For countries around the world, getting to the World Cup is half the battle. The same is true for their players. Even before ever suiting up for a match, being named to a 23-man World Cup roster is a remarkable accomplishment and a sign that you've arrived. For young players, it's also a great indicator of stardom to come.
Take Ronaldo, for example. While Brazil was winning the World Cup in America during the summer of 1994, a 17-year-old Ronaldo was sitting on scorching-hot benches around the U.S. behind Bebeto and Romario. As he was still based in Brazil at Cruzeiro in a pre-internet world, the inexperienced striker was still mostly a mystery and didn't see a minute during the tournament.