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Gabriele Marcotti
Last updated June 8 2010 4:42PM
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/...cle2545203.ece
Here’s a list of the 30 players guys I’m most excited about watching at the World Cup. I’ve limited myself to players outside the Premier League (so no England players, we’ve seen enough of them already) and I haven’t selected any Italy players (I’ve seen enough of them, too). Instead, I’ve picked one from each of the other 30 teams. Note, this is not a top 30. I don’t believe that Karim Ziani is the best player in the World Cup (or even in the Algeria team).
Karim Ziani (Algeria)
Intense, outrageously creative attacking midfielder who was as inspiring with Algeria this year as he was anonymous with Wolfsburg, whom he joined last summer from Marseille in a £5.5m move. He’ll be looking for redemption in South Africa. At 27, his career is at a crossroads. To get back on track he’ll need to stay injury-free and find some consistency.
Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
Possibly the best player in Europe outside the big five leagues, Di Maria was the lynchpin of the Benfica side that won the Portuguese double. Quick, gifted and unselfish, he has played both wide and central and looks to be on his way to join Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Diego Maradona has called him “crucial” to Argentina’s midfield.
Joshua Kennedy (Australia)
Already a cult figure, the 6ft 4in striker bears a striking resemblance to, well, Jesus Christ. So much so that, when the going gets tough, some Socceroos fans love to chant “call your dad!” in the hope that the man upstairs can intercede. Spent most of his career amidst highs and lows in Germany, before moving to Japan last year where he enjoyed a prolific season for Nagoya Grampus.
Julio Cesar (Brazil)
Brazilian goalkeepers were once the butt of jokes, but now the Selecao is stacked with talent between the sticks, and Julio Cesar is the pick of the bunch. He was instrumental in helping Inter win the treble and is a calming influence over his back four, much like his idol, Claudio Taffarel. Married to Susana Werner, who was the original Ronaldo’s long-time girlfriend.
Eyong Enoh (Cameroon)
At 17, he packed his bags and left Cameroon for, of all places, Magusa Turk Gucu, in the Northern Cypriot league, which isn’t even part of the Uefa food chain. Ajax spotted him and sent him to South Africa for a spot of development. Then, in 2008, he roared into the first-team establishing himself as an all-action hard-nosed ballwinner.
Alexis Sanchez (Chile)
Quicksilver pocket-sized starlet who excels at finding space in crowded final thirds with his quick first step and close control. Nicknamed El Nino Maravilla (“The Wonder Boy”), he can change pace with unusual ease. At 21, the Udinese striker’s best is yet to come. Has reportedly drawn interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Simon Kjaer (Denmark)
An angelic face hides a mean streak in this tall, imposing and athletic defender, who is also an elegant and creative passer. He’s also a natural leader who, when yelling at team-mates, has a bit of the Peter Schmeichel about him. A central midfielder until the age of 17, and a rare all-rounder among central defenders, the 21-year-old Palermo player has attracted many offers from bigger clubs.
Yoann Gourcuff (France)
A success story of 2008/09 season when, after two years of being overlooked and underappreciated at AC Milan, the Bordeaux midfielder lit up Le Championnat and was voted player of the season. Slowed by injury last year, but still a joy to watch, he is a clean, elegant old-school passer who plays in the hole with vision and a dangerous long-range shot. At 23, his future is looking very bright.
Mesut Ozil (Germany)
Ozil’s blend of energy, athleticism and technique makes him a rarity and one to watch. The Schalke attacking midfielder is a force of nature who has yet to fully harness his talent but, at 21, he is allowed his inconsistency. Part of a trio of gifted young German attacking midfielders, along with Thomas Muller (20) and Toni Kroos (20).
Kwadwo Asamoah (Ghana)
This powerfully built midfield general mostly flew under the radar until two years ago but, since then, has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in Serie A. Filled the shoes of Stephen Appiah, his captain, at the Africa Cup of Nations without missing a beat. One of those guys who can run all match and still hit the killer pass.
