1.Paul Pogba, France. Age: 21
Pogba, 21, joined Juventus in 2012 after becoming frustrated by the lack of opportunities presented to him at English giants Manchester United and the move proved an immediate success as he won the Scudetto in his first two seasons in Serie A. A central midfielder with considerable range, Pogba is blessed with exceptional technique and has earned a reputation in Italy for scoring spectacular goals from long range. "He manages to ally athletic presence with power and beautiful technique," says France manager Didier Deschamps; himself a former Juventus midfielder. "He has everything you need."

2. Adnan Januzaj, Belgium. Age: 19
After a stunning breakthrough campaign with Manchester United, 19-year-old winger Januzaj was awarded a surprise World Cup call-up by Belgium coach Marc Wilmots. The slight, left-footed player, who hit the headlines with a fine brace of goals in a 2-1 win at Sunderland last October, chose to play for Belgium despite also being eligible to represent Albania, Turkey, Serbia and non-FIFA-affiliated Kosovo. "Adnan is the kind of player who could light up a World Cup, whether that is starting games or off the bench," said one-time United teammate Ryan Giggs, who has just retired. "He floats with the ball effortlessly. He is just one of those players you love watching."