World Cup 2018 strikers: Five forwards who can set tournament alight

The World Cup can be a catalyst in the career of players across the globe, with young players often emerging and landing a big move off the back of a major tournament.

It can also provide the stage for the world's best to truly cement their status as a footballing icon and further write their name into the history books.

The tournament in Russia this summer is likely to throw up a few more surprise names and see the biggest players progress further.

Here, England legend Gary Lineker runs us through his tips for the forwards to shine over the next month...

Harry Kane | England | 24 caps; 13 goals

If England are to do anything, they need Harry firing.

He’s our one proven world-class player. He’s battered in goals for a number of seasons and he’s driven.

If the team play well enough to get him opportunities, he will finish them. It didn’t happen for him at Euro 2016 but that doesn’t mean a thing. He’s come on a lot since then and is even more confident.

Harry looked tired last month but I’d have been more worried if he was on fire because that’s hard to maintain. He’s had a rest now. I couldn’t put one leg in front of the other on the morning of the Germany semi-final in 1990 but come the night, with the adrenaline, I felt fine.

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Gabriel Jesus or Roberto Firmino | Brazil | GJ 16 caps; 9 goals RF 20 caps; 6 goals

I don’t really like the way Brazil play. With three holding players, they are taking Jose Mourinho-like caution to another level. But I do like who they play up front.

Firmino is the all-round centre-forward but he might not play. If Jesus keeps Firmino out, I’d be quite surprised. But he’s young and he’s been brilliant at Manchester City.

He’s a box player, a cool finisher. If Brazil are going to do well, they need one of them firing. Obviously, they’ve got Neymar but he’s not an out-an-out striker.

Cristiano Ronaldo | Portugal | 150 caps; 81 goals

He is a striker nowadays. That’s just where he plays. He’s turned himself into the archetypal poacher.

He doesn’t particularly score goals from long distance any more, he’s become a box player, which I quite admire as a former box player myself!

In the end, Portugal won the last Euros without him on the pitch after he’d been hurt by a Dimitri Payet tackle and forced off after 25 minutes but they wouldn’t have won it without him in the squad.

He’s still the second-best player in the world — after Lionel Messi. He’s still phenomenal. I love Ronaldo. He’s an unbelievably brilliant striker and goalscorer.

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Lionel Messi | Argentina | 124 caps; 64 goals

Messi is not a striker but I’m having him because you have to when talking about goalscorers. He’s more of a midfielder really but his statistics are ridiculous.

He scores as many as Ronaldo but he does everything else as well. He’s the best passer of the ball you’ll see and the best dribbler, certainly in the modern era.

He’s not in the best team, though. You can understand his frustration after losing three finals. They’ve got some decent players but if they do go all the way, it’ll be down to him. He’s a genius.

People talk about Ronaldo v Messi but the difference is there’s another player who can do anything Ronaldo does — with the exception of hanging in the air for five minutes to head the ball. Messi does three or four things in a game no one else can do.

Kylian Mbappe | France | 14 caps; 3 goals

I would pick Antoine Griezmann but I think he will be a bit more of a No10 for France. Mbappe excites me — he’s fearsome, he’s terrifying and he’s prodigiously talented.

Obviously, I see the Thierry Henry comparisons. If Mbappe features enough, he could be one of the stars of the tournament.