9781422278284

Year after year, they are the pillars of their European club teams. From Barcelona and Real Madrid to Manchester City and Bayern Munich, the rosters of Europe’s top clubs are headlined by the biggest stars in the sport from around the world. Every four years, these players switch allegiance, trading club responsibility for national pride to represent their countries in the planet’s greatest sporting tournament: the FIFA World Cup. The Fédération Internationale de Football Association, or FIFA, is the governing body for international soccer. Based in Switzerland, FIFA sanctions 10 international tournaments around the world from the under-15 level to beach soccer. The crown jewel of its tournaments, however, is the men’s World Cup. Held every four years, this tournament to decide international soccer supremacy is arguably the biggest sporting event in the world. It is on the World Cup stage that the stars of the sport cement their legends. Success in the world’s most watched sporting event can make an ordinary career great and a great career immortal. Names like Rossi, Maradona, Romário, Ronaldo, Zidane, and Messi are among those who have won the title of best player at the World Cup finals, winning the Golden Ball award. Under the sport’s biggest spotlight, the biggest stars shine brightest. Today, the World Cup is more competitive than ever, with more countries competing to qualify than at any time before. More than 200 nations competed to be among the 32 that make the 2018 World Cup final. Soccer’s supremely skilled superstars, players that compete at a level above the rest when the time comes to make a play, lead the countries that are the favorites to win. Whether it is an electrifying run down the touch line by a winger, a deft finish in the box from a striker, a brilliant through ball from a midfielder to create a scoring chance, a defender dispossessing an opponent, or a diving save by a goalkeeper, great players make great plays from every position. World Stars takes a look at the best of the best players to compete in the World Cup.

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