Fifa World Cup 2018: 10 faces that prove soccer is a ‘beautiful’ game
Who are the players that have caught the eye in Russia for more than their soccer skills, as tournament nears halfway point and start of knockout stages?
Even people who are not soccer fans have been watching the Fifa World Cup 2018 in Russia – a tournament played every four years, which has been featuring 32 national teams.
“The beautiful game” – a phrase coined by the legendary Brazil striker Pele – has been thrilling on the pitch thanks to plenty of goals and a few controversial decisions made by referees after halting play to use video technology, known as the Video Assistant Referee, or VAR, system, to review contentious incidents.
For those who are not interested in the action on the pitch, there have been other attractions, though.
Four immaculately besuited international World Cup soccer stars – England’s Harry Kane, Spain’s Alvaro Morata, Germany’s Julian Draxler and Brazil’s Philippe Coutinho – starred in a Hugo Boss Parfum campaign before the tournament began.
Yet, only one of them made the final list of 10 internationals who are not only skilled on the pitch, but also easy on the eye, too.
Julian Draxler – Germany
Age: 24
Position: Attacking midfielder
A player who has come into his own in the last few years, Draxler is known for his pace, intelligence and great dribbling skills. However, his soccer talents were not enough to help the reigning world champions go far in the competition, as Germany were knocked out in the group stage.