The opening games for every group have come and gone in the 2022 edition of the World Cup and there's been plenty of intrigue and drama to go around. Stars have already begun to show their brilliance on the world stage and there's no doubt that some linked to Chelsea have captured the imagination too.
For the Blues it comes ahead of a potentially busy January transfer window, where Todd Boehly could look to back new boss Graham Potter with some signings. The likes of Cristiano Ronaldo and Rafael Leao impressed during their group stage clashes on Thursday, while Brazil's Neymar Jr. struggled.
With that said, football.london have taken a look at recent transfer targets for the Blues and how they performed in their respective clashes.
READ MORE: Cristiano Ronaldo has already decided next move after Man Utd exit amid Chelsea transfer links
Cristiano Ronaldo
Now a free agent, Cristiano Ronaldo continues to be linked with a move to Chelsea among with a number of other clubs, showing all of them what he could do. While the 37-year-old struggled early in the game against Ghana, he grew into the game and earned a penalty.
The forward dispatched the spot kick before he was substituted in the second half, making history as both the youngest and oldest player to ever score in a World Cup for Portugal.
Rafael Leao
AC Milan forward Rafael Leao didn't start the game for Portugal, but played a huge part from the bench in their victory over Ghana. The 23-year-old scored just minutes after being subbed on, guiding the ball into the far corner with a great finish that ended up being the winner in the 3-2 victory.
Diogo Costa
Portugal goalkeeper Diogo Costa has been linked as a potential long-term option for the Blues, but it wasn't his finest performance with the gloves. While the two goals he conceded weren't his fault, the 23-year-old almost cost his side the whole game as he didn't check his shoulder and rolled the ball out in front of him in injury time.
Little did he know, Ghana forward Inaki Williams was stalking behind him to snatch the ball, but he slipped and let Costa off the hook.
Neymar Jr.
Brazil are one of the favourites in the competition and announced their arrival to it with a 2-0 win over Serbia thanks to Tottenham striker Richarlison. While the Selecao won, star man Neymar Jr failed to impress, struggling to have an impact on the game as he would've wished. He was substituted late in the second half before receiving medical attention on the bench on his ankle.
Kim Min-jae
Napoli defender Kim Min-jae has met up with his South Korean teammates for their campaign in Group H, which began against Uruguay. While there will have been frustration over a lack of attacking chances, the 26-year-old impressed as the side denied their South American opponents from having a single shot on target.
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