Remembering the World Cup's most memorable one-hit wonders

The World Cup has produced players who shone brightly for a moment and then faded. Some were propelled into the mainstream by a single tournament; others are remembered for one unforgettable act on the biggest stage. Asamoah Gyan announced himself in 2010, scoring three of Ghana's four goals, netting the winner against the United States and enduring a late penalty miss against Uruguay.

James Rodriguez is still linked to a single volley; he finished the 2014 tournament with six goals, won the Golden Boot and earned a big move to Real Madrid, but rather fizzled out and bounced around clubs before becoming, as the record puts it, "sort of" without a club.

Sofyan Amrabat was defined by a desperate slide tackle chasing Kylian Mbappe in Morocco's semifinal with France, one of several commanding performances that helped Morocco reach the semis in 2022, though a big transfer never quite materialised and he was a bit-part player at Betis last year.

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