New World Cup stars

Starting in goal, there were a number of keepers who stepped up to keep their teams in the game. Leading the way was Costa Rica's Keylor Navas, whose performances have apparently interested German giants Bayern Munich - albeit surely only as a reserve behind Manuel Neuer. Navas frustrated the likes of Uruguay, Italy and England in the group before making some sterling saves against Greece in both normal time and the penalty shoot-out. He performed just as many heroics against the Netherlands in the quarterfinal, but not during the final spot kicks as Costa Rica's fairytale came to an end.

Honorable mentions also go to Colombia's David Ospina, Algeria's Rais M'Bolhi and Mexico's unattached goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa, who surely helped his search for a new club over the off-season.

The 2014 World Cup was hardly one for dominant defensive displays, but several defenders still showed their worth. In central defence, it's Costa Rica once again who take the lead prize with Giancarlo Gonzalez excelling. In virtually every game, the Netherlands one in particular, Gonzalez was tackling, hustling and generally throwing himself in front of everything to keep his country in the contest. Teammate Oscar Duarte deserves recognition for a similarly impressive improvement, while Chile's Charles Aranguiz should not be forgotten.

Perhaps Wolfsburg's already well-known Ricardo Rodriguez shouldn't make this unheralded-to-recognized list, but the Wolfsburg man really did add some value to any future transfer fee. Argentina's Marcos Rojo was perhaps the other outstanding wingback in Brazil. At the heart of Greece's defence was Kostas Manolos, a man mountain at times, while the USA's Matt Besler and DeAndre Yedlin have almost certainly secured future moves out of MLS.

Brazil 2014 was a tournament for midfielders, in both an attacking and a defensive sense. In the latter sense, none burst onto the stage more so than Daley Blind. The Ajax youngster can also play left back, and did in Brazil, and showed poise all over the pitch. He scored against Brazil and notched assists in the group phase. Like Germany's Philipp Lahm, Blind's recent reinvention as part-defender and part-midfielder for Louis Van Gaal proved fruitful; the 24-year-old is now supposedly on Manchester United's wish list.

Defensively speaking, Algeria's Yacine Brahimi was superb throughout the tournament and exceeded, the same way his country did, all expectations. Although his appearance was brief, Portugal's William Carvalho demonstrated some final transitional play.

As for the attacking midfield space, there can only be one winner. James Rodriguez was perhaps the greatest breakout name of the tournament. The AS Monaco winger won the Golden Boot with six goals, his volley against Uruguay surely ranks among the World Cup's finest technical goals ever. In such a short period of time, Rodriguez has shown a great deal of quality and an even bigger move looks predictable now.

Nigeria's Ahmed Musa also delivered the goods - expect to see the 21-year-old plying his trade outside of Russia soon. France's Antoine Griezmann dazzled, as did the Netherland's Memphis Depay and Colombia's Juan Cuadrado.

Out and out strikers were not favored in this tournament, but still a few made a name for themselves. Of the lot, Algeria's Islam Slimani looked the sharpest. His movement was good, but it was his physical presence and sheer determination that won him much admiration. His success at Sporting Lisbon doesn't seem to be hitting a ceiling any time soon either.

Colombia's Enner Valencia kept scoring to try and keep Ecuador in with a shout of progressing, and although he didn't, he has apparently already secured a move to the Premier League. If that's true, he'll face Arsenal's Junior Campbell, who has spent most of the time out on loan but returns to London after a bustling display for Costa Rica. Nigeria's Emannuel Emenike linked well with Musa and deserves a mention, as does Belgian Divock Origi who scored when it mattered and ousted Romelu Lukaku from the starting line-up.

There were a number of fantastic players at the 2014 World Cup, and the names above are just a few of those that crept out of nowhere to shine on the biggest stage in football. If you think we've missed anyone out, then leave a comment below and tell us which youngster you'd single out for praise.