The Potential Superstars Part III
Credit: Extratime Team (ETPhotos)
Holland
Gregory Van Der Wiel – Ajax
He may be only 22 years old but Gregory van der Wiel could be one of the surprises in the starting line-up of the Dutch team in South Africa. The attacking right back is coming off of a very good season at Ajax having scored four goals. There are still question marks about his defending to sort out but his attacking abilities make Van der Wiel a dangerous weapon for any team. He has already been linked with Man City, Arsenal and Barcelona.
Van der Wiel was awarded Holland’s Young Player of the Year this season and seems to be the heir apparent to the throne of Michael Reizeger and expect him to add to his made eight caps over the coming weeks.
Denmark
Simon Kjaer - Palermo
One of the hottest young defenders in the world, Kjaer has been tracked by some of Europe's best clubs. He famously had a move to Real Madrid turned down by his club FC Midtjylland after they refused the Spanish giants' offer.
After joining Palermo in February 2009 he has quickly established himself as one of the key players in the Danish defence alongside Daniel Agger with his versatility and quick footballing brain marking him out as a potential star of the future. The Palermo man has a £12m get out clause and is already on the radar of Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Uncompromising, athletic and good on the ball the Great Dane is destined to move to one of Europe’s giants.
Japan
Keisuke Honda – CSKA Moscow
Let’s get the jokes done early. He has a great engine, he will be the man driving Japan to success, reliable and safe. Enough enough! Bad jokes aside there isn’t to much that’s false about the above statements. The CSKA Moscow midfielder has been in fine form since joining for €6m from VVV- Venlo.
He scored the winner for the Army Men in their Champions League second leg against Seville while his energy and passing ability caught the eye. The gifted playmaker did not see much action in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, making just three appearances, but since moving in the January transfer window he has been the subject of rave reviews.
Cameroon
Idriss Carlos Kameni - Espanyol
After becoming the youngest football player to ever win a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a 16-year-old, Kameni went from the Kadji Sports Academy to Le Havre in France. He had to endure a poor time in France but has seen his career revitalized after a move to Espanyol.
Often praised for his incredible athleticism as well as his technical prowess the keeper has great decision making. Rarely has there been a keeper this good in a one-on-one with strikers. He’s also easily one of the most technically skilled goalkeepers with a ball at his feet. A mainstay with the Indomitable Lions since being included in the 2002 World Cup squad at aged 18 he will need to be at his best if Paul LeGuen’s men are to progress into the last 16.
Italy
Antonio Di Natale - Udinese
In a team that are devoid of top notch strikers perhaps this year's top scorer in Serie A Antonio Di Natale is going to the World Cup as the most important player for the Italian national team. If the Azzurri are realistically aiming to defend their crown then the late bloomer Di Natale will have to be as good as he was for his club this year.
The 32 year old was in scintillating form for a struggling Udinese side scoring 29 goals. His professional career has seen him play his trade in some of Italy’s less glamorous sides despite offers to join Roma, Fiorentina and Wolfsburg. After being left out of the 2006 World Cup squad by Marcello Lippi he has forced his way back into the national team and has been a stable since. He can play as a lone striker, link up player or on either side of a front three. Di Natale and Italy aren’t expected to excel in this World Cup...but then again it was the same story in 2002 and we all know what happened there.
Paraguay
Lucas Barrios – Borussia Dortmund
This prolific Argentina-born striker took up Paraguayan citizenship this spring and he has been rewarded with a spot in his first World Cup finals. The Borussia Dortmund striker is deadly penalty box predator who is lethal and finishing off half-chances. In 2008/09 he scored an amazing 37 goals in 38 games for Chilean side Colo Colo which earned him his move to the German giants. His 19 goals were a key factor in Dortmund’s third placed finish this season. He has score in the recent friendlies against Ireland , Ivory Coast and Greece. He is going into the tournament in great form and Reports in Germany claim that AC Milan are interested in pouncing for the 25 year old.
Slovenia
Milivoje Novakovic – FC Cologne
If Slovenia are to have any success in front of goal in South Africa, it is likely that Milivoje Novakovic will be a key part of it. Despite spending the bulk of his career in Slovenia, Austria and Bulgaria, the striker finally began playing in one of Europe's top leagues in the 2008-09 season when his current club, Cologne. The 6ft 3in striker is big and is a good target man who holds the ball up well. Novakovic scored a vital brace in the 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Slovakia that season on his way to topping the country's scoring charts for the campaign with five goals.
