The Potential Superstars
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Villa, Kaka, Drogba, Rooney ,Ribery Messi et all may be the first
players picked by most people in their World Cup dream teams but
extratime.ie isn’t just about the star names. We have decided to look
past the superstars to uncover the potential break out stories and
unsung heroes amongst the teams in this year’s World Cup starting with
Groups A and B
France
Jeremy Toulalan – Olympique Lyon
Anyone watching Lyon’s march to this year’s Champions League semi-finals would have been undoubtedly impressed by the tough tackling 26 year old. The midfielder missed the semi-final second leg due to a very harsh second yellow card gained against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena and he will be eager to make amends in South Africa. Make no mistake about it Toulalan is vital to the system that Les Blues play especially since Real Madrid midfielder Lass Diarra has been ruled out. The Les Gones midfielder has never scored for his country but he is combative, tough tackling and very calm in possession. Toulalan was missing in the two play-off matches against Ireland and his absence was clear for all to see especially in the way that Gourcuff was completely bullied by the Irish midfield. His graft and hard work is essential for French flair to flourish.
Uruguay
Diego Lugano – Fenerbahce
Although the two time World Cup winners boast a terrific strike partnership upfront with Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan it’s the talismanic captain of the team we have opted for. The centre back is true-born leader and very much an old fashioned defender. He isn’t blessed with pace but he reads the game well and takes no prisoners in the challenge. He has also been enjoying a good goal scoring run for the national team lately having scored 4 times during qualification. The most important goal undoubtedly in the first-leg of the World Cup play-off against Costa Rica when he forced home the only goal of the game.
Mexico
Andres Guardado - Deportivo La Coruna
The fast and elusive left winger is arguably the best foreigner playing in La Liga outside of the Big Four. The 23 year old scored three goals in qualification and South Africa will be his second World Cup after he featured for El Tri in their last 16 defeat to Argentina in 2006. He started all of Mexico’s World Cup qualifiers but he has had to be content with a place on the bench on Mexico’s recent tour of Europe which saw them meet England, Holland, Italy and Gambia. He may not start in South Africa or maybe Mexico coach Javier Aguirre is keeping Guardado wrapped up in cotton wool after the winger missed the La Liga run in with a groin injury but the winger has already said that he expects to leave Deportivo La Coruna this summer so he will be eager to impress regardless.
South Africa
Bernard Parker – FC Twente
If you were to be honest with yourself and try to name some of the players in the South African squad right now the chances are the answer would be short. Steven Piennar, Aaron Mokoena and Benny McCarthy…wait wait wait a minute. The Bafana Bafana’s top scorer with 32 goals in 79 games hasn’t even made the squad! West Ham fans won’t argue with that decision especially since South African coach Carlos Alberto Parreira allegedly dropped him for being overweight. In his absence the goal scoring mantle is expected to be picked up by FC Twente striker Bernard Parker. The 24 year old does have a decent strike rate at international level averaging almost a goal every third game and fans will probably remember him for his brace against New Zealand in the 2009 Confederations Cup. Parker’s confidence should be sky high after helping guide FC Twente to the Dutch title (he didn’t score this season though) and with the chance to become a national hero up for grabs the Bafana Bafana fans might just forget about Benny.
Argentina
Nicolas Otamendi – Velez Sarsfield
Argentina’s array of attacking talent is enough to give any defender at South Africa sleepless nights. Messi, Higuain, Tevez, Aguero , Di Maria , Milito. Enough said. The big question mark however is about Diego Armando Maradona. Under his leadership fans of the La Albiceleste have had to endure; his fight with Riquelme, the exclusion of Zanetti and Cambiasso, the 6-1 loss to Bolivia and seeing their side scrape through the qualification stages thanks to late winners against Peru and Uruguay. The world’s greatest player (yes he is better than Pele) has called up 101 players since taking over but surely now he knows his best team? One player to reap the benefits of the El Diego’s erratic selection policy is the in demand Velez Sarsfield defender Nicolas Otamendi. Destined to be playing his trade outside of Argentina sooner rather than later. Ottamendi is a solid centre back who is especially powerful in the air but whose distribution on the deck is very good. Before becoming a footballer he trained as a boxer so I think he can handle himself in a physical duel! He was thrown in at the deep end during qualification after injuries to Martin Demichelis and Walter Samuel and he took time to adapt. The 22 year old can play in the centre or on the right side of the defense and his versatility will be crucial at the World Cup.
