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Thsi was the list of the Stars of the future produced by Worl Soccer in 2000/2001, it seems to me that the second half of the lsit have been alot more successful and many have dissapeared completely.
1. Yakubu Abubakari Ajax Amsterdam (Ned) Ghana
2. Ishmael Addo Hearts Of Oak (Gha) Ghana
3. Rabiu Afolabi Napoli (Ita) Nigeria
4. Julius Aghahowa Shakhtar Donetsk (Ukr) Nigeria
5. Pablo Aimar River Plate (Arg) Argentina
6. Mohamed Al-Shlhoob Al-Hilal (SAr) Saudia Arabia
7. Mohammed Aliyu AC Milan (Ita) Nigeria
8. Matthew Amoah Vitesse Arnhem (Ned) Ghana
9. Nicolas Anelka Paris-SG (Fra) France
10. Juan Arango Monterrey (Mex) Venezuela
11. Gerald Asamoah Schalke 04 (Ger) Ghana/Germany
12. Emile Baron Lillestrom (Nor) South Africa
13. DaMarcus Beasley Chicago Fire (USA) USA
14. Igor Biscan Liverpool (Eng) Croatia
15. Wilfred Bouma PSV (Ned) Holland
16. Wes Brown Manchester United (Eng) England
17. Moises Candelario Emelec (Ecu) Ecuador
18. John Carew Valencia (Spa) Norway
19. Fabian Carini Danubio (Uru) Uruguay
20. Iker Casillas Real Madrid (Spa) Spain
21. Antonio Cassano Bari (Ita) Italy
22. Cristian Chivu Ajax Amsterdam (Ned) Romania
23. Lambros Choutos Olympiacos (Gre) Greece
24. Philippe Christanval Monaco (Fra) France
25. Joe Cole West Ham United (Eng) England
26. Bobby Convey D.C. United (USA) USA
27. Walter Corazo Emelec (Ecu) Ecuador
28. Paulo Da Silva Lanus (Arg) Paraguay
29. Stephane Dalmat Paris-SG (Fra) France
30. Sebastian Deisler Hertha Berlin (Ger) Germany
31. Boubacar Diarra SC Freiburg (Ger) Mali
32. Aruna Dindane Anderlecht (Bel) Ivory Coast
33. Landon Donavan Bayer Leverkusen (Ger) USA
34. Kieron Dyer Newcastle United (Eng) England
35. Edu Celta Vigo (Spa) Brazil
36. Emre Belezoglu Galatasaray (Tur) Turkey
37. Samuel Eto'o Mallorca (Spa) Cameroon
38. Fabio Aurelio Valencia (Spa) Spain
39. Francisco Farinos Inter Milan (Ita) Spain
40. Pascal Feindouno Bordeaux (Fra) Guinea
41. Barry Ferguson Rangers (Sco) Scotland
42. Gabri Barcelona (Spa) Spain
43. Ronald Garcia Bolivar (Bol) Bolivia
44. Steven Gerrard Liverpool (Eng) England
45. Helton Vasco da Gama (Bra) Brazil
46. Ahmed Salah Hosny VfB Stuttgart (Ger) Egypt
47. Pius Ikedia Ajax Amsterdam (Ned) Nigeria
48. Junichi Inamoto Gamba Osaka (Jap) Japan
49. Isaac Primeiro Agosto (Ang) Angola
50. Juan Flamengo (Bra) Brazil
51. Carlos Idriss Kameni Le Havre (Fra) Cameroon
52. Robbie Keane Leeds United (Eng) Ireland
53. Harry Kewell Leeds United (Eng) Austraillia
54. Mateja Kezman PSV (Ned) Yugoslavia
55. Mickael Landreau Nantes (Fra) France
56. Peter Luccin Paris-SG (Fra) France
57. Luis Filepe Sporting Braga (Por) Portugal
58. Claudio Maldonado Sao Paulo (Bra) Chile
59. Rafael Marquez Monaco (Fra) France
60. Matuzalem Napoli (Ita) Brazil
61. Phillipe Mexes Auxerre (Fra) France
62. Aaron Mokoena Ajax Amsterdam (Ned) South Africa
63. Ahonnier Montano Parma (Ita) Columbia
64. Tresso Moreno Metz (Fra) Colombia
65. Emile Mpenza Schalke 04 (Ger) Belgium
66. Adrian Mutu Verona (Ita) Romania
67. Szilard Nemeth ASK Inter (Slvk) Slovakia
68. Andres Olivera Sevilla (Spa) Uruguay
69. Micheal Owen Liverpool (Eng) England
70. Christos Patasatzoglou Olympiacos (Gre) Greece
71. Andrea Pirlo Inter Milan (Ita) Italy
72. Claudio Pizarro SV Werder Bremen (Ger) Peru
73. David Pizzaro Udinese (Ita) Chile
74. Stipe Pletikosa Hajduk Split (Cro) Croatia
75. Prince Daye Bastia (Fra) Liberia
76. Luis Gatty Ribeiro Bolivar (Bol) Bolivia
77. John Arne Rise Monaco (Fra) Norway
78. Juan Roman Riquelme Boca Juniors (Arg) Argentina
79. Leandro Romagnoli San Lorenzo (Arg) Argentina
80. Ronaldinho Gremio (Bra) Brazil
81. Tomas Rosicky Borussia Dortmund (Ger) Czech Republic
82. Walter Samuel AS Roma (Ita) Argentina
83. Roque Santa Cruz Bayern Munchen (Ger) Germany
84. Javier Saviola River Plate (Arg) Argentina
85. Simao Barcelona (Spa) Portugal
86. Gonzalo Sorondo Defensor Sporting (Uru) Uruguay
87. David Suazo Cagliari (Ita) Honduras
88. Jean-Micheal Tchouga FC Basel (Swi) Cameroon
89. Rodrigo Tello Sporting (Por) Chile
90. Christian Timm 1.FC Koln (Ger) Germany
91. Razundrea Tjikuzu SV Werder Bremen (Ger) Nambia
92. Svetoslav Todorov Litex Lovetch (Bul) Bulgaria
93. Joselito Vava Bolivia Bolivia
94. Jan Vennegoor of Hesselink FC Twente (Ned) Holland
95. Nicola Ventola Atalanta (Ita) Italy
96. Tobias Willi SC Freiburg (Ger) Germany
97. Xavi Barcelona (Spa) Spain
98. Ngidid Yemweni Daring Club Motema Pembe (DR Congo) DR Congo
99. Jonathan Zebina AS Roma (Ita) France
100. Emmanuel Zulu Zanaco (Zam) Zambia
1.
Name: Joe Cole
Nationality: English
Current Club: West Ham United (Eng)
Date of Birth: 08/11/1981
Position: Midfield
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: At 17, already considered as the best talent in England and maybe in Europe. With his speed, vision and finishing he's a sure England international for the future. Has given some great performances for the England U-21 side.
2.
Name: Ronaldinho asis
Nationality: Brazilian
Current Club: Gremio (Brazil)
Date of Birth: 21/03/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: He had his big break in the Copa-America for Brazil. He is fast, strong and a very good finisher. He will certainly move to Europe soon with Real Madrid and Barcelona already showing interest. Has scored 7 times in 9 appearances for Brazil and 15 times in 25 appearances for Gremio.
3.
Name: John Carew
Nationality: Norwegian
Current Club: Rosenborg (Nor)
Date of Birth: 05/09/1979
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Lørenskog & Vålerenga
Comments: This player really has it all. He is fast, strong, smart, and is an amazing finisher. For such a tall and strong striker he is very technical. He has 30 Norway U-21 caps and has already been capped by Norway's national side.
4.
Name: Gianluca Zambrotta
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Juventus (Ita)
Date of Birth: 19/02/1977
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Como
Comments: A great midfielder who played three seasons with Italian club Como and then moved to Bari. After two good seasons he moved to Juventus. He is a regular in the Juventus first team and also in the Italian national team. He usually plays on the right flank but can also play left sided.
5.
Name: Jesper Gronkjaer
Nationality: Danish
Current Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Hol)
Date of Birth: 12/08/1977
Position: Midfielder / Attacker
Previous Clubs: Aalborg aB (Den)
Comments: A great midfielder who can also play as a forward. His natural position is as a winger. He has great pace and good vision. He is a regular in Ajax's first team and also in the Danish national team.
6.
Name: Marco Reich
Nationality: German
Current Club: Kaiserslautern (Ger)
Date of Birth: 30/12/1977
Position: Midfielder / Attacker
Previous Clubs: Viktoria Merxheim & SG Meisenheim/Odenbach
Comments: German football was looking for some talent and found it in the likes of this young midfielder (who can also play as a forward). He broke into Kaiserslautern's first-team last season scoring three goals.
7.
Name: Simao Sambrosa
Nationality: Portuguese
Current Club: FC Barcelona (Spa)
Date of Birth: 30/10/1979
Position: Midfielder / Attacker
Previous Clubs: Sporting Lisbon (Por)
Comments: Simao moved to Barcelona in the summer from Sporting Lisbon for 15 million US dollars. He is still not a regular in the Barca side with the likes of Rivaldo, Figo and their friends blocking his way to the first team. He is considered to be the best talent in portugal.
8.
Name: Nano
Nationality: Spanish
Current Club: FC Barcelona (Spa)
Date of Birth: ??/??/19??
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: He almost joined Arsenal but at the last moment decided to stay with the Catalan club. He had two great performances against Valencia in the summer.
9.
Name: Yossi Benayoun
Nationality: Israeli
Current Club: Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
Date of Birth: 05/05/1980
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: They say he is the best Israeli footballer ever. He has almost everything- He has the pace, the brilliant passes, and the fantastic finishes but he is lacking body strength. He is likely to move to Europe soon with Lazio and Fiorentina already showing interest. Has played in Ajax's youth in the past.
