye on them. They may still be a work in progress but expect them to come to Russia as finished products. For the sake of keeping the list tidy, we have made 26 as the cut-off age for outfield players and 30 for goalkeepers.

Goalkeepers

Guillermo Ochoa, the flamboyant goalkeeper of Mexico with a safe pair of hands, became all the rage on Twitter after he kept Neymar and Co. at bay with a string of superb saves in the group stage. Ochoa was Mexico’s one-man army against Brazil’s attack that came in waves. The home team didn’t play badly but they couldn’t beat a goalkeeper who was in the form of his life. Ochoa, whose flowing hair makes him stand out in a crowd, maintained his excellent form in the round of 16 before a bullet shot from Wesley Sneijder broke his as well as his team’s back two minutes from time. The sympathies of neutral fans were with the gutsy goalkeeper.

Costa Rica’s Keylor Navas also gave a good account of himself, conceding only one goal in open play in five matches, which is a record at the World Cup in Brazil. The Levante goalkeeper can be an oasis of calm in the midst of chaos. He is always steady if not spectacular. David Ospina of Colombia was another worthy candidate as he stood like a rock when Uruguay launched a stirring second-half rally in the last 16. He appears older than his 25 years and his maturity on the field also belies his age.