Italy’s failure to reach the FIFA 2018 finals, for the first time since 1958, may have taken a little excitement out of the tournament for Azzurri fans, but hey, we had players to look out for as Serie A stars were among world’s best in Russia.
There may have been no national team to cheer on, and despair of! But the FIFA 2018 news was awash with tales of World Champions and man-of-the-match performances from some of the big names in Italy’s domestic league. The top four teams from the 2017/18 season all had players to cheer on.
We can give an honourable mention to Juventus’ Gonzalo Higuain, but he struggled as much as his Argentina side.
And Serie A’s man of the tournament played for a rather less-fancied team, which went on to take on the world.
Ivan Perisic, Inter Milan
Inter’s Ivan Perisic was one of the most eye-catching players in Russia with his never-say-die attitude, mesmerising skill and ability to deliver at the right moment on the biggest stage.
His appearance in the final for Croatia against France meant there’s been an Inter player in every World Cup final since 1982. And he was coach Zlatko Dalic’s go-to man whenever Croatia was in a spot of bother. Not that there was much trouble for his team in the qualifying stage, progressing with ease and destroying Argentina as Perisic ran riot on the wing. FIFA 2018 odds dropped like a stone as they moved into the knockouts, and while Croatia needed a penalty shootout in the Round of 16 and quarter-finals to proceed, there was no such angst in the later stages.
Perisic weighed in with two goals, but that’s not the half of it! The first was in his man-of-the-match performance against England in a pulsating semi-final. The Three Lions had led for over an hour when Perisic pounced to drag Croatia back into the tie they eventually won.
And after France had taken an early lead in Croatia’s first-ever final, it was Perisic who levelled to spark an immensely entertaining end-to-end contest.
Manchester United tried to sign Inter’s man last summer, but his stock has gone up!
Blaise Matuidi, Juventus
SBOBET tips did feature France as a likely winner, and so it transpired with Matuidi featuring in Les Bleus’ all-star cast.
Juventus’ big tackling midfielder has joked that the Bianconeri’s new signing, Cristiano Ronaldo, is lucky to be playing in the same side as him, as he is a World Cup winner while Portugal made an early exit; conveniently forgetting that France lost the Euro 2016 final to…Portugal!
But he’s got a point, I suppose. Les Bleus blew away all before them in Russia, with a style and attacking flair worthy of champions. But the success of Kylian Mbappe and his fellow frontmen owed much to the midfield dominance of the tough-tackling Matuidi, alongside Chelsea’s non-stop N’Golo Kante and a resurgent Paul Pogba.
That’s a midfield to challenge any in the world, and the 31-year-old Matuidi will still be there at Euro 20.
Dries Mertens, Napoli
Napoli’s Dries Mertens was an influential part of Belgium’s World Cup campaign as the Red Devils became the side most likely to stand in France’s way, particularly after Roberto Martinez masterminded a stunning 2-1 victory against Brazil.
Mertens’ skill and pace down the right wing, as well as his ability to find space in the box, was a constant threat for Napoli last season, as he finished with 18 league goals. He gave the Red Devils another outlet and source of chances.
There was an opponent who was pleased to play against Mertens though, and that was England’s Harry Kane. In pursuit of the Golden Boot and with Romelu Lukaku two goals behind, the Spurs marksman was relieved to see Mertens replace the big striker in the third-place play-off.
Alisson Becker, AS Roma
One player, who left Serie A following an impressive World Cup is Roma goalkeeper Alisson. He has completed his move to Liverpool in a record-breaking deal, and aren’t the Anfield fans delighted by it. They’ve been after a good goalkeeper for years, and now Roma’s loss is Liverpool’s gain at the cost of a cool £68m.
His spectacular shot stopping and commanding presence in the area helped to take the Selecao into the last eight in some comfort, with three 2-0 wins and a 1-1 draw; and it took a freakish Fernandinho own goal in the quarter-finals against Belgium to beat him. The 25-year-old plays with great confidence and is equally comfortable with the ball at his feet, a modern-day pre-requisite for any top-class keeper.
If he keeps up the outstanding form he showed in Serie A last season, he is sure to be Brazil’s last line of defence in Qatar in four years’ time.
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