With the World Cup starting on June 11, here at Sportspundit we look at the top five young players to watch out for in South Africa. The criteria is that the players should be less than 23 years of age and should not already be an established superstar. For this reason, the likes of Lionel Messi and Cesc Fabregas have been omitted from the list as they are already footballing icons worldwide.
5. Alexandre Song (Cameroon)
The cousin of veteran Rigobert Song, Alexandre Song is already a well-known figure among the Premier League followers. Song has progressed much at Arsenal and his versatility to play as a defensive midfielder and centre-back will be useful for Cameroon in South Africa.
4. Alexis Sanchex (Chile)
The 21-year-old is going to be very important for an attacking Chile side and it will be interesting to see how he imports his club form to the international arena. Alexis Sanchez played as a winger for Udinese for most of last season and his goals from the midfield, tricky runs down the wings and abilities to connect with his teammates will be key elements in Marcelo Bielsa’s attacking set-up.
3. Pedro (Spain)
The 22-year-old Spanish youngster is unlikely to start for Spain at the World Cup in South Africa but he can be a terribly dangerous player to play off the bench. Pedro established himself last season for Spanish champions Barcelona and his goals and creativity down the left flank saw him get selected in Vicente del Bosque’s 23-man squad. Pedro is mainly a winger who features best in the left channel, although he does have the potential to double as an occasional forward.
2. Marek Hamsik (Slovakia)
The 22-year-old Napoli player is one of the most complete midfielders on the planet. Hamsik has been sensational for the Neapolitans over the past three or so seasons and although he does suffer from fits of inconsistency, he is Slovakia’s most important player. A midfielder of marvelous vision, excellent dribbling skills and brilliant shooting abilities, Hamsik will have to be on top of his game for Slovakia to progress far in the World Cup in South Africa.
1. Angel Di Maria (Argentina)
The Benfica starlet is a certain starter on the left side of Argentina’s midfield and indeed his link-up plays with Juan Sebastian Veron and Lionel Messi is going to be very important. The Real Madrid target was sensational for Benfica in their title-winning season in 2009-2010 as he provided no fewer than 11 assists. Di Maria may not have the stardom or big league experience that Messi, Gonzalo Higuain and Diego Milito possess, but he is definitely a player to watch out for in South Africa.
