Players who turned World Cup heroics into big transfers

August 6, 2026 No Comments

Players who turned World Cup heroics into big transfersImage source, Getty ImagesImage caption, Vozinha, James Rodriguez and Mesut Ozil all earned big moves after standout performances at a World CupByJude WinterBBC Sport journalistPublished44 minutes agoThe World Cup is football’s biggest stage, filled with goals, drama and unforgettable moments – but it can also prove to be the ultimate shop window.World Cup heroics have transformed players’ lives in the past, and Vozinha’s recent move to Chilean side Colo-Colo after an impressive tournament with Cape Verde is the just in reminder that the competition still has the power to change careers.

At the age of 40, the goalkeeper’s journey from the Portuguese second division to Chile’s biggest club may be unique, but he is not the first to get a big move after starring on the global stage.

Here are some of the players whose standout performances at the World Cup earned them a big move.

Marc-Vivien Foe – Canon Yaounde to Lens

Marc-Vivien Foe playing for Cameroon at 1994 World Cup — Image caption,

Marc-Vivien Foe earned a move from Cameroon to France after the 1994 World Cup

Similar to Vozinha, Marc-Vivien Foe was an unknown name before the 1994 World Cup.

Despite Cameroon’s disappointing World Cup campaign in the USA, compared to their historic run in 1990, Foe emerged as one of the team’s best performers during his debut tournament.

A standout game against Brazil caught attention, which then led to a free transfer from Cameroon’s Canon Yaounde to French side Lens.

Foe spent four years at Lens and helped them achieve their first league title in the 1997-98 season.

He also played for West Ham United, Manchester City and Lyon, where he won the French League Cup and Lyon’s first Ligue 1 title in 2002.

Foe tragically passed away in June 2003 after he collapsed during a Confederations Cup semi-final against Colombia.

Gilberto Silva – Atletico Mineiro to Arsenal

Gilberto Silva playing for Brazil in the 2002 World Cup — Image caption,

Gilberto Silva moved to Arsenal after winning the 2002 World Cup

Gilberto Silva’s first appearance at a World Cup came in 2002, when the tournament was hosted in South Korea and Japan.

The 25-year-old, who played in Brazil’s top division for Atletico Miniero, returned home as a World Cup winner who played every minute of every game for Luiz Felipe Scolari’s team.

Silva was only brought into the starting XI because Brazil captain Emerson was ruled out by injury.

But, after playing a key role in Brazil’s triumph, the midfielder earned a move to Premier League champions Arsenal.

Nicknamed ‘The Invisible Wall’, the defensive midfielder joined the Gunners from Atletico Mineiro for about £4.5m.

During his six years in north London, Silva won two FA Cups and played a key role in the famous 2003-04 Invincibles side that went unbeaten to claim the Premier League title.

Javier Mascherano – Corinthians to West Ham

Javier Mascherano playing for Argentina at the 2006 World Cup — Image caption,

Javier Mascherano moved to the Premier League after reaching the quarter-final of the 2006 World Cup with Argentina

At the age of 22, Javier Mascherano revealed himself on the global stage at the 2006 World Cup, where he helped Argentina reach the quarter-finals.

His performances for both his club back in Brazil and at the World Cup drew the attention of European clubs.

Mascherano initially expressed his desire to remain at Corinthians and help the club in their relegation battle.

However, he soon made the move to West Ham United in the summer of 2006 alongside his Argentina team-mate Carlos Tevez, who also impressed at the World Cup in Germany.

Mascherano had a brief spell with the Hammers until the beginning of 2007, leaving to join Liverpool where he featured in their 2007 Champions League final defeat by AC Milan.

Mascherano then played for Barcelona from 2010, winning the Champions League twice and being part of squads that won La Liga on five occasions.

Mesut Ozil – Werder Bremen to Real Madrid

Mesut Ozil playing for Germany at the 2010 World Cup — Image caption,

Mesut Ozil moved to Real Madrid after reaching the quarter-finals of the World Cup in 2006

At the age of just 21, Mesut Ozil emerged as one of the world’s most exciting young players after he helped Germany finish third at the 2010 World Cup.

After registering four goals and four assists in seven games, Ozil was able to show off his quality and prove he was a standout performer.

Big clubs took note, and by August 2010, Ozil switched Werder Bremen for Real Madrid, for a fee of about 15m euros (£12.4m).

Copa del Rey, La Liga and Spanish Super Cup titles were to follow during his three year stay in Madrid, before becoming Arsenal’s record signing for £42.4m in 2013.

James Rodriguez – Monaco to Real Madrid

James Rodriguez playing for Colombia at the 2014 World Cup — Image caption,

James Rodriguez’s heroics for Colombia made him a standout player at the 2014 World Cup

James Rodriguez became one of the stars of the 2014 World Cup, scoring six goals for Colombia and winning the Golden Boot after a memorable run to the quarter-finals.

His excellent performances, including his famous volley against Uruguay, earned him a spot in Fifa’s team of the tournament.

The volley against Uruguay was later voted as the best goal in the tournament by more than four million people on Fifa’s website and won the Fifa Puskas Award for the best goal of the year.

Real Madrid decided to sign Rodriguez from Monaco for about 75m euros (£71m) after the tournament – a move that led to him winning multiple trophies with Los Blancos, including two Champions Leagues.

Vozinha – Chaves to Colo Colo

Vozinha signing for Colo Colo — Image caption,

Vozinha kept a clean sheet on his World Cup debut against eventual champions Spain

Well, you knew this one was coming.

Vozinha became a cult hero when Cape Verde claimed their first World Cup point against Spain in the group stage and his social media fame has exploded from 50,000 Instagram followers to nearly 30 million.

After helping his team reach the knockout stages, taking finalists Argentina to extra time in the last 32, Vozinha was named in Fifa’s team of the tournament and even had a newly discovered species of sea slug named after him.

Vozinha’s career has taken him to Slovakia, Angola, Moldova, Cyprus and, until recently, Portuguese second division side Chaves, but he has always believed himself to be a “big club player”.

Joining Colo Colo, the most successful team in the Primera Division (34 titles) and Copa Chile (14), is his career “highlight”.