Nigeria
Peter Odemwingie– Lokomotiv Moscow
The Super Eagles never make things easy for themselves before big tournaments. They sacked their managers before the 98 and 02 World Cups and the continued this tradition in February when Lars Lagerback was appointed manager after Shuaibu Amodu was sacked because of the poor performances at the 2010 African Cup of Nations and the unconvincing manner in which Nigeria qualified for South Africa. It seems an impossible job for the Swede to take on with so little time to get to know his players. He also has to satisfy the demands of a football crazy country with expectation heightened after being drawn in a favourable group. Nigeria stumbled to the African Nations semi finals before they were beaten by Ghana but there is talent at the Swede’s disposal. Anyone watching the Super Eagles in Angola would have been impressed by the pace and technique of Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie. The 28 year old plays on the right side of a talented attacking trio that includes Yakubu and Obafemi Martins. He captained Nigeria in the 2010 African Nations Cup and once famously scored a brace at the San Siro for Lille against AC Milan. Nigeria’s current player of the year has the potential to become a household name.
South KoreaPark Chu-Young –AS Monaco
Kings of Asia or World Cup flops? That’s the question posed by Huh Jung-Moo’s men. South Africa will be South Korea’s eighth appearance at the World Cup yet they have only managed to get out of their groups once and that was when they were joint hosts in 2002 with their passionate supporters roaring them on. Nobody will forget the heroics of Guus Hiddink’s men but what about the current generation? The burden of finding the back of the net will rest largely on Monaco striker Park Chu-Young’s shoulders. He got four goals in the World Cup qualifying stage and scored in the recent 2-0 win over Japan. He had an impressive first half of the season with Monaco but he has been hit by injuries recently.
Greece
Sotiris Ninis – Panathinaikos
If ever a government was praying for the nations spirits to be lifted its Greece! Economic turmoil, rioting in the streets and political instability have been the main talking points in the streets of Athens but can this Greek tragedy have a happy ending. The Euro 2004 winners came second behind Switzerland in what was a very easy qualifying group but they booked their place at South Africa thanks to an impressive play-off win away to the Ukraine. The World Cup has a history of launching the careers of players and in Sotiris Ninis Greece have a superstar in the making. The 20 year old isn’t a first team starter for Otto Rehagel but he is supremely gifted and became the youngest player to win Greek footballer of the year at aged just 17. He scored on his debut for the national team against Cyprus and in the process become Greece’s youngest ever goal scorer. He was left out of the Euro 2008 squad yet the talk amongst local newspapers is that he won’t be at Panathinaikos for long. If he has an impressive World Cup then he big boys could be calling.
France
Jeremy Toulalan – Olympique Lyon
Anyone watching Lyon’s march to this year’s Champions League semi-finals would have been undoubtedly impressed by the tough tackling 26 year old. The midfielder missed the semi-final second leg due to a very harsh second yellow card gained against Bayern Munich in the Allianz Arena and he will be eager to make amends in South Africa. Make no mistake about it Toulalan is vital to the system that Les Blues play especially since Real Madrid midfielder Lass Diarra has been ruled out. The Les Gones midfielder has never scored for his country but he is combative, tough tackling and very calm in possession. Toulalan was missing in the two play-off matches against Ireland and his absence was clear for all to see especially in the way that Gourcuff was completely bullied by the Irish midfield. His graft and hard work is essential for French flair to flourish.
Uruguay
Diego Lugano – Fenerbahce
Although the two time World Cup winners boast a terrific strike partnership upfront with Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan it’s the talismanic captain of the team we have opted for. The centre back is true-born leader and very much an old fashioned defender. He isn’t blessed with pace but he reads the game well and takes no prisoners in the challenge. He has also been enjoying a good goal scoring run for the national team lately having scored 4 times during qualification. The most important goal undoubtedly in the first-leg of the World Cup play-off against Costa Rica when he forced home the only goal of the game.
Mexico
Andres Guardado - Deportivo La Coruna
The fast and elusive left winger is arguably the best foreigner playing in La Liga outside of the Big Four. The 23 year old scored three goals in qualification and South Africa will be his second World Cup after he featured for El Tri in their last 16 defeat to Argentina in 2006. He started all of Mexico’s World Cup qualifiers but he has had to be content with a place on the bench on Mexico’s recent tour of Europe which saw them meet England, Holland, Italy and Gambia. He may not start in South Africa or maybe Mexico coach Javier Aguirre is keeping Guardado wrapped up in cotton wool after the winger missed the La Liga run in with a groin injury but the winger has already said that he expects to leave Deportivo La Coruna this summer so he will be eager to impress regardless.
