Curated playlist

2022 FIFA World Cup players

Lionel MessiLionel Messi's first Barcelona contract was written on a paper napkin. He was 13 at the time.
Luka ModrićLuka Modrić grew up in a hotel car park after his grandfather was killed. He later won the 2018 Ballon d'Or.
Thibaut CourtoisThibaut Courtois began as a left back before coaches turned him into a goalkeeper.
Nicolás OtamendiNicolás Otamendi played every minute of Argentina's 2022 World Cup campaign. He also gave away France's opening penalty.
Tarek SalmanTarek Salman began as a striker and became a center-back. Qatar's Aspire Academy retrained him as a defender.
NeymarOn the 3rd of August 2017, Neymar joined Paris Saint-Germain in a transfer worth 222 million euros, the most expensive in football history. Neymar da Silva Santos Júnior was born on the 5th of February 1992, and the world knows him by one…
Romelu LukakuRomelu Lukaku was a schoolboy in 2009 when television cameras followed his class from Brussels to London. Standing inside Stamford Bridge, the teenager looked around and said, "What a stadium. If one day in my life I will cry, it will be…
Cristiano RonaldoCristiano Ronaldo's mother wanted to abort him, but her doctor refused. He became football's top goalscorer.
Kylian MbappéKylian Mbappé's famous arms-folded celebration was invented by his little brother.
Andrés GuardadoAndrés Guardado retired with 180 games for Mexico, more than any player in its history.
Manuel NeuerManuel Neuer, the German goalkeeper born on the 27th of March 1986, completed 244 passes at the 2014 World Cup. That was more than Lionel Messi, who managed 242, and more than Thomas Müller, who managed 221. Wesley Sneijder also finished…
Thomas MüllerThomas Müller calls himself a Raumdeuter, a space interpreter. He lacks pace and dribbling, yet he beats defenders.
Moisés CaicedoA local coach paid for Moisés Caicedo's boots, travel and food when he was a child. Caicedo now plays for Chelsea.
Emiliano MartínezEmiliano Martínez tossed the ball away before a World Cup final shootout. He made France's Tchouaméni walk to fetch it.
Luis SuárezLuis Suárez, the Uruguayan striker born on the 24th of January 1987, was sent off at the 2010 World Cup and still found a way to watch the penalty that followed. Late in extra time against Ghana, he had used his hands to stop a header that…
Vinícius JúniorVinícius Júnior scored the only goal of the Champions League final on the 28th of May 2022. Real Madrid beat Liverpool 1-0, and the club collected a record 14th European title. The scorer was a Brazilian forward born on the 12th of July…
Enzo FernándezEnzo Fernández scored for Argentina at the World Cup, then put the ball in his own net.
Harry KaneArsenal's academy released Harry Kane at eight for being "a bit chubby". He became England's top goalscorer.
Jesús FerreiraJesús Ferreira scored four goals in one game against Grenada. The US forward earned a Caribbean pirate nickname.
Antoine GriezmannAntoine Griezmann was born on the 21st of March 1991 in Mâcon, a commune in the department of Saône-et-Loire. As a child he supported Lyon, and he went on several trials hoping to join one of its youth academies. Lyon turned him away. So…
Robert LewandowskiRobert Lewandowski walked on as a Bayern Munich substitute on the 22nd of September 2015, with his team trailing Wolfsburg 1-0. Eight minutes and 59 seconds later, he had scored five goals and Bayern led 5-1. Three of those goals fell…
Christian PulisicChristian Pulisic is an American soccer player whom fans and other players call Captain America. At the age of 25 he matched Landon Donovan's record of four U.S. Soccer Player of the Year awards. He was born in 1998, and he has since…
Marcus RashfordMarcus Rashford got his chance at Manchester United because somebody else got hurt. On the 25th of February 2016, thirteen United players were out injured. Then Anthony Martial was injured in the warm-up for a Europa League tie against the…
Karim BenzemaKarim Benzema was born in Lyon on the 19th of December 1987, to parents of Algerian and Kabyle descent. Years later he stood in front of the first-team squad of his hometown club, still a teenager. The room included Michael Essien, Sylvain…