World Cup 2018: 10 Potential Breakout Stars
6. Thomas Lemar (France)
French prodigy Thomas Lemar cooled off considerably in 2017-18, scoring just twice in 27 league games for AS Monaco, with his all-round influence on the side declining at a comparable level. His reputation has taken a hit as a result, but he remains among his country's most exciting young players.
Gametime will be tricky. Antoine Griezmann and Kylian Mbappe are ahead of him in the pecking order, and Lemar also faces competition from Nabil Fekir, Florian Thauvin, and Ousmane Dembele. Still, his excellent international form could see Didier Deschamps opt for him over the other options: Lemar already has 3 goals from 10 international caps, and starred in recently friendlies with Russia and Colombia.
The World Cup could be exactly what Lemar needs to break out on a global stage, and get his reputation back to where it was last summer, when the winger came within a hair of a big-money transfer. His skill and athleticism remain, but he no longer plays with the zest that inspired Monaco to the 2016-17 Ligue 1 title. Regardless, his France form has stayedconsistent, and a big summer would surely reignite his fire.