New Zealand
Leo Bertos - Wellington Phoenix
One of the more experienced players in the New Zealand squad despite the fact that he missed the Confederations Cup due to injury. The 2008/09 Wellington player of the year usually plays on the right side of midfield and is responsible for providing the All White’s creativity and flair.
The 28-year-old is now in his seventh year with the national team having debuted in 2003. He spent the majority of his earlier career playing lower league football in England with the likes of Barnsley, Chester, Rochdale and York City before returning to Australia to join Perth Glory. The move to the A-League saw Bertos blossom, with regular first-team action, firstly in Perth for two seasons and now with Wellington. A dynamic player when on form, Bertos has the ability to beat players with his pace and skill. He delivered the corner for Rory Fallon to score the famous goal against Bahrain last year which saw New Zealand qualify for the World Cup.
Ivory Coast
Romaric - Sevilla
The Sevilla man is the midfield powerhouse in the Ivory Coast team and his exclusion from the squad at this year’s African Nations Cup was a key reason why the Elephants played so poorly. The 27 year old is an intelligent midfielder that’s technically gifted, physically strong and blessed with a fierce shot. He is the key link up player who supplies the bullets for Drogba. Kalou and Keita. Comfortable playing across the back four but more at home in his midfield role Romaric wasn’t popular with former coach Vahid Halilhodzic who only selected him in four World Cup qualifiers but they won them all and he scored twice. New coach Sven Goran Eriksson has rejuvenated his international career and if the Elephants are to make it out of the group of death then he will have to be on his best form.
Brazil
Michel Bastos- Olympique Lyon
When you think of the words used to describe Brazilian teams at the World Cup the words flair, skill, goals, tricks and all out attack usually come to mind. But Dunga’s Brazil aren’t anything like the Seleção teams from previous generations with an emphasis placed on defending, discipline, hard work and a counter attacking style. The five time World Cup winners are still a world class act and it would take a brave person to bet against them reaching the final. If they are to be successful then expect Michel Bastos to be a key player in the side. The Brazilian left is probably more comfortable playing left wing but he his attacking runs from deep provide a valuable threat going forward. The 26-year-old has been in impressive form, scoring nine times for Lyon this season which has seen him linked with Inter Milan, Man United and Spurs. Having spent most of his career Bastos isn’t exactly a well known name in Brazil but this will definitely change in the next few weeks.
Portugal
Raul Merilles – FC Porto
The Porto midfielder is coming into the tournament in fantastic form having scored twice in the 3-1 friendly win against Cameroon. With a gifted team that boasts attacking flair from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco and Simao the Porto mans role is absolutely vital. Merilles has great vision, solid tackling and he provides a solid shield for the central pairing of Carvalho and Alves. His importance to this Portugal side cannot be under-estimated after he played in all twelve of his nation's 2010 World Cup qualifiers, notching up a total of 1,042 minutes on the pitch. He scored the crucial goal that sealed his nation's qualification against Bosnia and is vital to Portugal’s chances of success.
North Korea
Jong Tae-Se – Kawasaki Frontale
Jong Tae-Se has been named the ‘Asian Rooney’ by his countrymen and he will be hoping to enhance his reputation at South Africa. The Kawasaki Frontale forward was born in Japan and boasts a hugely impressive scoring record in the international game. He found the net against Nigeria recently, and twice against Greece. He had a memorable international debut scoring four times to steer Korea DPR to a thumping 7-0 win over Mongolia. Jong started 12 of Korea DPR’s 14 qualifying often playing as the lone striker.
Spain
Juan Mata - Valencia
We all know about the quality that the Spanish team posses and anyone who doesn’t think that they are favourites needs their heads examined. The Spanish starting eleven reads like Roman Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s summer wish list. Casillas, Ramos, Pique, Xavi , Iniesta, Silva, Villa, Torres…..it’s enough to make you just shake with excitement. But what about the rest of their squad and who could spring a surprise from the bench? Mata has been on the books of Valencia since 2007 when he joined Los Che from Real Madrid’s academy. Oozing with pace and skill his direct style will terrorize defenders especially if he is deployed from the bench. His understanding with former Valencia team-mate David Villa and David Silva is another reason to view Mata as a useful wildcard. He recently scored goals against Estonia, Armenia and Bosnia in the final few World Cup qualifiers and he will be a potent threat from the bench for La Furia Roja.