10.
Name: Pedro Munitis
Nationality: Spanish
Current Club: Racing Santander (Spa)
Date of Birth: ??/??/19??
Position: Attacker
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: A good young and solid Spanish attacker. He plays regularly for Racing Santander. One of the biggest young talents around. He has already been capped several times for Spain and has even scored the winning goal in Spain's 2-1 victory over Poland.
11.
Name: Roque Santa Cruz
Nationality: Paraguayan
Current Club: FC Bayern Munich (Ger)
Date of Birth: 01/06/1981
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Olimpia Asuncion (Paraguay)
Comments: A great striker for the future. He has been one of the best young players in the Copa America for Paraguay. He`s been bought from Olimpia for 8 Million$.
12.
Name: Javier Saviola
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: River Plate (Argentina)
Date of Birth: 11/12/1981
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: One of the best prospects in Argentina. He broke into River Plate's first-team last season. He is only 17 but he is already a regular for River. He is second in the top goalscorers list in Argentina with 7 goals - one less than Martin Palermo of Boca Juniors in first place.
13.
Name: Ivan Kaviedes
Nationality: Ecuadorian
Current Club: Celta Vigo (Spa)
Date of Birth: 24/10/1977
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Emelec Guayaquil (Ecu) & Perugia (Ita)
Comments: We first heard of him the 97\98 season when he was the world's top scorer with 43 goals in his South American club Emelec. He then moved to Italian club Perugia for 5 million US dollars. He had a bad season with Perugia so he moved on to Spanish club Celta Vigo.
14.
Name: David Trezeguet
Nationality: French
Current Club: Monaco (Fra)
Date of Birth: 15/10/1977
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: Has been considered a big talent for a while now, since his goal against Manchester United in the Champions Leage quarter final at Old Trafford. Last season was disappointing for him and his club Monaco. But it looks like this season is different. He is the top scorer in the French first division and his team is in a good league position.
15.
Name: Mbo Mpenza
Nationality: Belgian
Current Club: Standard Liege (Belgium)
Date of Birth: 04/12/1976
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Mouscron & Kortrijk
Comments: A good strong striker. He played one season with small Belgian club Kortrijk before moving to Mouscron. He played there 30 times scoring 12 goals. He then moved to Standard Liege and is a sure future star for Belgium. He will certainly move to a bigger European club soon.
16.
Name: Cristiano Zanetti
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Inter Milan (Ita)
Date of Birth: 14/04/1977
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Fiorentina, Venezia & Reggiana
Comments: Zanetti is very young but has already played for lots of teams. In the 94\95 and 95\96 seasons he played for Fiorentina only to appear 4 times. He then moved to Venezia playing 21 times. Later he moved to Reggiana playing 31 times before moving to Inter. He is yet to have his big break but it will probably happen soon. He`s been linked with Manchester United and other Premiership clubs.
17.
Name: Harry Kewell
Nationality: Australian
Current Club: Leeds United (Eng)
Date of Birth: 22/09/1978
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: Harry Kewell and his club Leeds United had a great season last year finishing fourth. He is a regular in Leeds' squad and also in Australia's national team. Last season he scored 8 goals in 35 appearances for Leeds.
18.
Name: Pablo Aimar
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: River Plate (Arg)
Date of Birth: 03/11/1979
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: In Argentina he is called "El Payaso" - the clown. He could be a star for the future. In his first two seasons with River he scored 4 goals in 17 appearances but this season he is 6th in the top goal-scoring list with 5 goals (and he's not even a striker he is a an attacking midfielder). He will soon move to Europe with Parma, Juventus and Lazio all biding for him.
19.
Name: Enzo Maresca
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: West Bromwich Albion (Eng)
Date of Birth: 10/02/1980
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Cagliari (Ita)
Comments: A very good young defensive midfielder. He spent two seasons with Cagliari without even playing one full game. So he went to W.B.A in order to get more first team experience. He is the captain of Italy's U-21 side. He`s been linked with Lazio, Arsenal and Manchester United. He will not stay at W.B.A for too long.
20.
Name: Alan Smith
Nationality: England
Current Club: Leeds United
Date of Birth: 28/10/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: The England U-21 international starlet had a great season last year with Leeds United (See Harry Kewell). He scored 10 times in 30 appearances for Leeds since signing as a trainee.
21.
Name: Stephan Dalmat
Nationality: French
Current Club: Marseille (Fra)
Date of Birth: 16/02/1979
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Châteauroux & Lens
Comments: The best young talent in French football has had his big break this season with Olimpique Marseilles. He moved to Marseille after spending one season with French side Lens playing 29 times and scoring once. He is a speedy left midfielder who has amazing vision.
22.
Name: Olivier Monterubio
Nationality: French
Current Club: Nantes (Fra)
Date of Birth: 08/08/1976
Position: Midfielder / Attacker
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: One of the best prospects in France. He has been leading Nantes` attack for a couple of years now. He's currently Nantes' top scorer with three goals. He can also play in midfield or as a winger. He will certainly move to a bigger club soon.
23.
Name: Marcelo Gallardo
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: Monaco (Fra)
Date of Birth: 18/01/1976
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: River Plate (Arg)
Comments: A great attacking / defensive midfielder. His big break came for Argentina in the world cup in France. He opened most of the games and had some great performances in the middle of midfield. He was River Plate's star (Alongside Aimar and Saviola ) until moving this summer to Monaco. It looks like with the likes of Gallardo, Trezeguet and Simone, Monaco will be back to their best.
24.
Name: Daniel Montenegro
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: Marseille (Fra)
Date of Birth: 28/03/1979
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Huracan (Arg)
Comments: This player was the star of the U-21 Toulon tournament for Argentina scoring a couple of goals and setting up lots of others. Alex Ferguson wanted him but it didn't work out because everybody thought he was on his way to A.C Milan. At the last moment he decided to join Marseille from his old club Huracan.
25.
Name: Yksel Osmanovski
Nationality: Swedish
Current Club: Bari (Ita)
Date of Birth: 24/02/1977
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Malmo (Swe)
Comments: He moved to Bari from FF Malmo last season. A good strong striker that has great finishing and good vision. One of the best young talents in the Italian Serie A. He has been strongly linked to Tottenham Hotspur.
26.
Name: Junior Montanio
Nationality: Colombian
Current Club: Parma (Ita)
Date of Birth: 14/01/1983
Position: Midfielder / Attacker
Previous Clubs: Quilme
Comments: Has been bought from Quilme by Parma this summer. He started playing at 16 as first choice for Colombia ahead of Faustino Asprilla. He has shown great talent and was one of the rising stars of the Copa America. He has great pace and is very confident in his abilities.
27.
Name: Barry Ferguson
Nationality: Scottish
Current Club: Glasgow Rangers (Sco)
Date of Birth: 02/02/1978
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: He is certainly the best prospect in Scotland. He broke into the first-team in the last game of the 1996\97 season against Hearts and won the "Man of the Match" award. The next season was disappointing for him - he was in and out of the squad, only playing 7 league games. The big change for him was the arrival of Dick Advocaat who gave him a regular place in the centre of midfield. He says Barry is very mature for his young age. He has already been capped for Scotland. He won great reviews after his performance against Parma in the qualifying round of the Champions Leage.
28.
Name: Mark Burchill
Nationality: Scottish
Current Club: Celtic (Sco)
Date of Birth: 18/08/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: A very highly rated young striker. Broke into the first team in the late stages of the 1996\97 season. He grew up in Celtic Boys club. He is very fast and a good finisher. In his club Celtic, he has trouble winning first team appearances with the likes of Henrik Larsson and Mark Viduka. Some Premiership clubs have shown interest in him and he almost moved to Benfica a couple of years ago. He is a regular in the Scottish U-21 side and there is growing pressure on Craig Brown to include him in the Scottish national team.
29.
Name: Juan Roman Riquelme
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: Boca Juniors (Arg)
Date of Birth: 24/06/1978
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: He is an amazing player. He has everything - pace, strength, vision and his shooting is great. His shooting reminds me of Rivaldo's shooting - He can shoot a ball from distance without a run-up to the ball. He was a very important factor for Boca's recent championships. We will soon see him in one of Europe's finest teams.
30.
Name: Walter Samuel
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: Roma (Ita)
Date of Birth: 22/03/1978
Position: Defender
Previous Clubs: Newell's Old Boys (Arg) & Boca Juniors (Arg)
Comments: A strong and fast defender. He started his career in Newell's Old Boys, playing three years there - appearing 40 times for the first team. He then moved to Boca Juniors where he played 48 times and scored 2 goals. He was then discovered by A.S Roma who bought him for 20 Million$ making him the most expensive defender in the world, breaking Manchester United's record for buying Japp Stam.
2000
1.
Name: Antonio Cassano
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Bari (Italy)
Date of Birth: 12/07/1982
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward Left/Centre
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: He is called the next Roberto Baggio. He is the perfect player. He has everything- dribbling qualities of a skilled Brazilian, great understanding of the game, great passes and even pretty good heading. Try to make a picture in your mind- Ronaldo's dribbling combined with Veron's understanding of the game and vision combined with Beckham's passes and you will have a pretty clear picture of what kind of player he is growing into. His agent admitted all of Italy's biggest clubs including Lazio, Juventus, Roma and Inter are after him. He mentioned that Manchester United are leading the chase for him and that United have been monitoring his situation ever since he started playing for Bari's youth. His price- tag is valued somewhere near 16 million pounds! And we are talking of a player that only turned 17 not long ago!
2.
