Ryan Gravenberch - Netherlands
I was tempted to put Cody Gakpo here following a two goal showing against Sweden, but the other two games, particularly the World Cup opener against Japan, have left a bit to be desired.
So I'm going with Grav here as he has been an instrumental piece of the Dutch puzzle on their way to winning Group F with seven points from nine. Gravenberch started all three group stage matches and registered at least one cross in each of them.
One of those crosses found the head of Virgil van Dijk in the match against Japan for one of his two assists in North America thus far.
The narrative that he is rewriting, at least for some, is that he can be so much more beyond being the secure holding midfield that we've seen most of the last two seasons with Liverpool.
He's been deployed in a more box-to-box role in the midfield alongside Frenkie de Jong and Tijjani Reijnders who have also played well. Gravenberch is showing Iraola that he could be an important part of the quick transitional style that the Spaniard will want to implement.
He has still been a defensive anchor for the Oranje as he has broken up countless attacks before sending the Netherlands on an instant counter with a crisp pass or tidy turn in a tough area.
He has shown that he can play this end-to-end style before. His ability to cut out passes in defense, his strong close control on the ball, and an ability to pick out a final third pass makes him a valuable asset anywhere in the midfield.
If Iraola and Liverpool need him to play in several different roles throughout the season, or within a certain match, this World Cup has proven Ryan Gravenberch can do just that at an elite level.
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