The best 30 players at the World Cup
By James Dudko
18. Angel Di Maria, attacking midfielder, Argentina
Arguably no player at this World Cup is faced with a greater burden than Angel Di Maria. By the same token, no player is potentially due rewards as bountiful.
Such an onus is on Di Maria because he needs to be the chief source of creativity for Argentina. La Albiceleste are armed with an array of forwards surely the envy of most other nations.
What other squad can boast attackers on a level with Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero and Gonzalo Higuain? Argentina have enjoyed this much quality in forward areas for a while, but haven’t won the prizes their talent should have yielded.
Di Maria can change things if he’s at his best this summer. The 30-year-old is a cultured flair player who can create from the flanks or through the middle.
Even in a squad role with PSG, Di Maria has still been good enough to score 22 goals and provide seven assists. If he’s given a free role centrally in Russia, Di Maria can prove decisive for 2014’s beaten finalists.