Louis van Gaal arrived at United after taking the Netherlands to third place at the 2014 World Cup. His first major recruits reflected that tournament connection, with Argentina internationals Angel Di Maria and Marcos Rojo joining after reaching the final.
Di Maria arrived from Real Madrid for about £59.7m, but lasted only one season. He scored four goals and supplied 11 assists in 32 appearances before moving to Paris Saint-Germain.
Rojo proved a more durable, if imperfect, investment. The defender joined for £16m, made 122 appearances, and remained at Old Trafford long after Di Maria had gone. Their contrasting careers showed that a strong tournament reputation cannot predict how a player will adapt to a new league, manager or dressing room.
Kleberson’s move followed Brazil’s triumph at the 2002 World Cup. He joined United in 2003, but made only 30 appearances across two seasons before leaving for Besiktas.
His explanation remains revealing. Kleberson believed Ronaldinho’s decision to join Barcelona had redirected him towards Manchester, a reminder that recruitment can sometimes be shaped by circumstance as much as careful planning.
After the 2022 World Cup, Erik ten Hag took a more cautious route. Wout Weghorst arrived on loan after Cristiano Ronaldo’s departure and contributed five goals and assists combined. In his farewell message, Weghorst said he was “unbelievably proud to wear the badge”.
Sofyan Amrabat followed after helping Morocco reach the semi-finals. His loan included an option to buy, but United chose not to activate it after 30 appearances without a goal or assist.
The lesson is not to ignore tournament form. It is to treat it as an invitation to investigate rather than proof of suitability. As United approach the next transfer window, the key question will be whether World Cup exposure starts the scouting process-or ends it.