First XI: Potential World Cup stars

By Robin Hackett
February 6, 2010


The likes of Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Didier Drogba, Kaka, Franck Ribery, Fernando Torres, Xavi and Wayne Rooney are all expected to light up the stage this summer, but World Cups have had a habit of producing unexpected heroes.

The list of players to have made their names around the globe at previous tournaments includes Geoff Hurst for England in 1966, Grzegorz Lato for Poland in 1974, Enzo Scifo for Belgium in 1986, Toto Schillaci for Italy in 1990 and Yordan Letchkov for Bulgaria in 1994.

Here, Soccernet takes a look at a selection of players who could go on to outshine the biggest names when this year's tournament in South Africa gets underway on June 11.

Steven Pienaar (South Africa): Host countries have traditionally always enjoyed a measure of success at the World Cup and, while there are fears that South Africa could be the first to fail to make it beyond the group stages, they have every chance of reaching the second round after being drawn against France, Mexico and Uruguay - all sides that had difficulties in qualification. In Pienaar, they could have the star to drive them forwards. The Everton midfielder, now 27, is reaching the peak of his form in the Premier League and, while he has yet to deliver regular goals for his country, he is very capable of producing at the top level.

Samir Handanovic (Slovenia): If Slovenia are to emerge from a group containing England, USA and Algeria, their goalkeeper will need to continue the exceptional form that saw the country concede just four goals in ten games during qualification. Handanovic, 25, is an acrobatic goalkeeper with a good record on penalties and stands at over 6' 5". Current club Udinese may well be braced for interest after the tournament, especially given previous links with some of Europe's top clubs.

Angel Di Maria (Argentina): He'll be competing with the likes of Lionel Messi, Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and most probably Diego Maradona for the headlines about Argentina, but this Benfica winger, who turns 22 shortly, has been in astonishing form this season. Manchester United and Chelsea are both rumoured to be interested in Di Maria as a result and Maradona has tipped him to become a world superstar. With modest opposition in the group stages - Nigeria, South Korea and Greece - and teams likely to focus their efforts on stopping Messi and Co, Di Maria has the chance to establish himself alongside some of his team-mates as a household name.

Yoann Gourcuff (France): Gourcuff still lacks the star billing of Franck Ribery, Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka, but it would be little surprise were he to break through into superstardom this summer. Playing behind the main striker, he has sublime technique, great vision and can score from distance - the attributes that saw Zinedine Zidane etch his name into World Cup legend. He is a key part of Bordeaux's success in France and is currently both Ligue 1 Player of the Year and France Football's French Player of the Year. Raymond Domenech can thank his lucky stars he's not a Scorpio.

Jesus Navas (Spain): Spain have untold riches in reserve and the likes of Pedro and Sergio Canales will be hoping to make the squad and force their way into the team, but 24-year-old Sevilla winger Navas appears to be better placed to make his mark this summer. He has had serious anxiety problems in the past and suffers panic attacks when spending extended periods of time away from Seville, but he has undergone therapy and now seems to be on top of the problem. Vicente Del Bosque handed Navas his first cap in November and, given his ability to play on either flank, his pace, goal-scoring ability and consistency, he has every chance of international stardom.

Nicklas Bendtner (Denmark): His performances in the Premier League suggest Bendtner still has work to do to fulfil his potential, but he looks ready to become a real star for his country. He scored goals home and away against Portugal in qualification and was voted Danish Player of the Year and, as Morten Olsen has the side playing well and Denmark have been drawn in a group alongside Netherlands, Japan and Cameroon, Denmark could well enjoy a decent run in the competition with Bendtner supplying the goals.

Mesut Ozil (Germany): Many have been happy to ignore the old adage that you should never write off the Germans but, beyond the established stars like Miroslav Klose, Michael Ballack and Phillip Lahm, Joachim Loew may have a secret weapon up his sleeve. Ozil, a skilful midfield playmaker who has a history of unfortunate haircuts, turned 21 in October and made his Germany debut only a year ago, but he is already established as a genuine talent for both his club, Werder Bremen, and his country. He's been mooted as a long-term successor for Cesc Fabregas at Arsenal.

Marek Hamsik (Slovakia): Pavel Nedved, who became a major star after helping Czech Republic reach the final of Euro 96, recently touted Hamsik as his true heir - "he is the player with the characteristics that enable him to play just like me" - and he could play a major part in helping Slovakia make a success of their first ever international tournament. Currently at Napoli and just 22 years old, he, like Nedved, plays in an advanced midfield role or on the left and weighs in with a hefty number of goals.

Oscar Cardozo (Paraguay): A prolific striker for Benfica in the Portuguese league, 26-year-old Cardozo carries an aerial threat, is comfortable with the ball at his feet and capable of scoring from distance. He has been in Roque Santa Cruz's shadow for his country but, with the Manchester City man continually restricted by injuries, this summer could be his time to shine.

Aaron Lennon (England): Lennon burst onto the international scene in style at the 2006 World Cup, injecting explosive pace into a lethargic England side from the bench, but suffered a dip in form afterwards. In the last two seasons, though, he has surpassed those early performances and is a major part of Tottenham's Champions League challenge, finally combining his ability to go past defenders with consistently dangerous crosses. However, there are suggestions that a hernia problem could put his World Cup hopes in jeopardy, which would be a major blow for England.

Nilmar (Brazil): Now 25, Nilmar made his Brazil debut in 2003 and was then recalled by Dunga in 2008 after years in the international wilderness. He was phenomenal from 2007 to 2009 as he returned to first club Internacional after spells with French side Lyon and Corinthians, and that form prompted a big-money move to Villarreal. He has made a positive impact in Spain and now looks the real deal for his country: England fans will remember his headed goal when they faced Brazil in Qatar in November, and he scored five goals in four starts in qualification for the World Cup, including a hat-trick against Chile.

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