Name: Ronaldo de Assis Moreira "Ronaldinho"
Nationality: Brazilian
Current Club: Gremio (Brazil)
Date of Birth: 21/03/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: What a prospect. He is really an amazing starlet and another amazing speedy striker that comes out of Brazil. He is the sure replacement for Romario in Brazil's national squad. He is an amazing dribbler and has that special ability that only Brazilians have. He is only 19 years old but has won lots of trophies. Here are some examples: With Gremio he has won the Gaucho Cup (1999), Gaucho Cup top scorer (1999) and the Copa Sul (1999). With Brazil he has won the U-17 South American Championship (1997), U-17 Fifa World Cup (1997), Copa America (1999) and the Fifa Confederations cup top scorer (1999). He also helped Brazil's U-23 team to qualify to the Olympics by scoring a total of 9 goals in the pre-Olympic tournament making him the top scorer of that competition. Barcelona and Real Madrid are after him and the chase winner will probably be setting the pace in Spain in the next few years.
3.
Name: Joe Cole
Nationality: English
Current Club: West Ham United (England)
Date of Birth: 08/11/1981
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Signed from trainee 11/12/98
Comments: For some years now he have been considered the most highly rated youngster in England and maybe in Europe but only now at 18 he is starting to show why he is so highly rated. At 18, he has already won the F.A youth cup with West Ham and has lead the England's U-21 team to some exciting performances. He has tremendous pace and he dribbles like a Brazilian. The best example to why he is so loved is that even fans of rival clubs like him and doesn't say a bad word about him. There's a reason for that; a whole country is building their hopes on him!
4.
Name: Javier Saviola
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: River Plate (Argentina)
Date of Birth: 11/12/1981
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: Nicknamed “El Conejito”-Little Rabbit, he is considered to be the new Maradona. At 19, he is considered as one of the most talented youngsters in the world. He has amazing pace, dribbling and shooting. He scored his opening goal in his debut game against Gimnasia Jujoy and since then has never looked back. In his opening season he scored twice in five appearances. In the next season he scored four times in fourteen appearances. But his big break came this season when he ended as top goalscorer with 15 goals. At 19, he already led his team to the Argentinean title. His agent has said he received a bid from a team offering 45 million dollars for the promising 19 years old striker. Whether that’s true or not Saviola will soon find himself in one of Europe’s finest clubs.
5.
Name: Stephane Dalmat
Nationality: French
Current Club: Olympic Marseilles (France)
Date of Birth: 16/02/1979
Position: Left/Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Chateauroux & RC Lens
Comments: The best talent in France and one of the most promising youngsters in European Football. His vision is not something you see every day. He is an exceptional creator who has amazing passes. He is also a very good dribbler. Has given some fantastic performances in the Champions League.
6.
Name: Juan Roman Riquelme
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: Boca Juniors (Argentina)
Date of Birth: 24/06/1978
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: Nicknamed "Romi", he is an exciting young player. He is a great attacking midfielder who can also play as a playmaker. In his style he very much reminds of Lazio's Juan Veron. He is a good dribbler, has good pace and a fantastic shot from distance. Real Madrid and Juventus want him immediately but he wants to stay at Boca for another year.
7.
Name: Gianluca Zambrotta
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Juventus (Italy)
Date of Birth: 19/02/1977
Position: Right/Left Defensive Midfielder/Winger
Previous Clubs: Como (Italy), Bari (Italy)
Comments: Currently, one of the best talents in Italy, he is a real exceptional one. He played 3 years in small Italian club Como before moving to Bari. After playing two good seasons with Bari, Juventus were very impressed with him and bought him. He now plays regularly for them and also for the Italian national side. A good solid midfielder who's natural position is as a winger.
8.
Name: Sebastian Deisler
Nationality: German
Current Club: Hertha BSC (Germany)
Date of Birth: 05/01/1980
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Borussia M'gladbach (Germany), FC Larrach (Germany
Comments: He is nicknamed the Michael Owen of Germany. Germany has been waiting for a long time for some talents to pop up. These talents are Sebastian Deisler and Marco Reich. He is fast, dribbles well and a very good set- piece taker. His former club Borussia M'gladbach sold him to Hertha after their relegation from the Bundesliga. He will soon make his first appearance for Germany's national side. He has gained experience playing for Hertha in the Champions League.
9.
Name: Yossi Benayoun
Nationality: Israeli
Current Club: Maccabi Haifa (Israel)
Date of Birth: 05/05/1980
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Hapoel Beer Sheva (Israel), Ajax Youth team (Holland)
Comments: Nicknamed "the diamond", a whole country is building on his fantastic abilities. He is the one who should lead Israel into the next World Cup after the disappointment of failing to reach Euro 2000. He is not called "the diamond" for no reason- he is fast, an amazing dribbler and a very good passer of the ball. He has those defense- splitting passes who only the great ones have. But most of all he is a good person- one of the most remembered visions in Israeli football was seeing him cry after scoring a goal in the last match of the season. He thought that goal has saved his team from relegation, he ran to the crowd but they were not happy- that's when he understood they were relegated and startecrying. In his first season being only 17, he scored 15 goals and set up many others. After that season he moved to Maccabi Haifa and became the star of their team. He is now on the way to his first championship. Lots of teams have shown interest in him including the finest of Europe's clubs including Lazio, Fiorentina, Paris S.G and Monaco.
10.
Name: Roque Santa Cruz
Nationality: Paraguayan
Current Club: Bayern Munich (Germany)
Date of Birth: 16/08/1981
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Olimpia Asancion (Paraguay)
Comments: The tall striker who had his big brake in the Copa America is settling well in Bayern. Even though in his way stands the two Brazilians- Giovane Elber and Paulo Sergio and the two Germans- Mehmet Scholl and Alexander Zickler he is still getting enough first team action as Bayern is suffering from an injury crisis. He plays fantastically with his head, but also plays ok with his feet. Not a great dribbler but he really compensates for that issue with his fantastic head game.
11.
Name: John Carew
Nationality: Norwegian
Current Club: Rosenborg (Norway)
Date of Birth: 05/09/1979
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Valerenga (Norway)
Comments: A very strong but also very technical striker. You don't see his kind of players every day. Most tall and strong players are not that technical. But he really has everything- He is good in the air, can outrun most defenders and is also a very good dribbler. He has lots of caps for Norway's U-21 team and also several caps for Norway's senior team. He has gained important experience playing for Rosenborg in the Champions League and has even qualified with his team to the second phase of the competition after some good matches. He is wanted by lots of top European clubs.
12.
Name: Xavi Hernandez
Nationality: Spanish
Current Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Date of Birth: 25/01/1980
Position: Defensive Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: He has been compared to Barcelona captain Josep "Pep" Guardiola ever since he substituted him in a game at the start of last season. He might not have the strength of Guardiola but his passing is just as good. He will become a regular in the Barcelona side when Guardiola will leave in the summer (He is on Barcelona's transfer list). He will have his Spanish debut in a year so.
13.
Name: De Souza Alexsandro "Alex"
Nationality: Brazilian
Current Club: Palmeiras (Brazil)
Date of Birth: 14/12/1977
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: Maybe the next great Brazilian midfielder after Rivaldo. He is all skill, great pace, great skill and good passing. He is wanted by lots of European clubs and together with Ronaldinho Asis, they will lead Brazil's senior squad into the 2002 world cup. He still has a long way to go but he is looking like a huge prospect for the future.
14.
Name: Marco Rigoni
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Juventus (Italy)
Date of Birth: 05/01/1980
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Padova's youth team (Italy)
Comments: If there is anyone so similar to Del Piero, it is this lad. He is quite brilliant. He is so fast and has brilliant dribbling skills. He even has the same birth origins as Del Piero. He will definitely be a regular next year. He has the potential to become better than Del Piero. He is considered as one of Italy's best talents for some time now.
15.
Name: Shinji Ono
Nationality: Japanese
Current Club: Urawa Red Diamonds (Japan)
Date of Birth: 27/09/1979
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: A fantastic midfielder and one of the best players in the Japanese league. He has already been capped for Japan's national side playing in the last match of the World Cup in France. He has captained the U-20 team for the U-20 World Championships in Nigeria where Japan ended second after Spain. He has won the "Most Valuable Player" of the tournament award after scoring two goals and setting up a few others. He is fast, a great passer of the ball and has good vision. He is very highly rated and Japan's national team manager Philipe Trousier was allegedly asked by Manchester United's coach Alex Ferguson if Ono is ready for premiership action. Trousier said he is ready. Another side who is interested in him is Arsenal as coach Arsene Venger is a close friend of Trousier and the latter have also noted to him that Ono is ready for action. He will probably play another season with his current club before moving to Europe.
16.
Name: Simao Sabrosa
Nationality: Portuguese
Current Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Date of Birth: 30/10/1979
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Right Winger
Previous Clubs: Sporting Lisbon (Portugal)
Comments: The most highly rated youngster in Portugal has joined Barcelona in the summer for 15 million dollars from Sporting Lisbon. So far his last season in Sporting was his best in his short career. He scored 10 times in 30 appearances. He has yet broken into Barcelona's first team but that's not surprising because in his position stands maybe the best right winger in the world- Luis Figo. In most other clubs he would surely be an opener. He shouldn't worry though his time will surely come otherwise Luis Van-Gaal wouldn't have spent 15 million dollars for him.
17.
Name: Andrea Pirlo
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Reggina (Italy) (Loaned from Inter Milan)
Date of Birth: 19/05/1979
Position: Striker/Attacking Midfielder (behind the strikers)
Previous Clubs: Brescia (Italy), Inter Milan (Italy)
Comments: Nicknamed the new Gianni Rivera- one of Italy's biggest ever stars, he is a very technical player who has a good shot. He is also a fantastic set-piece taker. He can play in various positions including as a forward, central midfielder, attacking midfielder or even as a playmaker. He is smart and has great vision. He reads the game well and possesses good passing. He came to Inter after helping Brescia promote to the Serie A. He failed to gain a starting role in inter with the likes of Ronaldo, Zamorano, Ventola and Baggio being in his way. He is now starring in Reggina and if he'll be good enough he'll return to Inter but this time in the starting lineup. Not that this time it will be any easier- two other strikers have joined the club since he left- Alvaro Recoba and the 50 million dollars man Cristian Vieri.