Honduras
Amado Guevara- FC Toronto
This skilled midfielder is the captain of the team and a true born leader. Guevara is a player that never misses a match and his midfield presence along with Wilson Palacios inspires his team-mates. El Lovo (The Wolf) has over 130 caps and is a playmaker with skill, vision and great technique. He featured in 17 of the qualifying matches for Los Catrachos and was voted the Player of the Tournament at the 2001 Copa America when he helped guide Honduras to a third placed finish.
Chile
Alexis Sanchz- Udinese
'El Nino Maravilla' (The Wonderboy) is fated to be one of the greatest figures of the Chilean team and he is still only 20. An explosive right winger with plenty of tricks and bags of pace he has had a meteoric rise since joining Udinese scoring five goals this season. He made his Copa Libertadores debut when he was just 16 and rejected moves to Werder Bremen, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Villarreal before moving to Italy. Despite missing the start of La Roja’s qualifying campaign Sanchez returned to the side an among the many highlights of the campaign were his displays in the victories over Peru and Paraguay, as well as the show he put on versus Bolivia in Santiago, scoring two goals in a 4-0 win.
Switzerland
Tranquillo Barnetta - Bayer Leverkusen
The Bayer Leverkusen star man will provide the flair factor for Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team. Barnetta has tons of pace and skill and at 24-years-old has a bright future with the national team.. He is extremely versatile and can play as an attacking midfielder or on either wing. His drive and crossing makes him a real threat to opposing defenders and like any player in team managed by the German Hittzfeld he is a hard worker that never shirks at battling back and getting stuck into tackles when the need arises. He played every game at the 2006 World Cup, 2008 European Championships and during the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.
Gregory Van Der Wiel – Ajax
He may be only 22 years old but Gregory van der Wiel could be one of the surprises in the starting line-up of the Dutch team in South Africa. The attacking right back is coming off of a very good season at Ajax having scored four goals. There are still question marks about his defending to sort out but his attacking abilities make Van der Wiel a dangerous weapon for any team. He has already been linked with Man City, Arsenal and Barcelona.
Van der Wiel was awarded Holland’s Young Player of the Year this season and seems to be the heir apparent to the throne of Michael Reizeger and expect him to add to his made eight caps over the coming weeks.
Denmark
Simon Kjaer - Palermo
One of the hottest young defenders in the world, Kjaer has been tracked by some of Europe's best clubs. He famously had a move to Real Madrid turned down by his club FC Midtjylland after they refused the Spanish giants' offer.
After joining Palermo in February 2009 he has quickly established himself as one of the key players in the Danish defence alongside Daniel Agger with his versatility and quick footballing brain marking him out as a potential star of the future. The Palermo man has a £12m get out clause and is already on the radar of Man Utd, Liverpool and Arsenal. Uncompromising, athletic and good on the ball the Great Dane is destined to move to one of Europe’s giants.
Japan
Keisuke Honda – CSKA Moscow
Let’s get the jokes done early. He has a great engine, he will be the man driving Japan to success, reliable and safe. Enough enough! Bad jokes aside there isn’t to much that’s false about the above statements. The CSKA Moscow midfielder has been in fine form since joining for €6m from VVV- Venlo.
He scored the winner for the Army Men in their Champions League second leg against Seville while his energy and passing ability caught the eye. The gifted playmaker did not see much action in the 2010 World Cup qualifiers, making just three appearances, but since moving in the January transfer window he has been the subject of rave reviews.
Cameroon
Idriss Carlos Kameni - Espanyol
After becoming the youngest football player to ever win a gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics as a 16-year-old, Kameni went from the Kadji Sports Academy to Le Havre in France. He had to endure a poor time in France but has seen his career revitalized after a move to Espanyol.