Giorgos Karagounis (Greece)
He’s small, slow, lazy, doesn’t like to tackle and tends to take a tumble. But he has magic in his feet and a knack for turning up with important goals. Karagounis was the spark in Greece’s otherwise mostly dull and muscle-bound Euro 2004-winning side. He’s 33 now and in the twilight of his career. Time for a swansong?
Eljero Elia (Holland)
Start with the name. His older sister had a thing for Al Jarreau and persuaded her parents to name her little brother after the jazz singer (it makes sense in Dutch, trust me). And the Hamburg winger jazzes things up with his own silky grooves, whether accelerating into space or conjuring creative dribbling riffs. At 23, he’s just hitting his stride and while his end product could improve, his upside is tremendous. Could go the way of Ryan Babel or could be a devastating Oranje streak out wide.
Carlos Pavon (Honduras)
It took him 18 years, 13 clubs and 56 international goals (more than any active player, apart from the original Ronaldo) to get to the World Cup, but Pavon finally made it. At 36, his pace isn’t what it was, but his finishing is as dead-eye as ever. If you liked Roger MIlla, you’ll love Pavon. There’s something about a golden oldie turning back the clock...
Ndri Romaric (Ivory Coast)
He’s the big man who bosses the Ivory Coast midfield (when he’s not falling out with managers). Sven-Goran Eriksson made it a point to bring Romaric back into the fold after he skipped the Africa Cup of Nations. Muscular and talented, he’s a precise, creative passer who has sometimes been a fish out of water in an Ivory Coast side that too often chose the Route One option to Didier Drogba. Now, however, Eriksson could well build the side around him, which will be fun to watch.
Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Colourful (not just because of his hair) and dynamic attacking midfielder who seemingly covers acres of ground every game. With a canoeist uncle who represented Japan in the Olympics and a cousin who is a professional wrestler, Honda was always going to be different. Was an instant success at CSKA Moscow, following his move from VVV Venlo and, at 23, appears destined for greater things.
Gerardo Torrado (Mexico)
Think Mexican football and you may think of speedy, ethereal wingers or languid, yet gifted midfield passers. Torrado is neither. He’s a hard-running, scythe-tackling enforcer who patrols the pitch with grit and determination. An inspirational blood-and-guts type, his bushy hair earned him the nickname “El Borrego” (The Sheep), which, given his playing style, is highly inappropriate.
Winston Reid (New Zealand)
Born in Auckland, he moved to Denmark as a ten-year-old and gained Danish citizenship, representing them at Under-21 level. However, his allegiance towards the country of his birth and a chance to start in the World Cup proved too much of a carrot and he joined the All-Whites last month. A big, athletic centre-half, his partnership with Ryan Nelsen may be New Zealand’s strongest suit.
Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)
A standout goalkeeper in a country known more for strikers and wingers, Enyeama was something of a teenage prodigy (aged 19, he kept a clean sheet against England in the 2002 World Cup) who was deemed too small at 5ft 11in to interest the big European clubs. So he moved to Israel, where he helped Hapoel Tel Aviv win the double. Size is an issue... until you watch him fly around the goalmouth.
Jong Tae Se (North Korea)
Perhaps the finest exponent of North Korea’s version of the Republic’s “Plastic Paddies” policy of the early 1990s. Jong was born in Japan to South Korean immigrants and, after being snubbed by Japan, was approached to play for North Korea in 2006. (Because North Korea regards Korea as one country, his South Korean heritage was not a problem). A squat powerful striker, some have compared him to Wayne Rooney, which is a bit excessive. Still, he’s not the kind of guy you want to underestimate.
Justo Villar (Paraguay)
You can’t help but root for him, just for what he’s been through. A standout teenage goalkeeper who won his first cap at 19, he was understudy to the legendary Jose Luis Chilavert in the 2002 World Cup (even though, by then, many felt Villar was the better option) and, in 2006, he was injured after only seven minutes in the opening game against England. Not the biggest, but plays with aggression and intensity and is one of the emotional leaders of the side.