18.
Name: Johnnier Montano
Nationality: Colombian
Current Club: Parma (Italy)
Date of Birth: 14/01/1983
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: Quilmes (Argentina)
Comments: A fantastic midfielder who has shown the world his talent in 99's Toulon tournament and Copa America. He is only 16 old has already been capped for Colombia's national side and has even scored a goal. His amazing performances in the Toulon tournament convinced Parma to buy him at such a young age.
19.
Name: Pablo Aimar
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: River Plate (Argentina)
Date of Birth: 03/11/1979
Position: Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: A fantastic prospect for the future. He is called "El Payaso"- the clown. A fantastic midfielder who has already been capped for Argentina. He is a good fast dribbler who has his whole future ahead of him. He will soon move to Europe with basically every big club showing interest in him.
20.
Name: Artem Bezrodny
Nationality: Russian
Current Club: Spartak Moscow (Russia)
Date of Birth: 10/02/1979
Position: Central Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: A great midfielder and an amazing prospect for the future. He is the next star in the Russian production line, which have already given us great players like Valery Karpin, Alexander Mostovoi and Dimitry Aleinichev. He is destined to lead Russia's national squad to World Cup 2002. He has been capped lots of times for Russia's U-21 side. His only fault is having lots of injuries. But then again Ryan Giggs also has lots of injuries.
21.
Name: Emre Belozoglu
Nationality: Turkish
Current Club: Galatasaray (Turkey)
Date of Birth: 07/09/1980
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Playmaker
Previous Clubs: Galatasaray Youth Team (Turkey)
Comments: Emre is the next big Turkish name after Hakan Sukur. He is fast and creative. He has a fantastic shot and he reads the game well. He is a good dribbler and is very good at one on one situations. Together with Berkant Goktan they will lead the senior squad in Euro 2000 and hopefully in the 2002 world cup like they have led Turkey's u-21 side. Spanish side Real Madrid is after him and has allegedly offered Galatasaray 15 million dollars for him.
22.
Name: Eirik Bakke
Nationality: Norwegian
Current Club: Leeds United (England)
Date of Birth: 13/09/1977
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: Sogndal IL (Norway)
Comments: A great midfielder who has moved to the righclub for him apparently. Leeds United is the team for him as they accept youngsters fantastically and give them first team chances. They have so many great youngsters: Woodgate, Harte, Mills, Kewell, Bowyer, Mcphail, Jones, Bridges, Smith, Robinson, McMaster, Milosevic and now also Bakke. Bakke is a fantastic midfielder who can do the job both in defensive roles or in attacking ones. He was hunted by lots of other clubs but eventually moved to Leeds for 5 million pounds.
23.
Name: Hugo Leal
Nationality: Portuguese
Current Club: Atletico Madrid (Spain)
Date of Birth: 21/05/1980
Position: Attacking Midfielder (Behind the strikers)
Previous Clubs: Alverca (Portugal), Benfica Lisbon (Portugal)
Comments: Nicknamed the new "Rui Costa" he is very much alike the Fiorentina man. The pair play in the same position (Att. Midfielder who plays just after the strikers) and have the same qualities. They are fast and like to use the opposition's blind spots by supplying good balls to the forwards. They both dribble well and have a good shot. Hugo Leal will replace Rui Costa in Portugal's senior side in a couple of years' time. For now, he plays for the U-21 team.
24.
Name: Mohamad Kallon
Nationality: Sierra Leone
Current Club: Reggina (Italy)
Date of Birth: 16/10/1979
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Lugano (Switzerland), Genoa (Italy), Bologna (Italy), Cagliary (Italy)
Comments: A great young striker. He has started his career in Lugano playing 18 matches in two years only scoring once. Later, he moved to Genoa where he had a much better season scoring 10 times in 26 matches. He then moved to Bologna but only played 3 times and didn't score. In a quest for first team action he moved to Cagliary where he played in 26 matches netting 6 times. This season he moved to Reggina and alongside Andrea Pirlo they are trying to keep Reggina in the Seria A. My prediction is Reggina will not stay in the league but Kallon will have his big brake, score lots of goals and move to a big club.
25.
Name: Claudio Pizzaro
Nationality: Peruvian/ Italian
Current Club: Werder Bremen (Germany)
Date of Birth: 03/10/1978
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: The Peruvian/Italian striker is a real classy one. He is fast, good on the ball and a great finisher. He is the second best scorer in his team after Germany's Marco Bode. He will soon make a move to a bigger club in Germany or in another European country.
26.
Name: Richard Knopper
Nationality: Dutch
Current Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Holland)
Date of Birth: 29/08/1977
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: Feyenoord (Holland)
Comments: Currently the best player in Ajax alongside aging Bryan Laudrup. He is another one of the stars in Ajax's production line which includes players like: Dennis Begkamp, Marc Overmars, Patrick Kluivert, Winston Bogarde, Michael Reiziger, Edgar Davids and Clarence Seedorf. He is not very quick but he is a good dribbler and he has a fantastic shot from distance. He will probably move to a better league and club soon.
27.
Name: Haruna Babangida
Nationality: Nigerian
Current Club: Barcelona B (Spain)
Date of Birth: 01/10/1982
Position: Right Winger/Forward
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: Haruna Babangida The much-talked about Nigerian is still very young but is considered to be one of the most promising youngsters in the world. He is still very far from Barcelona's first team but undoubtedly his time will come. At 16, he has scored an amazing amount of goals in Barcelona's second team that got him publicized. Much like Jermaine Pennant at Arsenal he is still unproven but everyone knows about his skill from such a young age. He is currently playing for Nigeria's U-21 team but in a year's time he will definitely be an opener in Nigeria's national team.
28.
Name: Mateja Kezman
Nationality: Yugoslav
Current Club: Partizan Belgrade (Yugoslavia)
Date of Birth: 01/04/1979
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Zemun (Yuguslavia), Radnicki Pirot (Yugoslavia), Loznica (Yugoslavia), Sartid (Yugoslavia)
Comments: Currently the best talent in the Yugoslav league. Kezman is a great finisher who also has great dribbling skills and good pace. While he played for Zamun's youth side he broke his leg and his career was in quite some scare. But his strong will got him out of the tough injury. He has already been capped for Yugoslavia. Lazio is interested in him and have allegedly offered a bid for 20 million dollars in order to get his services.
29.
Name: Jermaine Pennant
Nationality: English/Jamaican
Current Club: Arsenal (England)
Date of Birth: 16/01/1983
Position: Attacking Midfielder Right/ Centre
Previous Clubs: Notts County (England)
Comments: He has recently made his debut appearance for Arsenal's senior side being only 16. The much-talked about star has moved to Arsenal from Notts County last summer for 1,500,000 pounds. He has had some great performances for England's youth team. He is an amazing dribbler, who has tremendous pace and good finishing skill. He will be Arsenal's leader in 3 or 4 years time. He will certainly develop into a top star in European football.
30.
Name: Nils-Erik Johansson
Nationality: Swedish
Current Club: FC Bayer Munich (Germany)
Date of Birth: 19/01/1980
Position: Central Defender
Previous Clubs: Brommapojkarna (Sweden), AIK Stockholm (Sweden)
Comments: The perfect defender. He has all the qualities to become the next Stam, Maldini or Thuram. A real classy player. He has been raised in talent maker Brommapojkarna who also sold youth star Bojan Djordic to Manchester United. He is strong, tall, smart, hard to get by, has good ball control for a defender and a fantastic head game. He is a natural leader and the captain of Sweden's U-21 team. He has also scored 8 goals for the U-21 side in 32 games. A sure star for the future.
31.
Name: Pontus Farnerud
Nationality: Swedish
Current Club: AS Monaco (France)
Date of Birth: 04/06/1980
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Landskrona Boys (Sweden)
Comments: Considered to be one of the best talents in Sweden. He is a really classy player who has lots of skills. Among those skills are his finishing, his understanding of the game, his passing and his vision. He had lots of offers from about every club which respects itself but eventually decided to go to Monaco. He has played 4 times for Monaco last season. This season will surely see him break into Monaco's first team and develop into a star grade player.
32.
Name: Lokonda Emile Mpenza
Nationality: Belgian
Current Club: Shalke 04 (Germany)
Date of Birth: 04/07/1978
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: LC Mesvin (Belgium), KV Kortrijk (Belgium), Mouscron (Belgium), Standard Liege (Belgium)
Comments: A good speedy striker. Have recently left sinking Belgian club Standard Liege for the likes of Shalke 04 from Germany. His first good season came for Mouscron where he scored 12 goals in 31 games. He was bought by Standard Liege and in his first season there he scored 6 times in 19 appearances. His next season there was better- he scored 10 times in 17 matches. He has decided to go in the footsteps of his brother Mbo and left Standard Liege for a bigger club. For the first time in his life he is playing in a different club than his brother. But they will surely meet in Belgium's national squad were they will play together upfront. Emile has already given some good performances for Schalke in a friendly tournament in Turkey.
33.
Name: Mazzolie Oliviera "Athirson"
Nationality: Brazilian
Current Club: Flamengo (Brazil)
Date of Birth: 16/01/1977
Position: Left Defender/ Midfielder/ Winger
Previous Clubs:
Comments: What a cracker. The fantastic left sided Brazilian wizard showed all his fantastic qualities in the South American Pre-Olympic tournament where he scored twice and gave many assists. He helped Brazil qualify to the Olympics after giving some amazing performances. He is fast, a great dribbler and a good finisher. He has everything a winger needs. The next Roberto Carlos?
34.