South Africa
Bernard Parker – FC Twente
If you were to be honest with yourself and try to name some of the players in the South African squad right now the chances are the answer would be short. Steven Piennar, Aaron Mokoena and Benny McCarthy…wait wait wait a minute. The Bafana Bafana’s top scorer with 32 goals in 79 games hasn’t even made the squad! West Ham fans won’t argue with that decision especially since South African coach Carlos Alberto Parreira allegedly dropped him for being overweight. In his absence the goal scoring mantle is expected to be picked up by FC Twente striker Bernard Parker. The 24 year old does have a decent strike rate at international level averaging almost a goal every third game and fans will probably remember him for his brace against New Zealand in the 2009 Confederations Cup. Parker’s confidence should be sky high after helping guide FC Twente to the Dutch title (he didn’t score this season though) and with the chance to become a national hero up for grabs the Bafana Bafana fans might just forget about Benny.
Argentina
Nicolas Otamendi – Velez Sarsfield
Argentina’s array of attacking talent is enough to give any defender at South Africa sleepless nights. Messi, Higuain, Tevez, Aguero , Di Maria , Milito. Enough said. The big question mark however is about Diego Armando Maradona. Under his leadership fans of the La Albiceleste have had to endure; his fight with Riquelme, the exclusion of Zanetti and Cambiasso, the 6-1 loss to Bolivia and seeing their side scrape through the qualification stages thanks to late winners against Peru and Uruguay. The world’s greatest player (yes he is better than Pele) has called up 101 players since taking over but surely now he knows his best team? One player to reap the benefits of the El Diego’s erratic selection policy is the in demand Velez Sarsfield defender Nicolas Otamendi. Destined to be playing his trade outside of Argentina sooner rather than later. Ottamendi is a solid centre back who is especially powerful in the air but whose distribution on the deck is very good. Before becoming a footballer he trained as a boxer so I think he can handle himself in a physical duel! He was thrown in at the deep end during qualification after injuries to Martin Demichelis and Walter Samuel and he took time to adapt. The 22 year old can play in the centre or on the right side of the defense and his versatility will be crucial at the World Cup.
Nigeria
Peter Odemwingie– Lokomotiv Moscow
The Super Eagles never make things easy for themselves before big tournaments. They sacked their managers before the 98 and 02 World Cups and the continued this tradition in February when Lars Lagerback was appointed manager after Shuaibu Amodu was sacked because of the poor performances at the 2010 African Cup of Nations and the unconvincing manner in which Nigeria qualified for South Africa. It seems an impossible job for the Swede to take on with so little time to get to know his players. He also has to satisfy the demands of a football crazy country with expectation heightened after being drawn in a favourable group. Nigeria stumbled to the African Nations semi finals before they were beaten by Ghana but there is talent at the Swede’s disposal. Anyone watching the Super Eagles in Angola would have been impressed by the pace and technique of Lokomotiv Moscow striker Peter Odemwingie. The 28 year old plays on the right side of a talented attacking trio that includes Yakubu and Obafemi Martins. He captained Nigeria in the 2010 African Nations Cup and once famously scored a brace at the San Siro for Lille against AC Milan. Nigeria’s current player of the year has the potential to become a household name.
South KoreaPark Chu-Young –AS Monaco
Kings of Asia or World Cup flops? That’s the question posed by Huh Jung-Moo’s men. South Africa will be South Korea’s eighth appearance at the World Cup yet they have only managed to get out of their groups once and that was when they were joint hosts in 2002 with their passionate supporters roaring them on. Nobody will forget the heroics of Guus Hiddink’s men but what about the current generation? The burden of finding the back of the net will rest largely on Monaco striker Park Chu-Young’s shoulders. He got four goals in the World Cup qualifying stage and scored in the recent 2-0 win over Japan. He had an impressive first half of the season with Monaco but he has been hit by injuries recently.
Greece
Sotiris Ninis – Panathinaikos
If ever a government was praying for the nations spirits to be lifted its Greece! Economic turmoil, rioting in the streets and political instability have been the main talking points in the streets of Athens but can this Greek tragedy have a happy ending. The Euro 2004 winners came second behind Switzerland in what was a very easy qualifying group but they booked their place at South Africa thanks to an impressive play-off win away to the Ukraine. The World Cup has a history of launching the careers of players and in Sotiris Ninis Greece have a superstar in the making. The 20 year old isn’t a first team starter for Otto Rehagel but he is supremely gifted and became the youngest player to win Greek footballer of the year at aged just 17. He scored on his debut for the national team against Cyprus and in the process become Greece’s youngest ever goal scorer. He was left out of the Euro 2008 squad yet the talk amongst local newspapers is that he won’t be at Panathinaikos for long. If he has an impressive World Cup then he big boys could be calling.