Pepe (Portugal)
A livewire uber-athlete blessed with size, speed, strength and flat-out pace, he could probably play just about anywhere on the pitch. At club level he’s a central defender; with Portugal he sits in front of the back four, terrifying opponents. A naturalized Brazilian, Real Madrid paid £20m for his services, although, thus far, he’s had a rocky time: a ten-game ban in 2008/09 for kicking a prone opponent and a cruciate ligament injury last season. What better than a World Cup to make up for lost time?
Milos Krasic (Serbia)
CSKA Moscow picked him up six years ago when he was still a teenager and he has developed nicely in the Russian capital. Tall and long-legged, he’s an elegant winger with a nice turn of pace who is especially dangerous when he cuts inside. He’ll be 26 in November, which suggests a move to one of Europe’s big boys is long overdue.
Marek Hamsik (Slovakia)
Hamsik looks like an elongated Bart Simpson and plays like a slimmed down Frank Lampard. Able to time his runs into the box perfectly, Hamsik is a bundle of energy, shuttling between midfield and attack and shooting on goal from seemingly every possible angle. Napoli, his club, rate him at £30m-plus and it’s not hard to see why. At 22, he’s already one of the best in world at his position.
Samir Handanovic (Slovenia)
This oversized goalkeeper crossed the border into Italy at a young age and has been developing nicely for Udinese, though this World Cup is likely to be an audition for a move to bigger and better things (Arsenal perhaps?). Curiously, his back-up with Slovenia is his cousin, Jasmin.
Teko Modise (South Africa)
Talk about late bloomers (or possibly scouting failures?). Until the age of 23 this Soweto-born attacking midfielder was toiling in the obscurity of the South African lower leagues. But over the past three years he has been near-ever present for Bafana Bafana, forming an effective partnership with Steven Pienaar.
Park Chu Young (South Korea)
Stormed on to the scene as a teenager, with some scouts calling him Asia’s answer to Roberto Baggio. That may have flattered him the Korean, though his elegance and effortlessness on the ball do recall, at times, the Divine Ponytail. Was slowed by some bad injuries, but, since his move to Monaco two years ago has established himself as an effective attacking force. At 24, he’s another one likely to use this World Cup as an audition.
Xavi Hernandez (Spain)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last five years, you’ll be more than familiar with his work. An outrageously gifted passer and a natural leader, Xavi is the benchmark for a certain type of midfielder. And unlike others with his skill set, he is never self-indulgent and does everything with purpose. An absolute joy to watch.
Gokhan Inler (Switzerland)
Possibly the hardest working man in the World Cup. Inler is a relentless box-to-box midfielder who happily runs himself into the ground and not only during games. While most Serie A players head for the sunshine during the winter break, he stayed behind and trained on his own during the holidays. Humble and with a great attitude, he’s the kind of role model who, supposedly, no longer exists in the modern game.
Diego Lugano (Uruguay)
A serious old-school throwback to the tough Uruguayan centre-halves of yesteryear. Watching Lugano is like traveling back through time. He plays with passion and intensity, bellowing orders and harassing opposing strikers. Not the quickest, but makes up for it with his ability to read the game and a complete lack of fear.
Michael Bradley (United States)
Some footballers like to spend their free time away from the game. Bradley is immersed in it, 24/7. That’s what happens when you’re a coach’s son (his father, Bob, is the USA manager) and you’re thoroughly addicted. As a result, Bradley has the mind of a 50-year-old coach in an athletic 6ft 2in frame. It’s a devastating combination, especially when you’re a holding midfielder whose job it is to disrupt the opposition. Only wrinkle is the occasional descent of red mist, but, that apart, Bradley is one of the most complete and intelligent holding midfielders you’re likely to see.