Name: Luciano Galletti
Nationality: Argentinian
Current Club: Parma (Italy)
Date of Birth: 09/04/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Estudiantes LP (Argentina)
Comments: Galletti is one the fastest players you are ever going to see. Heis small but still a tough player to take the ball from. He is a very good dribbler. He Still has not yet made it in Parma's Starting 11 but it will happen soon. He was a star in Argentina's U-21 squad
35.
Name: Mario
Nationality: Spain
Current Club: FC Barcelona (Spain)
Date of Birth: 22/05/1980
Position: Left Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Barcelona B (Spain)
Comments: One of the stars in Spain's youth teams who practically won every major youth tournament last year. He is a small and very creative player. He can play with both his feet quite well. He has played some first team games for Barca but he is still not a regular. Maybe in a year or two he will be.
36.
Name: Rati Alexidze
Nationality: Georgian
Current Club: Chelsea (England)
Date of Birth: 03/08/1978
Position: Attacking Midfielder/ Forward
Previous Clubs: Dinamo Tbilisi (Georgia), Chelsea - as a trainee (England
Comments: Rati was chosen to be the Georgian player of the season last year. He is a good player who will continue the work Shota Arveladze and Giorgiou Kinkladze started doing in Giorgia's national side. He is currently the captain of Giorgia's U-21 team. He was once a trainee at Chelsea . After some trouble receiving a work permit he eventully got it and made the move to London.
37.
Name: Gaetano D'agostino
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: AS Roma (Italy)
Date of Birth: 03/06/1982
Position: Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: Gaetento is the youngest player in Roma's main squad. If you think Mihajlovic's free kicks wont ever be equaled, then think a again. Cappelo has even stated that this lad has got the best left foot Italy. He has amazing technique and also amazing passing skills. A typical flair player. He will be a star.
38.
Name: Peter Ofori Quaye
Nationality: Ghanaian
Current Club: Olympiakos (Greece)
Date of Birth: 21/03/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: Ofori Quaye is a good solid, tall and strong striker. He is usually playing in Olympiakos' first team squad and has gained useful experience playing for his club in Europe's Champions League. He has great pace and he is a very good finisher. He is one of the new fantastic generation of players coming from Ghana. He will soon move to a bigger club.
39.
Name: Enzo Maresca
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Juventus (Italy)
Date of Birth: 10/02/1980
Position: Defensive/Attacking Midfielder Left/Centre
Previous Clubs: Cagliari (Italy), West Bromwich Albion (England)
Comments: The young dynamo is already a part of Dino Zoff's national squad. He played two years in Cagliary before moving to England to join West Bromwich Albion. He has won the club's best young player of the 1998/99 season. He played 22 matches in that season and scored 2 goals. Manchester United and Arsenal have shown interest in the young midfielder but he decided to come back to Italy and play for Juventus.
40.
Name: Sebastian Frey
Nationality: French
Current Club: Hellas Verona (Italy)- on loan from Inter Milan (Italy)
Date of Birth: 18/03/1980
Position: Goalkeeper
Previous Clubs: Cannes (France), Inter Milan (Italy)
Comments: This fantastic goalkeeper started his career in French club Cannes. On his first season there he played 24 games while he was only 17 years old. He gave some great performances for Cannes and lots of big European clubs where interested in him. He eventually decided to join Italy's Inter Milan and even played there 7 times in his first season. This season, he was loaned to Hellas Verona in order to give him more playing time. He is currently showing great ability there and it doesn't look likely that he will want to come back to Inter next year only to sit on the bench. We await developments.
41.
Name: Mikael Forsell
Nationality: Finnish
Current Club: Chelsea (England)
Date of Birth: 15/03/1981
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: HJK Helsinki (Fin)
Comments: The Finnish striker actually was born in Steinfurt, Germany. He burst into the Premier League on his first season showing great skills and even scoring once or twice. He was bought by Chelsea from HJK Helsinki on a free transfer from under the noses of Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Ajax Amsterdam. He is very highly rated in Finland and is the current star of their U-21 team. He hasn't got much playing time this season, though.
42.
Name: Adrian Mutu
Nationality: Romanian
Current Club: Inter Milan (Italy)
Date of Birth: 08/01/1979
Position: Attacking Midfielder/Striker
Previous Clubs: Dinamo Bucharest (Romania)
Comments: The Romanian midfielder/striker is another prodigy of Dinamo Bucharest who at the moment have good youngsters like Adrian Mihalcea, Marius Niculae and Florentin Petre. Together with some other players, this bunch and Mutu will be the new leaders of the aging Romanian team. Mutu has moved to Inter this season after scoring 18 goals for his club Dinamo Bucharest making him Romania's top scorer. He is not playing regularly for Inter yet, but he played so far in two games in the Italian cup and scored in both of them. He is one to watch for the future.
43.
Name: Jamie McMaster
Nationality: English/ Australian/ Scottish
Current Club: Leeds United (England)
Date of Birth: ??/??/????
Position: Attacking Midfielder/ Forward
Previous Clubs: ?
Comments: The young midfielder is the next star that will come out of Leeds' academy teams. He is very fast and a good finisher. Leeds hope he will follow Harry Kewell and become a star. There is a big row over his nationality. He has played for England's U-16 team in an official match but he also played for Australia's U-17 team but not in an official match. He also has roots in Scotland so he needs to decide who to play for in senior level. The Australian F.A is accusing Leeds that they are trying to convince him to play for one of the British sides. Whether that's true or not, he will probably become a big star in the future.
44.
Name: Andrea Rabito
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: AC Milan (Italy)
Date of Birth: 11/05/1980
Position: Left Winger
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: This young Italian star has one very important quality and that is his fantastic speed. He is very small and quick and is a typical winger. He is a good dribbler and also a good crosser. He has already been called up several times to sit on AC Milan's bench. Expect the unexpected from him.
45.
Name: John Harley
Nationality: English
Current Club: Chelsea (England)
Date of Birth: 26/09/1979
Position: Left Defender/ Midfielder/ Winger
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: This starlet has had his big brake this season. Chelsea are basically a very old team but this season some youngsters started poping up like Harley, Terry, Forsell and maybe now Alexidze. Harley might even get his chance to play for England's senior squad in the future as England are not exactly full of left-sided players at present time.
46.
Name: Darren Fletcher
Nationality: Scottish
Current Club: Manchester United FC (England)
Date of Birth: ??/02/1984
Position: Right/Central Midfielder/ Playmaker
Previous Clubs: Delkeith (Scotland), Celtic Boys club (Scotland), Rangers Boys Club (Scotland)
Comments: The 16 years old right midfielder joined Manchester United this season from small Scottish club Delkeith. He interested all of England's biggest teams including Leeds United, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Arsenal and Chelsea. He also interested Celtic and Rangers and even French side Lyon. He is already playing for United's reserves unlike most the kids his age who play at schoolboy level. He has already scored 2 goals for the reserves only playing 3 games. He is the star of Scotland's U-16 side. His manger there describes him as "outstanding". Alex Ferguson's assistant coach Steve McClaren also said that the young midfielder will be in the first team in 2 or 3 years.
47.
Name: Frederico Lazzeri
Nationality: Italian
Current Club: Torino (Italy)
Date of Birth: 15/10/1981
Position: Central Defender/Sweeper
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: A great sweeper whose best qualities are his great pace and fantastic anticipation. He understands the game real well and is a sure star for the future. He started playing for Italy's U-18 team ever since he was 16. He is nicknamethe new Franco Baresi.
48.
Name: Berkgant Goktan
Nationality: Turkish/ German
Current Club: Arminia Bielefeld (Germany)
Date of Birth: 12/12/1980
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: FC Bayern Munich (Germany), FC Bayern Munich (A), Borussia M'gladbach (Germany)
Comments: A great striker who will surely develop into a top star in Turkish football. He is versatile, fast, a good dribbler and a good finisher. He currently plays for Turkey's U-21 team with Emre Belozoglu but will soon make his debut in the senior team. This pair should lead Turkey in Euro 2000 and maybe to the 2002 world cup.
49.
Name: Stein Huysegems
Nationality: Belgian
Current Club: SK Lierse (Belgium)
Date of Birth: 16/06/1982
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: He will lead the Belgian team in the 2002 or the 2006 world cup alongside Emile Mpenza. He is a great striker who has tremendous pace and good accuracy. He has recently signed a new deal contracting him to the club to four more years.
50.
Name: Landon Donovan
Nationality: American
Current Club: Bayer Leverkuen (Germany)
Date of Birth: 04/03/1982
Position: Attacking Midfielder/ Forward
Previous Clubs: None
Comments: One of the uprising talents in American soccer. He is not yet playing in Leverkusen's first team but maybe with the likes of Brazilians Emerson and Ze Roberto leaving he will get his chance. He is currently playing for United States' U-17 team and has even won the "Most Valuable Player" in the recent U-17 world championships.
2001
1.
Name: Mourad MEGHNI
Current Club: Bologna (Ita)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: 16/04/84
Position: Central/Right-sided Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Cannes (Fra)
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: 1.80/72
Comments: Considered as one of the biggest promises in French football if not the biggest one. A graduate of the famous ‘Clairfontaine’ football academy, Meghni was
...Meghni was picked up by Bologna last year. The Algerian-born sensation is inevitably now compared to another Algerian-born player playing for France, the world’s greatest player probably, Zinedine Zidane. And indeed, Meghni reminds of Zidane in many aspects of his game. Unlike most players in their position (i.e Aimar, J.Cole, Ortega) both Zidane and Meghni are built quite well built and are not too frail. Also, more importantly probably, both of them have bags of skill. They are not too fast but have great ball-skills, quick feet, amazing vision, fantastic distribution, defence-splitting passes and are regular goal-scorers. The two of them are exquisite finishers and have great ability in 1-vs-1 situations. They thrive on counter-attacks but can operate equally well when the game’s moving slowly. Unlike Zidane, Meghni is actually quite potent in the air. He does show some reluctance to get stuck in but I guess you can expect that from that sort of player. Meghni is capable of the spectacular and his arsenal of tricks and touches is quite astounding. He can score from anywhere. Delicate chips, outside-the-box crackers, tap-ins are all part of his diverse arsenal. Meghni has the potential to be one of the leading players in the world in 7 years or so.
