Sport | Football
Stars of the show
Naveed Raja picks 10 players who can rule the world.
- By Naveed Raja, Staff Reporter
- Published: 00:00 June 8, 2006
Naveed Raja picks 10 players who can rule the world.
Zinedine Zidane - France
He is special because... Zidane's name can be mentioned in the same breath as Pele, Cruyff, Di Stefano, Puskas and Maradona. A brilliant legend of football who led his country to the World Cup in 1998.
On the downside... Let France down when suspended for two key games after stamping on a Saudi player in 1998. Said to call the shots in current set-up.
Aims for the World Cup... Zidane, 33, is retiring, so to go out on a high and show off the midfield brilliance which made him one of the all-time greats of the game. But are France too old to deliver another World Cup win?
Did you know?... Zidane is of Arab blood, being the son of Algerian parents who settled in the rough and tough La Castellane district of Marseille in south France.
Ronaldinho - Brazil
He is special because... He is currently the best player in the world after his rapid development and outrageously skilful exploits for Barcelona over the last two years saw Ronaldinho leapfrog the aging Zidane.
On the downside... Partied too hard to the detriment of his talent while playing for Paris St Germain and still carries the "good time guy" reputation.
Aims for the World Cup... To win it as they did last time and become player of the tournament. Brazil are favourites to take the Hexa (their sixth Cup) and Ronaldinho, 26, to be the star man.
Did you know?... When Ronaldinho was only eight his father Joao drowned in a swimming pool but the family grew up comfortably in a nice area after his elder brother Roberto made it as a professional footballer with Gremio in Brazil.
David Beckham - England
He is special because... He is the most famous footballer and sportsman in the world. Also the most wealthy player and, while much of that is put down to his model good looks, the midfielder takes the best free-kicks in world football.
On the downside... Some claim the midfielder let down his country in his two previous World Cups by being sent off in 1998 and by not being fit in 2002. Has been accused of neglecting football in favour of commercial commitments.
Aims for the World Cup... To lead England to at least semi finals in probably his last World Cup, and to display the brilliant dead-ball skills with which he made his name.
Did you know?... His wife, ?Posh Spice" Victoria Adams once revealed Beckham, 31, liked to walk around the house wearing nothing but her knickers.
Michael Ballack - Germany
He is special because... He is the best all-action midfielder in the world and adept at all aspects of the game. Scores many crucial goals from midfield and was inspirational for Germany in 2002.
On the downside... Ballack, 29, was branded a mercenary and widely booed by Bayern Munich fans after he left the club to move to megabucks Chelsea in England.
Aims for the World Cup... To write his name alongside German legends Franz Beckenbauer and Lothar Matthaus by lifting the cup for the hosts. It will have special poignancy if Ballack could do it, as he grew up in the old DDR before Germany was reunited in 1990.
Did you know?... Ballack's three-year contract with Chelsea gives him the highest basic salary in the football world. He will take home a basic £130,000 (895,000Dhs) every week.
Andriy Shevchenko - Ukraine
He is special because... He is nicknamed ?the white Ronaldo" for his speed talent and coolness in front of goal. Goal machine Shevchenko won the Ballon d'Or or European footballer of the year award in 2004.
On the downside... He was nine when the Chernobyl nuclear power station melted down in 1986. Shevchenko's village was affected by the disaster and his family had to abandon their home to escape the radioactive aftermath.
Aims for the World Cup... To win the golden boot as the tournament's top goal scorer and to elevate the status of his fledgling country's around the globe in their first major tournament.
Did you know?... Shevchenko, 29, is married to American model Kristen Pazik but cannot speak English. He cited a desire to learn the language as a factor for his recent move to Chelsea.
Juan Roman Riquelme - Argentina
He is special because... He is the most creative midfielder in the world. The range of Riquelme's passing is breathtaking and his languidly elegant style is a throwback to the age of swaggeringly talented playmakers.
On the downside... Riquelme, 27, was transferred to Barcelona from Boca Juniors in 2002. Laden with huge expectation he lost his form and his place in the first team before joining Villarreal.
Aims for the World Cup... To win it in style. When Riquelme plays well, Argentina play well so his importance to a national team desperately trying to emulate the 1986 World Cup outfit of Diego Maradona is massive.
Did you know?... Riquelme's younger brother was kidnapped in early 2002 as Argentina's financial crisis led to lawlessness. He was released after the Riquelme family out paid a US$160,000 (Dhs 590,000) ransom.
Gianluigi Buffon - Italy
He is special because... He is the best goalkeeper in the world. In 2001 Buffon, 28, was transferred from Parma to Juventus for £33million (225m Dhs), a world record fee for a goalkeeper.
On the downside... Buffon is embroiled in the Serie A match-fixing scandal having gambled huge sums on sports although he denied betting on Italian football, which is strictly banned for players, and kept his World Cup place. There had been calls for him to be dropped from the Italian squad.
Aims for the World Cup... To follow the example of Paolo Rossi and fight back from controversy by winning the tournament and becoming the Italians' star man.
Did you know?... Buffon's character is a subject of much debate. He has been accused of having fascist sympathies yet is also known for his social work.
Pavel Nedved - Czech Republic
He is special because... The 2003 European footballer of the year has the best shot in world football. The midfielder is also an awesome creative talent on the ball and the heartbeat and captain of his national outfit.
On the downside... Nedved has had a bad time with injuries over the past season and broke down with a knee injury in the Euro 2004 semi-final which was key to the Czechs being eliminated.
Aims for the World Cup... Aged 33, Nedved wants his team to fulfil their potential as dark horses to win it during his first and last appearance at the tournament. He can also cement his elevated status in the sport.
Did you know?... Nedved is married to his childhood sweetheart Ivana. They have two children, a boy and a girl, named... Pavel and Ivana.
Ruud van Nistelrooy - Holland
He is special because... van Nistelrooy is a goal-poacher extraordinaire. His goals per game ratio is little short of astonishing and could see him win the World Cup Golden Boot.
On the downside... He is regarded as a diver and play-actor by some opponents who say he is not above using gamesmanship to gain an advantage. Club manager Alex Ferguson hinted van Nistelrooy was bad for team spirit.
Aims for the World Cup... To be an inspirational presence for a young Dutch team at his first tournament. Van Nistelrooy, 29, will also want to add to the mountain of goals he has scored in his career.
Did you know?... After falling out of favour at Manchester United earlier this season worried van Nistelrooy telephoned Holland coach Marco van Basten to seek assurances about his World Cup place.
Iran - Ali Karimi
He is special because... The playmaker's dazzling performances for Iran at the Asian Cup two years ago won him the 2004 Asian Footballer of the Year award and a move to German giants Bayern Munich from the UAE's Al Ahli.
On the downside... The 27-year-old is seen by some as a difficult character who goes missing when the going gets tough. Critics also say he is an individualist who does not work for the team.
Aims for the World Cup... To showcase his outrageous dribbling skills and display why he has been dubbed the Asian Maradona. Helping Iran to the second stage would constitute a major achievement.
Did you know?... Karimi's talent was known to top European clubs as far back as in 2001 but he rejected Italians Perugia and Spain's Athletic Madrid to go to Al Ahli.
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