There are many, many special things about the World Cup.
Twice every four years, we all get to watch as a different nation embraces the sport in a new way. We get to watch as teams over (or under) perform expectations in dramatic fashion. We get to watch as a champion is crowned. But in the midst of all that, there's another special part of the World Cup: getting to watch existing stars thrive and new ones emerge.
With this year's edition of the World Cup in the books, we're here to zero-in on the players who took full advantage of their opportunity on the global stage.