2.
Name: Jermaine PENNANT
Current Club: Arsenal (Eng)
Nationality: England
Date of Birth: 15/01/83
Position: Right-sided Winger
Previous Clubs: Notts County (Eng)
International Status: U-21 international
Height/Weight: 1.73/64
Comments: Pennant is a breath-taking prospect set to take the English Premier-League by storm. The Jamaican-born starlet is considered to be one of the finest prospects in England. Pennant first made a name for himself 2 years ago when he completed a 1.5 million pounds move from Notts County to Arsenal at the tender age of 15. Only a year or so later he became the youngest-ever player to play for Arsenal’s first team when he put on the Gunners’ shirt against Middlesborough in the Worthington Cup.
Pennant is a lightning-fast right-winger who possesses all the skills needed in order to become a great wide player: fantastic dribbling skills, trickery, vision, excellent crossing ability and a cracking shot. Pennant has come up through the England youth scheme promptly. Only last year he was playing for England’s U-16 team and today he’s already a member of the U-21 squad. Pennant is a player always looking to go forward and take players on. Alongside all the previously mentioned skills Pennant is also an excellent set-piece taker, both direct and in-direct. Pennant has helped Arsenal win the prestigious FA Youth Cup in 1999\2000 and in 2000/2001. He is expected to be an active member of the Arsenal first team in the 2001/2002 season. I will not be too surprised to see him make his senior England debut in a year or two. With talent like Pennant’s I wouldn’t be surprised if David Beckham will get the chance to finally live his centre-midfield dreams sooner rather than later.
3.
Name: Djibril CISSE
Current Club: AJ Auxerre (Fra)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: 12/08/81
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 international
Height/Weight: 1.83/78
Comments: Possibly the hottest young striker in Europe at the moment, Cisse has made a name for himself in the last few months. After completing a fantastic first full senior season with his team AJ Auxerre (25 appearances/8 goals) Cisse impressed during 2001’s Toulon Tournament (fantastic scissor-kick being one of the highlights) and during the U-20 World Cup in Argentina (5 appearances/6 goals, was awarded the Bronze Ball as the 3rd most impressive player in the tournament after Argentineans Javier Saviola and Andres D’Allesandro). A player of true class, Cisse is seen as the next star in the French production line which has previously nurtured the skills of Thierry Henry, Nicolas Anelka, Sylvain Wiltord, David Trezeguet and others. An extremely well-built striker, Cisse has bags of skill. He has lightning pace, agility, great strength, the ability to hold up the ball or carry it himself and sheer power in the air as well. His movement off-the-ball is superb and he loves taking players on. He has an amazing shot from all ranges and has good passing for a striker. He’s a complete striker and can only improve from where he is right now. The only doubt about his future is his attitude and his mental strength, will he turn out an Anelka or will he turn out a Henry, it remains to be seen. One thing that is certain is that Cisse has the talent to follow Henry into the national team. Not only that, I feel he has the chance to be Henry’s long-term partner, seeing as Anelka or Wiltord haven’t really made that position their own.
4.
Name: Piotr TROCHOWSKI
Current Club: FC Bayern Munich (Ger)
Nationality: German
Date of Birth: 22/03/84
Position: Central Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: In my opinion, Trochowski is a player destined to become world-class. When you see him, it’s clear to see he just oozes class. His movement, his slick touch on the ball, his passing, it’s all superb. I can see him as a future star for the German national team. And the funny thing is, that Trochowski was actually born in Poland. He moved to Germany at about 14 and his appearance against Belgium during 2001’s U-16 European championship was his first in a German shirt. Trochowski scored in that game and went on to score a goal in each of the two following championship matches, against Romania and Spain. 3 goals in his first 3 matches, not bad. Trochowski indeed had a great tournament with Germany though the Germans are likely to feel a bit unlucky, going out on penalties against old-rivals England in the quarter-finals, despite being the better side throughout the game.
Trochowski is a very complete player. His list of skills is quite endless. He’s fast (certainly not as fast Odonkor, but he doesn’t lack pace), an excellent dribbler, has a great variety of flicks and tricks, has great balance, he’s a fantastic passer of the ball, one of the most accurate passers you’d find at youth level, he has excellent vision, excellent through-balls and he’s a fantastic crosser as well. He’s not big but he’s very strong and despite being the Germans’ star player without doubt (Klaus Sammer, Germany’s U-16 manager, said in an interview that he rates Trochowski as the no.1 player in his squad), he’s not reluctant to get stuck in, go down for a tackle or battle for a header. And despite not being the tallest I find him to be quite a gem in the air. But Trochowski’s list of talents doesn’t end there. He’s very dynamic, doing great movement on and off the ball, he always seems to have time on the ball and above all, he’s a sublime finisher. An extremely accurate one with good power on his shots as well. Not only that but he’s good at set-pieces as well, both direct and in-direct ones. Trochowski’s likely to find it hard trying to break into Bayern’s star-studded midfield but if anyone has a chance, it’s definitely him.
5.
Name: Fernando Jose TORRES SANZ
Current Club: Atletico Madrid (Spa)
Nationality: Spain
Date of Birth: 20/04/84
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-18 international
Height/Weight: 1.83/70
Comments: One of the brightest hopes in Spain. He has played at Atletico since he’s been a child and at the age of 14 Real Madrid tried to do a “Raul” and nick him away but failed. Torres has progressed through the ranks at Atletico and Spain and has recently made his senior debut for Atletico and also for Spain’s U-18 side. Torres first made a name for himself when he won 2001’s European U-16 Championship with Spain, registering himself as the joint top-scorer in the competition, scoring 6 goals in as many appearances, including a winning-goal from the penalty spot against France in the final.
Torres is a big, tall striker that despite looking a bit frail is actually quite strong. He’s also remarkably fast for a big man. When you watch him the first thing you pick up is that the lad’s a real striker. He holds up the ball well, turns well, runs at defenders, is good in the air, on the ground and is a fantastic finisher. He’s mature and works his socks off for the team. He has shown a lot of willingness to get stuck in without any fear, something that will help him in his career. As mentioned, Torres has already had his senior debut for Atletico (and even scored on his second appearance) and is likely to be a regular for the fallen-giants next year. Juventus has reportedly bid 10 million US dollars for him and interest has also been shown by Arsenal and Manchester United but Atletico has rebuffed all offers, as they see him as the one to lead them back to the Spanish Primera Liga.
6.
Name: Florent SINAMA PONGOLLE
Current Club: Le Havre (Fra)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: ??/??/84
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Sinama Pongolle is a young striker capable of great things. A player of the excellent Le Havre youth academy, he starred during 2001’s U-16 European Championship, leading France to the final of the competition only to lose to Fernando Jose Torres’ Spain. Pongolle scored 6 goals in as many matches during the tournament, including a world-class display against England, where he scored two superb goals in France’s 4-0 thrashing of the host team. Sinama’s main assets are his pace, balance, dribbling skills and sharp finishing. Despite not being the biggest he’s not bad in the air and can hold up the ball relatively well. He tries to score from everywhere and keeps the opposing defenders on their toes. He’s quick, turns well, has great acceleration and excellent movement off-the-ball. He loves taking on players and that comes quite easy for him. Both he and teammate Anthony Le Tallec have been linked with combined 4.5 million pounds moves to English Premier-league clubs Manchester United, Arsenal, Liverpool and Fulham and to Italian Serie A outfit Fiorentina. The two players have reportedly had visits at Manchester United and at Fiorentina but seem to have favoured the English club.
7.
Name: Darren FLETCHER
Current Club: Manchester United
Nationality: Scotland
Date of Birth: 01/02/84
Position: Central/Right-sided Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Delkeith (Sco)
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: 1.74\68
Comments: Considered to be one of the best young players in England, Fletcher joined United from small Scottish club Delkeith in 1999 after being hounded by all of England’s big clubs. Fletcher, United through and through, was convinced to sign for United by Sir Alex Ferguson himself. That’s how highly-rated he is at Old Trafford. And indeed, Fletcher is a player of true class. Rated as the most promising player at the Old Trafford youth academy since Taffy Ryan Giggs, Fletcher suffered a serious injury at the beginning of the year, which kept him sidelined for the whole season. If he wasn’t to suffer that injury he would probably had his first team debut by now. The young Scot is a player who consists of many different skills. He’s imaginative, elegant and a brilliant passer of the ball. Despite obvious comparisons to David Beckham, the ones in the know say he reminds them more of Glenn Hoddle than Beckham. Fletcher has excellent technique, great touch on the ball with either feet and a smashing shot from distance. He has superb balance and needs practically no back-lift before striking the ball. Providing he develops a bit physically, Fletcher is bound to be one of the best players in England and possibly in the world.
8.