Last updated June 8 2010 4:42PM
http://www.thetimes.co.uk/tto/sport/...cle2545203.ece
Here’s a list of the 30 players guys I’m most excited about watching at the World Cup. I’ve limited myself to players outside the Premier League (so no England players, we’ve seen enough of them already) and I haven’t selected any Italy players (I’ve seen enough of them, too). Instead, I’ve picked one from each of the other 30 teams. Note, this is not a top 30. I don’t believe that Karim Ziani is the best player in the World Cup (or even in the Algeria team).
Karim Ziani (Algeria)
Intense, outrageously creative attacking midfielder who was as inspiring with Algeria this year as he was anonymous with Wolfsburg, whom he joined last summer from Marseille in a £5.5m move. He’ll be looking for redemption in South Africa. At 27, his career is at a crossroads. To get back on track he’ll need to stay injury-free and find some consistency.
Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
Possibly the best player in Europe outside the big five leagues, Di Maria was the lynchpin of the Benfica side that won the Portuguese double. Quick, gifted and unselfish, he has played both wide and central and looks to be on his way to join Jose Mourinho at Real Madrid. Diego Maradona has called him “crucial” to Argentina’s midfield.
Joshua Kennedy (Australia)
Already a cult figure, the 6ft 4in striker bears a striking resemblance to, well, Jesus Christ. So much so that, when the going gets tough, some Socceroos fans love to chant “call your dad!” in the hope that the man upstairs can intercede. Spent most of his career amidst highs and lows in Germany, before moving to Japan last year where he enjoyed a prolific season for Nagoya Grampus.
Julio Cesar (Brazil)
Brazilian goalkeepers were once the butt of jokes, but now the Selecao is stacked with talent between the sticks, and Julio Cesar is the pick of the bunch. He was instrumental in helping Inter win the treble and is a calming influence over his back four, much like his idol, Claudio Taffarel. Married to Susana Werner, who was the original Ronaldo’s long-time girlfriend.
Eyong Enoh (Cameroon)
At 17, he packed his bags and left Cameroon for, of all places, Magusa Turk Gucu, in the Northern Cypriot league, which isn’t even part of the Uefa food chain. Ajax spotted him and sent him to South Africa for a spot of development. Then, in 2008, he roared into the first-team establishing himself as an all-action hard-nosed ballwinner.
Alexis Sanchez (Chile)
Quicksilver pocket-sized starlet who excels at finding space in crowded final thirds with his quick first step and close control. Nicknamed El Nino Maravilla (“The Wonder Boy”), he can change pace with unusual ease. At 21, the Udinese striker’s best is yet to come. Has reportedly drawn interest from Bayern Munich and Manchester United.
Simon Kjaer (Denmark)
An angelic face hides a mean streak in this tall, imposing and athletic defender, who is also an elegant and creative passer. He’s also a natural leader who, when yelling at team-mates, has a bit of the Peter Schmeichel about him. A central midfielder until the age of 17, and a rare all-rounder among central defenders, the 21-year-old Palermo player has attracted many offers from bigger clubs.
Yoann Gourcuff (France)
A success story of 2008/09 season when, after two years of being overlooked and underappreciated at AC Milan, the Bordeaux midfielder lit up Le Championnat and was voted player of the season. Slowed by injury last year, but still a joy to watch, he is a clean, elegant old-school passer who plays in the hole with vision and a dangerous long-range shot. At 23, his future is looking very bright.
Mesut Ozil (Germany)
Ozil’s blend of energy, athleticism and technique makes him a rarity and one to watch. The Schalke attacking midfielder is a force of nature who has yet to fully harness his talent but, at 21, he is allowed his inconsistency. Part of a trio of gifted young German attacking midfielders, along with Thomas Muller (20) and Toni Kroos (20).
Kwadwo Asamoah (Ghana)
This powerfully built midfield general mostly flew under the radar until two years ago but, since then, has emerged as one of the best young midfielders in Serie A. Filled the shoes of Stephen Appiah, his captain, at the Africa Cup of Nations without missing a beat. One of those guys who can run all match and still hit the killer pass.
