“Star men Son Heung-min and Ki Sung-yueng, (both of South Korea), will still be relatively young in 2018, while Barcelona 16-year-old Lee Seung-woo is also creating a significant buzz in Spain. However, it is perhaps Ryu, now of Bayer Leverkusen (in the German Bundesliga), for whom hopes in 2018 are highest,” said ESPN, a U.S.-based global cable and satellite television channel.
“If he can tread a similar path and make the most of the talents he displayed at last summer's U-20 World Cup, South Korea could have an attack to be feared in four years,” ESPN said.
Ryu, 21, scored two goals at the 2013 U-20 World Cup in Turkey, leading his team to the quarter-finals. In group stage, he scored the winning goal in his side’s 2-1 victory over Cuba and the equalizer in the 1-1 draw against Portugal.
Other players in their late teens or early 20s, who were picked as potential stars of the 2018 World Cup tournament by ESPN, include Giorgian de Arrascaeta of Uruguay, Marquinhos of Brazil, Youri Tielemans of Belgium, Nicolas Castillo of Chile, Kelechi Iheanacho of Nigeria, Jeison Murillo of Colombia, Jese Rodriguez of Spain, Aymeric Laporte of France and Matthias Ginter of Germany.
reporter
Park Sae-jin
swatchsjp@ajunews.com
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