Name: Rafael VAN DER VAART
Current Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Hol)
Nationality: Holland
Date of Birth: 11/02/83
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: De Kennemers (Hol)
International Status: U-20 international
Height/Weight: 1.74/70
Comments: Rafael Van der Vaart is currently considered as the best prospect in Holland. His meteoric rise to stardom started last year in the European U-16 Championship in Israel. Van der Vaart took Holland to third place in the tournament giving some very good performances. A month later Van der Vaart appeared for Holland again, this time for the U-18s, in the European U-18 Championship in Germany. Holland didn’t do too well in the tournament but did win a ticket for the U-20 World Cup to be played a year later. Meanwhile, Van der Vaart returned to Amsterdam, this time not as a player on the fringes of the team, but as a regular. Van der Vaart played 27 games for Ajax in the Dutch Eredivisie and scored an impressive 7 times. Not only that he was also voted as the club’s best youngster of the year. And indeed, Van der Vaart is a bright talent. He is an excellent passer of the ball, has good technique, decent dribbling skills, a good touch on the ball, fantastic vision, good tackling skills and a smashing shot from distance. He’s a central midfielder who likes to attack but is not afraid to do his fair share of defending. He’s not too big but he’s by no means frail. If he keeps progressing as rapidly as he has so far he’s destined to go very far in the game.
9.
Name: John WELSH
Current Club: Liverpool (Eng)
Nationality: English
Date of Birth: 10/01/84
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Welsh is a combative and talented central midfielder in the mould of the player he might soon partner in the centre of the Liverpool midfield, Steven Gerrard. A regular for England’s U-16 team Welsh is a quiet lad but with a fiery temper. He tackles aggressively but cleanly and despite being a workman like midfielder he’s not dirty in any way. Welsh is a very good passer of the ball. He might not have Gerrard’s fantastic vision but he has the same kind of accuracy in his passes. Despite not being the tallest, Welsh is not bad in the air and is very useful at corners and free kicks. He has good technique and a cracking shot from distance. Welsh is considered as the best prospect in Liverpool’s youth academy and has already played for Liverpool’s reserves. Despite the fact that he’s only 17 I’d back him up to be Gerrard’s partner in the not-so-distant future.
10.
Name: Zlatan IBRAHIMOVIC
Current Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Hol)
Nationality: Sweden
Date of Birth: 03/10/81
Position: Centre-Forward
Previous Clubs: Malmo FF (Sweden)
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.92/84
Comments: Anybody who goes for a £5m+ fee at the age of 19 is bound to be special. Ibrahimovic proves this, to look at him you would expect him to be the typical British style centre-forward; big, strong, powerful, holds the ball up well. Ibrahimovic has all of these attributes in his game, but unusually for a man of his size he has exceptional pace and is extremely skillful. He has good technique, fantastic ball-skills, quick-feet and a lot of ability in the air. A fitting tribute to the talent of the young man is the words of his new coach at Ajax Co Adriaanse “You only need to look at a player like this for 15 minutes to know you want to sign him”. Ibrahimovic could go on to be a major star in the European game, he has all the attributes to be a major star, and it will be interesting to see how he does against the cream of Europe if Ajax make it to the Champions League. The only thing that could possibly hamper a big European career for him is the fact that he’s very much a trouble-maker. He’s considered to be very cocky and full of himself. In order to succeed in Holland he’ll have to change that, work hard on his game and keep a low profile.
11.
Name: David ODONKOR
Current Club: Borussia Dortmund (Ger)
Nationality: Germany
Date of Birth: 21/02/84
Position: Forward/Second-striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Odonkor is an explosive player set to make his mark on world football soon. To be honest Odonkor is a player I like very much. The one thing very obvious when you first see him is that he has simply amazing pace. He’s surely one of the fastest players in world football, no doubt about that. Not only that but Odonkor is built relatively well and is by no means frail. Odonkor doesn’t have the best technique or dribbling skills but his lightning pace means he doesn’t need any tricks to go past a player. Odonkor’s major problem at this stage of his development is his finishing; he’s simply not a goal-scorer. He often wastes easy chances and a lot of times his last pass/shot it not good enough. However, Odonkor is very agile and usually gets himself to rebounds from the keeper/defence faster than anyone. Another thing about Odonkor is his attitude, simply tip-top. He works his socks off, never complains and gets up every time, no matter how hard he’s kicked. I guess one of the things that makes him so determined is the fact that he suffered a serious injury in a car accident. He had to use a wheel chair for a few months and almost had to give up football. However, he did get back to the pitch and in my opinion, that determination to become a great player would assist him in actually becoming one.
Odonkor appeared for Germany in the last two European U-16 Championships (Israel 2000 and England 2001) and was impressive in both.
12.
Name: Philippe MEXES
Current Club: AJ Auxerre (Fra)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: 30/03/82
Position: Central Defender
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 international
Height/Weight: 1.86/84
Comments: One of the most highly-regarded young defenders in the world, Mexes’ problem in my eyes is his inconsistency. One doesn’t really know what to expect of him. In the first half of the 2000/2001 season, he was outstanding for Auxerre, playing regularly at the heart of the defence and doing that superbly. However, all the praise must have gone up to his head, as he was quite poor in the second half of the season, especially in one particular match against Lyon towards the closing of the season. After the French season was over Mexes joined France’s U-20 team for the Toulon tournament. Again, he wasn’t up to his best. A month or so later another big tournament beckoned, this time the U-20 World Cup, probably the most prestigious youth tournament in the world. This tournament was typical of Mexes, inconsistent. Alongside brilliant performances against Iran, Paraguay and Ghana he performed poorly against Benjamin Auer’s Germany and was mediocre against Argentina (despite scoring a cracking goal). Saying all that, Mexes is still very young (youngest player in France’s U-20 squad) and has a lot of time to work on his game. The foundations are certainly there, as the lad has bags of skill. Mexes is an excellent defender. He’s fantastic in the air, loves to come out of defence with the ball and does it superbly. He’s a good passer of the ball and a clever defender. He’s dangerous at corners and free-kicks and is a true leader. He’s an excellent tackler and a decent man-marker as well. He’s athletic and is not prone to many errors. He has good positional sense and seems a decent lad, though when someone gets to him he can be very aggressive. Old-new Auxerre manager Guy Roux said he believes Mexes will join Manchester United at the end of the 2001/2002 season but nothing seems to be official yet. United are not the only ones who have shown interest in the blond-haired defender. AS Roma are still in the hunt for him as are Juventus.
13.
Name: Anthony LE TALLEC
Current Club: Le Havre (Fra)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: ??/??/84
Position: Striker/Centre-Forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Anthony Le Tallec is a simply brilliant prospect. When you see him you right away know that he’s a special player. I can’t really categorize him. He’s not a big old-fashioned centre-forward like say Oliver Bierhoff and he’s not a nippy forward like Michael Owen. He’s not the Thierry Henry type as well.
Le Tallec is a tall, big player, very athletic. He’s excellent in the air. He’s fast for a man of his height. He’s a good dribbler though not an outstanding one. He likes to take players on but he doesn’t do it too constantly. He doesn’t really play as the one leading the line, he plays behind Sinama Pongolle for France and he’s the one whose job is to supply the balls to Pongolle. He’s capable of truly spectacular things. Chips, scissor-kicks, long-range crackers, beautiful headers, it’s all in his repertoire. Then again he can miss a three-yard sitter as well. He can be quiet the whole game and then score a stunning goal from a free-kick, a header, a cracking shot from distance, you name it, he’s got it. He has good vision, he’s very imaginative, but his distribution is not good enough; the accuracy of his passing is still not perfect. He has an amazingly strong left-foot. He’s good at set-pieces and he’s very clever. Le Tallec is just an amazingly gifted player and an unpredictable one as well. One never knows what to expect of him. Nevertheless, any team would love to have him as he’s from the ones who decide games, he’s just special.
14.
Name: Andres INIESTA Lujan
Current Club: FC Barcelona (Spa)
Nationality: Spain
Date of Birth: 11/05/84
Position: Central Midfielder/Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Albacete (Spa)
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Andres Iniesta is currently considered one of Spain’s brightest talents, probably the brightest one, together with Fernando Jose Torres. Only recently he has signed a new 4-year contract with Spanish giants Barcelona. This news comes just when it is being reported that highly-rated Barcelona youngsters, winger Fernando Macedo “Nano”, right-sided midfielder Gabriel Garcia de la Tora “Gabri”, centre-back Ivan Cuadrado, winger Haruna Babangida and centre-half Santamaria and being lined-up for sale. The new contract signing will definitely give Iniesta confidence. And indeed Iniesta has a future with Barca.
Iniesta’s emergence comes just at a time when Barca-idol Pep Guardiola is leaving the club. Inevitably, Iniesta has already been dubbed his successor, after Xavi has failed to live up to that billing. However, Iniesta is not a typical no.4. He's small and frail and missed much of 2001’s U-16 European championship due to that, after being roughly treated by his markers, in the game between Germany and Spain during the group stage of the competition. However, Iniesta is definitely a very talented player. He's explosive with the ball, has bags of skill, loves to make quick forays from midfield to attack and has great vision. At this stage of his development his passing is not yet of the highest quality. One can see what he's trying to do but his passes are usually under-hit and don't find their target. But I believe this will come for him in time. Another thing one can notice in his game is a case of bad decision-making. Many a time he can be found choosing the wrong option or opting for a fancy pass instead of a simple ball. But I guess that will come in time as well.
Iniesta has very close control and good dribbling skills. His shots are a bit soft though. Not enough power on them. Generally, he's very small and weak as well and this affects his shots undoubtedly. I foresee a good future for him in the game if he's not rushed into top-flight football too soon. He's definitely not ready for senior football yet. He needs to work hard on his upper-body in order to make it at the top. The skill is there though, no doubt about that.
15.
Name: Juan Alberto Andreu “MELLI”
Current Club: Real Betis Balompie (Spa)
Nationality: Spain
Date of Birth: 06/06/84
Position: Defensive Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: Spain U-16
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Star of Real Betis’ youth scheme, Melli is a superb talent capable of great things. The young midfield dynamo is considered to be one of the stars of Spain’s U-16 team. Together with Fernando Jose Torres, Andres Iniesta, Carlos Garcia and co. he is expected to lead Spain’s U-17 team to glory in 2001’s U-17 World Cup set to take place in Trinidad and Tobago. Melli won the European U-16 Championship with Spain this year giving some world-class performances, including a simply fantastic one in the final against France.
