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Russia 2018: The best player on every team at the World Cup

By Kristofer McCormack

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 13: Mario Goetze of Germany celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final match between Germany and Argentina at Maracana on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images)
RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL - JULY 13: Mario Goetze of Germany celebrates scoring his team's first goal during the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil Final match between Germany and Argentina at Maracana on July 13, 2014 in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. (Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images) /
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NANNING, CHINA – MARCH 26: Edinson Cavani
NANNING, CHINA – MARCH 26: Edinson Cavani /

Uruguay: Edinson Cavani

The South American World Cup qualifying group was among the more entertaining qualification races, with Argentina only booking their place on the final day at the expense of Copa America champions Chile. Uruguay finished second to Brazil, but their star forward, Edinson Cavani, finished top of the scoring charts with 10 goals in 18 matches. Cavani’s reputation has been damaged due to the star names he has played with. At PSG it was Zlatan Ibrahimovic and is now Neymar, and he has to contend with Luis Suarez at international level.

However, this season, Cavani has come into his own and shown that he can be the main man for both club and country. The former Napoli forward has racked up 38 goals so far this season, nine more than Suarez. He scored twice as many goals as Suarez did during the qualifying campaign and recently became PSG’s all-time leading goalscorer.

Should he continue his prolific goalscoring form during the international friendlies, he could either break or match Suarez as Uruguay’s all-time leading goal scorer heading into the World Cup.  There can be little doubt Cavani is the man in form heading into his nation’s fourth World Cup under head coach Oscar Tabarez. With Cavani joined by some promising talent from the U-20s, Uruguay will be hoping to improve on their recent international record. Since their last title win in 2011, they’ve been knocked out in the first knockout round of the 2014 World Cup and the Copa America the following year. They also fell to a shock group stage exit in Copa America Centenario in a group containing Venezuela, Mexico and Jamaica.

Honorable mention: Luis Suarez

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