Often praised for his incredible athleticism as well as his technical prowess the keeper has great decision making. Rarely has there been a keeper this good in a one-on-one with strikers. He’s also easily one of the most technically skilled goalkeepers with a ball at his feet. A mainstay with the Indomitable Lions since being included in the 2002 World Cup squad at aged 18 he will need to be at his best if Paul LeGuen’s men are to progress into the last 16.
Italy
Antonio Di Natale - Udinese
In a team that are devoid of top notch strikers perhaps this year's top scorer in Serie A Antonio Di Natale is going to the World Cup as the most important player for the Italian national team. If the Azzurri are realistically aiming to defend their crown then the late bloomer Di Natale will have to be as good as he was for his club this year.
The 32 year old was in scintillating form for a struggling Udinese side scoring 29 goals. His professional career has seen him play his trade in some of Italy’s less glamorous sides despite offers to join Roma, Fiorentina and Wolfsburg. After being left out of the 2006 World Cup squad by Marcello Lippi he has forced his way back into the national team and has been a stable since. He can play as a lone striker, link up player or on either side of a front three. Di Natale and Italy aren’t expected to excel in this World Cup...but then again it was the same story in 2002 and we all know what happened there.
Paraguay
Lucas Barrios – Borussia Dortmund
This prolific Argentina-born striker took up Paraguayan citizenship this spring and he has been rewarded with a spot in his first World Cup finals. The Borussia Dortmund striker is deadly penalty box predator who is lethal and finishing off half-chances. In 2008/09 he scored an amazing 37 goals in 38 games for Chilean side Colo Colo which earned him his move to the German giants. His 19 goals were a key factor in Dortmund’s third placed finish this season. He has score in the recent friendlies against Ireland , Ivory Coast and Greece. He is going into the tournament in great form and Reports in Germany claim that AC Milan are interested in pouncing for the 25 year old.
Slovenia
Milivoje Novakovic – FC Cologne
If Slovenia are to have any success in front of goal in South Africa, it is likely that Milivoje Novakovic will be a key part of it. Despite spending the bulk of his career in Slovenia, Austria and Bulgaria, the striker finally began playing in one of Europe's top leagues in the 2008-09 season when his current club, Cologne. The 6ft 3in striker is big and is a good target man who holds the ball up well. Novakovic scored a vital brace in the 2-1 World Cup qualifying victory over Slovakia that season on his way to topping the country's scoring charts for the campaign with five goals.
New Zealand
Leo Bertos - Wellington Phoenix
One of the more experienced players in the New Zealand squad despite the fact that he missed the Confederations Cup due to injury. The 2008/09 Wellington player of the year usually plays on the right side of midfield and is responsible for providing the All White’s creativity and flair.
The 28-year-old is now in his seventh year with the national team having debuted in 2003. He spent the majority of his earlier career playing lower league football in England with the likes of Barnsley, Chester, Rochdale and York City before returning to Australia to join Perth Glory. The move to the A-League saw Bertos blossom, with regular first-team action, firstly in Perth for two seasons and now with Wellington. A dynamic player when on form, Bertos has the ability to beat players with his pace and skill. He delivered the corner for Rory Fallon to score the famous goal against Bahrain last year which saw New Zealand qualify for the World Cup.
Ivory Coast
Romaric - Sevilla
The Sevilla man is the midfield powerhouse in the Ivory Coast team and his exclusion from the squad at this year’s African Nations Cup was a key reason why the Elephants played so poorly. The 27 year old is an intelligent midfielder that’s technically gifted, physically strong and blessed with a fierce shot. He is the key link up player who supplies the bullets for Drogba. Kalou and Keita. Comfortable playing across the back four but more at home in his midfield role Romaric wasn’t popular with former coach Vahid Halilhodzic who only selected him in four World Cup qualifiers but they won them all and he scored twice. New coach Sven Goran Eriksson has rejuvenated his international career and if the Elephants are to make it out of the group of death then he will have to be on his best form.
