Top 50 players at World Cup 2022, No. 37: Christopher Nkunku

FOX Sports soccer analyst and former USMNT midfielder Stu Holden is counting down the 50 best players participating in the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. Up next is …

Christopher Nkunku

Country: France
Rank: 37
Rank in 2018: N/A
Position: Forward
Age: 24

Christopher Nkunku doesn't need the 2022 World Cup to be his moment. The 24-year-old is already one of the most sought after center forwards in the world after his 20-goal, Bundesliga Player of the Year campaign with RB Leipzig last season — a move to a bigger club in the January transfer window is all but certain at this point.

That being said, a good showing from Nkunku in Qatar would put Les Bleus in an even better position to hoist their second consecutive World Cup, and give Nkunku a shot at his first since earning his first call-up in March.

"The French national team were champions in 2018 in Russia," Holden said. "In order to do that again in Qatar, they're going to need a guy like Nkunku alongside Mbappe and Benzema and all these talented players for his vision, his passing and his cutting edge in the final third to potentially make the difference and lead them to another title."