Top five promising international players who represent their nations at Tokyo 2020 football tournament

Here are the top five football players you should keep your eyes on in this season of the Olympic Games.

Pierre Kalulu

This young Frenchman moved to Serie A club AC Milan in the summer of 2020, where he has scored one goal and proved his ability in the 2020-21 season of the top-flight Serie A. This 21-year-old player possesses a fascinating blend of energy and pace that could make him a very excellent player in every squad. Although Pierre is not a very skillful footballer, he is still at ease in different positions, mainly right-back but can successfully play as a central-back, hence playing as a full-back in the AC Milan squad. 

Pierre is promising to show more to elevate the standing of France in Group A of Tokyo 2020’s football tournament after a 1-4 loss to Mexico recently. 

Pierre Kalulu

Takefusa Kubo

Kubo is not a strange name for any football fan, especially those who support the top-notch La Liga club Real Madrid. He has been playing for Real Madrid since 2019, and since then, Takefusa Kubo received many other loan contracts from other Spanish clubs like Mallorca, Villarreal, and Getafe. He was a graduate student from the FC Barcelona School team and proved his ability to play football from a very young age. He was part of the Villarreal squad in the 2020-21 season when the club won the UEFA Europa League and was UEFA La Liga Revelation Team of the Year in the 2019-20 season.

He has also made 11 senior international caps for the Japan national team and is included in the squad of Japan Under-23  to join Tokyo 2020. Recently, he was the only player who brought one goal to the Japan team in the first match against the South African football team, giving his team second place, after Mexico in Group A standing table.

Takefusa Kubo

Lee Kang-in

Another player from a La Liga club, Valencia, Lee Kang-in represents the South Korea U23 squad in Tokyo 2020. This attacking midfielder, despite his young age, has achieved numerous awards as part of his clubs and also individual honors. Within the 2018-19 season, Lee Kang-in was awarded the Toulon Tournament Best XI, FIFA U-20 World Cup Golden Ball, Asian Young Footballer of the Year, Kopa trophy nominee, and Korean Young Footballer of the Year. 

Valencia won the Copa del Rey in his time and South Korea U20 finished as a runner-up in the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2019. Although luck didn’t smile with the South Korea team in the beginning football match in Tokyo 2020, having this skillful player on their squad is a promise for South Korea to go further in this Olympics.

Lee Kang-in

Alexis Mac Allister

This Brighton player is well-known in the Premier League, having frequently been played slightly off the frontman at the Amex Stadium. He has scored five goals in eight games with the Argentina senior and U23 squads, which proved his creative and consistent characteristic while playing football.

Alexis can also play plenty of positions for Fernando Batista’s team, so he will have numerous opportunities to shine in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics. 

Alexis Mac Allister

Christian Kouame

This 23-year-old footballer is currently playing for Serie A club Fiorentina and made his first debut for the Ivory Coast U23s in 2019. Last season with Fiorentina was not a success for Christian Kouame because he has suffered from a long-term injury, but his attempts during the season have proved his effort and movement, which is promising a massive threat awaiting ahead. 

He can score all sorts of goals and play as the focal point of the attack on either foot, in the air, or outside the penalty box, but it's been 18 months since we've seen that kind of form on a consistent basis. For this young man, the Olympic stage is the ideal setting to reclaim his confidence and proficiency in front of the goal.

Christian Kouame

References

Wikipedia

Betimate.com