Brazil
Michel Bastos- Olympique Lyon
When you think of the words used to describe Brazilian teams at the World Cup the words flair, skill, goals, tricks and all out attack usually come to mind. But Dunga’s Brazil aren’t anything like the Seleção teams from previous generations with an emphasis placed on defending, discipline, hard work and a counter attacking style. The five time World Cup winners are still a world class act and it would take a brave person to bet against them reaching the final. If they are to be successful then expect Michel Bastos to be a key player in the side. The Brazilian left is probably more comfortable playing left wing but he his attacking runs from deep provide a valuable threat going forward. The 26-year-old has been in impressive form, scoring nine times for Lyon this season which has seen him linked with Inter Milan, Man United and Spurs. Having spent most of his career Bastos isn’t exactly a well known name in Brazil but this will definitely change in the next few weeks.
Portugal
Raul Merilles – FC Porto
The Porto midfielder is coming into the tournament in fantastic form having scored twice in the 3-1 friendly win against Cameroon. With a gifted team that boasts attacking flair from the likes of Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco and Simao the Porto mans role is absolutely vital. Merilles has great vision, solid tackling and he provides a solid shield for the central pairing of Carvalho and Alves. His importance to this Portugal side cannot be under-estimated after he played in all twelve of his nation's 2010 World Cup qualifiers, notching up a total of 1,042 minutes on the pitch. He scored the crucial goal that sealed his nation's qualification against Bosnia and is vital to Portugal’s chances of success.
North Korea
Jong Tae-Se – Kawasaki Frontale
Jong Tae-Se has been named the ‘Asian Rooney’ by his countrymen and he will be hoping to enhance his reputation at South Africa. The Kawasaki Frontale forward was born in Japan and boasts a hugely impressive scoring record in the international game. He found the net against Nigeria recently, and twice against Greece. He had a memorable international debut scoring four times to steer Korea DPR to a thumping 7-0 win over Mongolia. Jong started 12 of Korea DPR’s 14 qualifying often playing as the lone striker.
Spain
Juan Mata - Valencia
We all know about the quality that the Spanish team posses and anyone who doesn’t think that they are favourites needs their heads examined. The Spanish starting eleven reads like Roman Abramovich or Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan’s summer wish list. Casillas, Ramos, Pique, Xavi , Iniesta, Silva, Villa, Torres…..it’s enough to make you just shake with excitement. But what about the rest of their squad and who could spring a surprise from the bench? Mata has been on the books of Valencia since 2007 when he joined Los Che from Real Madrid’s academy. Oozing with pace and skill his direct style will terrorize defenders especially if he is deployed from the bench. His understanding with former Valencia team-mate David Villa and David Silva is another reason to view Mata as a useful wildcard. He recently scored goals against Estonia, Armenia and Bosnia in the final few World Cup qualifiers and he will be a potent threat from the bench for La Furia Roja.
Honduras
Amado Guevara- FC Toronto
This skilled midfielder is the captain of the team and a true born leader. Guevara is a player that never misses a match and his midfield presence along with Wilson Palacios inspires his team-mates. El Lovo (The Wolf) has over 130 caps and is a playmaker with skill, vision and great technique. He featured in 17 of the qualifying matches for Los Catrachos and was voted the Player of the Tournament at the 2001 Copa America when he helped guide Honduras to a third placed finish.
Chile
Alexis Sanchz- Udinese
'El Nino Maravilla' (The Wonderboy) is fated to be one of the greatest figures of the Chilean team and he is still only 20. An explosive right winger with plenty of tricks and bags of pace he has had a meteoric rise since joining Udinese scoring five goals this season. He made his Copa Libertadores debut when he was just 16 and rejected moves to Werder Bremen, Manchester United, Bayern Munich and Villarreal before moving to Italy. Despite missing the start of La Roja’s qualifying campaign Sanchez returned to the side an among the many highlights of the campaign were his displays in the victories over Peru and Paraguay, as well as the show he put on versus Bolivia in Santiago, scoring two goals in a 4-0 win.
Switzerland
Tranquillo Barnetta - Bayer Leverkusen
The Bayer Leverkusen star man will provide the flair factor for Ottmar Hitzfeld’s team. Barnetta has tons of pace and skill and at 24-years-old has a bright future with the national team.. He is extremely versatile and can play as an attacking midfielder or on either wing. His drive and crossing makes him a real threat to opposing defenders and like any player in team managed by the German Hittzfeld he is a hard worker that never shirks at battling back and getting stuck into tackles when the need arises. He played every game at the 2006 World Cup, 2008 European Championships and during the 2010 World Cup qualifying campaign.
