World Cup stars who landed elite transfers after tournament heroics

The World Cup is football's greatest shop window, and according to BBC Sport, it has repeatedly launched careers to new heights. From Marc-Vivien Foe in 1994 to Vozinha recently, tournament glory has opened doors to Europe's biggest clubs.

Gilberto Silva joined Arsenal after winning the 2002 World Cup with Brazil, signing for around £4.5m. The defensive midfielder, nicknamed 'The Invisible Wall', became crucial in Arsenal's famous 2003-04 unbeaten season and won two FA Cups during his six years in north London.

Mesut Özil transferred from Werder Bremen to Real Madrid in 2010 for €15m following his impressive third-place finish, registering four goals and four assists. James Rodríguez scored six goals for Colombia in 2014, earning a €75m move to Real Madrid, while Javier Mascherano landed at West Ham and later Liverpool after the 2006 tournament.

Even Vozinha, a 40-year-old goalkeeper, secured a move to Colo-Colo after Cape Verde's run in Qatar. The keeper earned FIFA's team of the tournament nod and saw his Instagram following explode from 50,000 to nearly 30 million followers.