Giorgos Karagounis (Greece)
He’s small, slow, lazy, doesn’t like to tackle and tends to take a tumble. But he has magic in his feet and a knack for turning up with important goals. Karagounis was the spark in Greece’s otherwise mostly dull and muscle-bound Euro 2004-winning side. He’s 33 now and in the twilight of his career. Time for a swansong?
Eljero Elia (Holland)
Start with the name. His older sister had a thing for Al Jarreau and persuaded her parents to name her little brother after the jazz singer (it makes sense in Dutch, trust me). And the Hamburg winger jazzes things up with his own silky grooves, whether accelerating into space or conjuring creative dribbling riffs. At 23, he’s just hitting his stride and while his end product could improve, his upside is tremendous. Could go the way of Ryan Babel or could be a devastating Oranje streak out wide.
Carlos Pavon (Honduras)
It took him 18 years, 13 clubs and 56 international goals (more than any active player, apart from the original Ronaldo) to get to the World Cup, but Pavon finally made it. At 36, his pace isn’t what it was, but his finishing is as dead-eye as ever. If you liked Roger MIlla, you’ll love Pavon. There’s something about a golden oldie turning back the clock...
Ndri Romaric (Ivory Coast)
He’s the big man who bosses the Ivory Coast midfield (when he’s not falling out with managers). Sven-Goran Eriksson made it a point to bring Romaric back into the fold after he skipped the Africa Cup of Nations. Muscular and talented, he’s a precise, creative passer who has sometimes been a fish out of water in an Ivory Coast side that too often chose the Route One option to Didier Drogba. Now, however, Eriksson could well build the side around him, which will be fun to watch.
Keisuke Honda (Japan)
Colourful (not just because of his hair) and dynamic attacking midfielder who seemingly covers acres of ground every game. With a canoeist uncle who represented Japan in the Olympics and a cousin who is a professional wrestler, Honda was always going to be different. Was an instant success at CSKA Moscow, following his move from VVV Venlo and, at 23, appears destined for greater things.
Gerardo Torrado (Mexico)
Think Mexican football and you may think of speedy, ethereal wingers or languid, yet gifted midfield passers. Torrado is neither. He’s a hard-running, scythe-tackling enforcer who patrols the pitch with grit and determination. An inspirational blood-and-guts type, his bushy hair earned him the nickname “El Borrego” (The Sheep), which, given his playing style, is highly inappropriate.
Winston Reid (New Zealand)
Born in Auckland, he moved to Denmark as a ten-year-old and gained Danish citizenship, representing them at Under-21 level. However, his allegiance towards the country of his birth and a chance to start in the World Cup proved too much of a carrot and he joined the All-Whites last month. A big, athletic centre-half, his partnership with Ryan Nelsen may be New Zealand’s strongest suit.
Vincent Enyeama (Nigeria)
A standout goalkeeper in a country known more for strikers and wingers, Enyeama was something of a teenage prodigy (aged 19, he kept a clean sheet against England in the 2002 World Cup) who was deemed too small at 5ft 11in to interest the big European clubs. So he moved to Israel, where he helped Hapoel Tel Aviv win the double. Size is an issue... until you watch him fly around the goalmouth.
Jong Tae Se (North Korea)
Perhaps the finest exponent of North Korea’s version of the Republic’s “Plastic Paddies” policy of the early 1990s. Jong was born in Japan to South Korean immigrants and, after being snubbed by Japan, was approached to play for North Korea in 2006. (Because North Korea regards Korea as one country, his South Korean heritage was not a problem). A squat powerful striker, some have compared him to Wayne Rooney, which is a bit excessive. Still, he’s not the kind of guy you want to underestimate.
Justo Villar (Paraguay)
You can’t help but root for him, just for what he’s been through. A standout teenage goalkeeper who won his first cap at 19, he was understudy to the legendary Jose Luis Chilavert in the 2002 World Cup (even though, by then, many felt Villar was the better option) and, in 2006, he was injured after only seven minutes in the opening game against England. Not the biggest, but plays with aggression and intensity and is one of the emotional leaders of the side.
