In his second World Cup blog, TEAMtalk’s Jon Holmes tips up five ‘under-the-radar’ players from Groups A to D who could shine in South Africa。
Last time on ‘Around the World Cup’, I reported on selection issues from 10 of the competing 32 nations which are concerning their respective national-team coaches ahead of the squad deadlines. Provisional 30-man squads are due to be submitted to FIFA by May 12, while the final 23s must be decided upon by June 1.
Now it’s time to consider who might come to the fore this summer and turn themselves from potential stars into World Cup heroes.
The five players listed here have all enjoyed successful club campaigns in Europe, but relatively little seems to be expected of them outside of their own countries. I’ve included some YouTube clips as examples of their talents – just click on their names to view. Of all the talent on show from South America, Asia, Europe and Africa, these hopefuls might just be the ones to stand out from the pack.
Edinson Cavani and Abel Hernandez (Uruguay)
Uruguay are certainly not short of striking talent. Luis Suarez and Diego Forlan have netted 52 league goals between them for Ajax and Atletico Madrid respectively this season, but generating just as much as excitement for Celeste fans of late has been the form of 23-year-old Cavani and teenager Hernandez at Palermo.
Cavani’s bustling style and Hernandez’s instinctive eye for goal have helped the Rosanero shoot up the Serie A table to fifth place after a poor start.
Despite some question marks over his finishing, Cavani has still netted eight goals in his last 17 league outings and he looks set for a starting role in South Africa as Porto winger Cristian Rodriguez is banned for Uruguay’s first two group games.
Hernandez is in his debut season at La Favorita and has struck seven times in the campaign, against the likes of both Milan clubs, Genoa and Fiorentina. The 19-year-old is yet to make the step up from Under-20 level to the full national team but it will be hard for coach Oscar Tabarez to overlook him on current form.
Park Chu Young (South Korea)
South Korea are pinning their hopes of getting out of Group B on Park – not Manchester United’s Ji Sung (although he remains integral)， but Chu Young, who has impressed for mid-table Monaco in Ligue 1.
The 24-year-old forward is blessed with lightning pace and excellent dribbling skills, and he is also now carving out a reputation as a dead-ball specialist.
Monaco were flying around January time, although their results have been more disappointing recently. Park has weighed in with eight goals and three assists in Ligue 1 this season but his overall contribution has been much greater, acting as the foil for Brazilian striker Nene who is second top scorer in the division with 14 goals.
Valter Birsa (Slovenia)
Another potential World Cup star catching the eye in France is Slovenia’s Valter Birsa, a fast skilful left winger who has helped Auxerre into second place in the table.
Birsa switched permanently from Sochaux to the Stade l’Abbe Deschamps in the summer after a successful loan spell and has been a key part of the Burgundy club’s revival.
His left foot is a prized asset to club coach Jean Fernandez and national-team boss Matjaz Kek, and Birsa’s character has also been widely praised. The 23-year-old, known to friends and fans as ‘Biky’, has built up a solid reputation not just for his skill but also for good humour and fairness, as characterised by his plea to the referee not to send off opponent Bakary Kone for an accidental elbowing offence when playing against Marseille back in December.
Dede Ayew (Ghana)
Let’s get it out of the way early on – 20-year-old Dede is the son of the legendary Abedi “Pele” Ayew, the three-time African Footballer of the Year and surely the greatest Ghanaian footballer of all time.
His dad’s Marseille connections saw him rise through the ranks of the club’s youth academy, but his rapid progress stalled somewhat last season when he failed to see much match action while on loan at fellow Ligue 1 club Lorient.
However, Ayew has enjoyed a far more successful campaign this time round, combining Ghana duties with a loan spell at upwardly-mobile Arles Avignon in Ligue 2, who are on the verge of another promotion.
Having skippered the Black Satellites to Under-20 World Cup glory in Egypt last October, Ayew was part of the senior Black Stars squad that finished as runners-up in January’s African Nations Cup in Angola.
After his busy international schedule, Ayew has knuckled down at Arles and has been earning rave reviews in recent weeks. Playing in a support striker role, the rapidly maturing forward has chipped in with the goals while also tracking back to help midfield and defence. It was thought Ayew would be used in a wide role by Milovan Rajevac, but he may yet be pushed up front to play alongside Asamoah Gyan.
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