Pepe (Portugal)
A livewire uber-athlete blessed with size, speed, strength and flat-out pace, he could probably play just about anywhere on the pitch. At club level he’s a central defender; with Portugal he sits in front of the back four, terrifying opponents. A naturalized Brazilian, Real Madrid paid £20m for his services, although, thus far, he’s had a rocky time: a ten-game ban in 2008/09 for kicking a prone opponent and a cruciate ligament injury last season. What better than a World Cup to make up for lost time?
Milos Krasic (Serbia)
CSKA Moscow picked him up six years ago when he was still a teenager and he has developed nicely in the Russian capital. Tall and long-legged, he’s an elegant winger with a nice turn of pace who is especially dangerous when he cuts inside. He’ll be 26 in November, which suggests a move to one of Europe’s big boys is long overdue.
Marek Hamsik (Slovakia)
Hamsik looks like an elongated Bart Simpson and plays like a slimmed down Frank Lampard. Able to time his runs into the box perfectly, Hamsik is a bundle of energy, shuttling between midfield and attack and shooting on goal from seemingly every possible angle. Napoli, his club, rate him at £30m-plus and it’s not hard to see why. At 22, he’s already one of the best in world at his position.
Samir Handanovic (Slovenia)
This oversized goalkeeper crossed the border into Italy at a young age and has been developing nicely for Udinese, though this World Cup is likely to be an audition for a move to bigger and better things (Arsenal perhaps?). Curiously, his back-up with Slovenia is his cousin, Jasmin.
Teko Modise (South Africa)
Talk about late bloomers (or possibly scouting failures?). Until the age of 23 this Soweto-born attacking midfielder was toiling in the obscurity of the South African lower leagues. But over the past three years he has been near-ever present for Bafana Bafana, forming an effective partnership with Steven Pienaar.
Park Chu Young (South Korea)
Stormed on to the scene as a teenager, with some scouts calling him Asia’s answer to Roberto Baggio. That may have flattered him the Korean, though his elegance and effortlessness on the ball do recall, at times, the Divine Ponytail. Was slowed by some bad injuries, but, since his move to Monaco two years ago has established himself as an effective attacking force. At 24, he’s another one likely to use this World Cup as an audition.
Xavi Hernandez (Spain)
Unless you’ve been living under a rock the last five years, you’ll be more than familiar with his work. An outrageously gifted passer and a natural leader, Xavi is the benchmark for a certain type of midfielder. And unlike others with his skill set, he is never self-indulgent and does everything with purpose. An absolute joy to watch.
Gokhan Inler (Switzerland)
Possibly the hardest working man in the World Cup. Inler is a relentless box-to-box midfielder who happily runs himself into the ground and not only during games. While most Serie A players head for the sunshine during the winter break, he stayed behind and trained on his own during the holidays. Humble and with a great attitude, he’s the kind of role model who, supposedly, no longer exists in the modern game.
Diego Lugano (Uruguay)
A serious old-school throwback to the tough Uruguayan centre-halves of yesteryear. Watching Lugano is like traveling back through time. He plays with passion and intensity, bellowing orders and harassing opposing strikers. Not the quickest, but makes up for it with his ability to read the game and a complete lack of fear.
Michael Bradley (United States)
Some footballers like to spend their free time away from the game. Bradley is immersed in it, 24/7. That’s what happens when you’re a coach’s son (his father, Bob, is the USA manager) and you’re thoroughly addicted. As a result, Bradley has the mind of a 50-year-old coach in an athletic 6ft 2in frame. It’s a devastating combination, especially when you’re a holding midfielder whose job it is to disrupt the opposition. Only wrinkle is the occasional descent of red mist, but, that apart, Bradley is one of the most complete and intelligent holding midfielders you’re likely to see.