Melli is a complete player. He’s well-built, strong, good in the air, an exquisite passer of the ball, especially short passing but also capable of delivering fantastic, imaginative through balls or cross-field passes. He’s very intelligent, a strong tackler and has close control. He’s always asking for the ball and likes to spread it around with a lot of class and finesse. His range of passing is superb and his vision is impressive as well. He’s probably the best passer of the ball in the Spanish team. Though he’s not a fancy player, he can definitely go past players and has good dribbling skills. Another impressive feature of his game is the way he manages to shield the ball with his fantastic body-strength. He’s obviously been working hard in the gym because often you can see players just bounce off him or him barging players off the ball. He seems to be hard-working as well and his work-rate is wonderful. I think Melli has the potential to grow into a world-class player and a star for the Spanish national team.
16.
Name: Gregory VIGNAL
Current Club: Liverpool (Eng)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: 19/07/81
Position: Left-back
Previous Clubs: Montpellier (Fra)
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: 1.82/77
Comments: Bought by Gerard Houllier from Montpellier for a bargain fee of £500,000, Vignal was an integral member of the successful French U-18 team that won the 2000 European Championships. He made his league debut at home to West Ham and gave one of the most assured debuts the Anfield faithful had ever seen, he went on to make 6 more first team performances in the remaining couple of months of the season, and impressed on each occasion. Vignal is very reminiscent of another French full back, a certain Bixente Lizarazu, in that he attacks and defends with equal ability, rare in the modern game, especially with a lot of full backs now being converted centre halves or converted midfielders. Vignal is tall, extremely well-built and a fantastic crosser of the ball. He supports the attack well and his only fault at this stage of his development is with his positioning. However, this is a very common problem with youngsters and it should improve when Vignal gets to play regularly in the Premier-league. One other issue which might be classed as a bit of a problem is the fact that Vignal is a bit hot-headed and even a bit dirty at times. It is not a major issue but something he should definitely try to contain. The French “machine” seems to have churned out a ready-made replacement for the ageing Lizarazu, and Vignal looks set to feature, and star, in the French national team in the not too distant future.
17.
Name: Milan BAROS
Current Club: Banik Ostrava (Cze)
Nationality: Czech Republic
Date of Birth: 28/10/81
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.81/77
Comments: Highly-rated Czech striker Milan Baros is the complete package. Baros is only 19 but is already at a very late stage in his development. The young Czech has been a regular at his club Banik Ostrava for the last year or so and has won many admirers during that time, despite not being too prolific. The young marksman has played for the Czech Republic at all levels, including excellent performances during 2000’s U-18 European Championship, 2000’s Olympic Games in Sydney and 2000’s U-21 Championship in Slovakia where the Czechs finished 2nd behind Italy. Baros has impressed so much that he even got called up for the senior national team, where he scored straight on his debut (the equalizer in 1-1 draw between the Czechs and Belgium) and also against Northern Ireland in an important World Cup qualifier. As previously mentioned, Baros is a very complete player. He’s built fantastically, is powerful and has the ability to hold up the ball and shield it well. Not only that, but he’s very fast for a man of his size. He can carry the ball as well and has excellent technique, a great first touch and good dribbling skills. His movement is very good and he’s very dangerous in the box and outside of it. His finishing is superb as well.
Baros has been linked to a number of top European team including AC Milan and Borussia Dortmund but it has recently been reported that the player has had a medical at Liverpool and that he’s close to signing there for a bargain fee of 1 million pounds.
18.
Name: Baldo DI GREGORIO
Current Club: Eintract Frankfurt (Ger)
Nationality: Germany
Date of Birth: 22/01/84
Position: Central Defender/Sweeper/Libero
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: German central defender Baldo Di Gregorio is rated as one of the top young defenders in the country. His performances during the U-16 European Championship were nothing short of superb and those appearances have attracted a number of bigger clubs, with the most serious one being English Premier-League side Aston Villa, who wants to sign him together with Frankfurt’s 18-year-old Italian forward Giovanni Speranza. Frankfurt has offered him a new contract but it seems he’s likely to do what Kneissl, Hitzelberger and Huth did before him, and favour the English club’s offer. And in signing Di Gregorio, Aston Villa are getting a premium prospect, capable of growing into a world-class central defender. Di Gregorio has everything a defender needs. He’s not huge but he’s strong and is excellent in the air. He’s a natural leader, cheering his teammates on at every opportunity. He’s a very technical defender, a good passer of the ball and has good vision for a defender. He’s a very active player as well, always seems to be around the action, showing a lot of willingness to get stuck in. He’s a brilliant tackler, strong and accurate. Not only that but he also has a tremendous shot from distance, strong and accurate. In fact, he scored what was probably one of the best goals of the European U-16 championship, firing a 20-meter, technically brilliant, volley from the edge of the box to score against Spain.
I have a very good feeling about Di Gregorio. He seems a hard-working lad and despite being aggressive he’s by no means a dirty player. I think Di Gregorio has the tools to become a top class player.
19.
Name: Andres D’ALLESANDRO
Current Club: River Plate
Nationality: Argentina
Date of Birth: 15/04/81
Position: Central/Left-sided Attacking Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-21 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Highly-skillful Argentinean starlet Andres D’Allesandro first made a name for himself during an encounter between England and Argentina’s U-21 teams at Fulham. The young Argentinean was so impressive that the whole country was talking about him the next day. Immediately, like any half-decent Argentinean who’s suddenly on the news, he was declared as “the new Maradona”. Liverpool showed interest in him, as did West Ham who were very close to clinching his signature. However, the hype soon died down a bit, until the U-20 World Cup where D’Allesandro again impressed and was awarded the Silver Ball award for being the 2nd most impressive player in the tournament, second only to teammate Javier Saviola. Whether he was indeed the 2nd most impressive player in the tournament is debatable, but he certainly did impress. D’Allesandro’s main strengths are his wonderful technique, touch on the ball and dribbling skills, his pace, trickery and silky skills being second to none. D’Allesandro has good vision and makes excellent movement without the ball. He’s quick and agile, both with and without the ball. Though he is left-footed, his right-foot is not only for standing on purposes. He’s generally a good passer of the ball and can supply good through balls to the strikers. His downside is obviously his physique, being very frail he’s easily down. He’s a good finisher and despite being weak has a rather strong shot. D’Allesandro is not yet a regular in the River Plate team. He only played 4 times for River last season, as substitute mainly. He is bound to get more minutes this season after his brilliant performances during the U-20 World Cup. D’Allesandro obviously has a big future in the game but lack of physique will always be a restraint for him.
20.
Name: Leite Ribeiro ADRIANO
Current Club: Flamengo (Bra)
Nationality: Brazil
Date of Birth: 17/02/82
Position: Centre-Forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.89/86
Comments: Brazilian marksman Adriano is considered as one of the hottest young players in Brazil. The young goal-poacher has already played for the Brazilian national team once, at 19. He has previously won the U-17 World Cup with Brazil and also appeared for Brazil during the recent U-20 World Cup in Argentina (was the second top-scorer in the tournament with 6 goals in 5 games). Adriano, who was the joint top scorer in the South American U-20 Championship, took the tournament in Argentina by storm, scoring 6 times in only 5 appearances. Adriano’s main asset is his stature; the boy’s built fantastically. He’s extremely powerful and can hold off the opposition’s challenges easily. He’s very good in the air though the accuracy of his headers is still not as good as it should be. Adriano does a lot of movement off the ball and seems a hard worker. He can carry the ball as well and often tries to run at defenders though I think he sometimes does that excessively, it is not quite his main strength. He can often be found running into players instead of running past them. Adriano, however, is excellent in the box. He’s an instinctive finisher who goes for goal whenever he has the chance to. Like most Brazilians, Adriano has a ferocious shot. The accuracy of his finishing is still not good enough and I feel the he doesn’t have a big enough variety of finishes. He always goes for the blast, instead of a simple slot-in or a chip. With good coaching he’ll be able to widen his repertoire I feel. Adriano scored 6 goals in 17 appearances for his club side Flamengo during the last season. His passing skills are quite limited and again, the accuracy is still not always there.
Adriano has a lot of raw skill but that’s exactly what he is to be honest, a raw talent. And the talent is there, no doubt about that. What Adriano needs to do is to continue working hard and show willingness to learn new things. He’s still not the complete package and there’s a lot more to be expected of him.
21.
Name: Arjen ROBBEN
Current Club: FC Groningen (Hol)
Nationality: Holland
Date of Birth: 23/01/84
Position: Left-Winger/Striker
Previous Clubs: CVVB (Hol), VV Bedum (Hol)
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Arjen Robben is one of the hottest prospects in Dutch football at the moment. The lightning-quick starlet made his senior team debut against Feyenoord during the 2000/2001 season, impressed, and hasn’t looked back since. He went on to appear 18 more times for Groningen that season, scoring 2 goals and winning the Groningen supporters’ ‘Player of the Season’ award. Robben was identified by Dutch national team coach Luis Van Gaal as a future senior national team star. Robben’s talent has been apparent for a few years now and in the 1999/2000 season he scored no fewer than 50 goals for the club’s youth team. His first season was so impressive that PSV Eindhoven signed him on a pre-contract for 2.5 million pounds. Robben will move to Eindhoven after the ending of the 2001-2002 season. Robben’s main assets are his fantastic pace, trickery and goal-scoring ability. He’s got good vision, excellent ball control and a variety of different finishes. He likes to take on players and does it very successfully. Settling a move to PSV already was a wise move as it will enable him to focus on his football this season and avoid unnecessary speculation about his future. Robben was a member of the Dutch squad during the recent U-20 World Cup in Argentina but failed to impress and was substituted a number of times. It is important the success doesn’t go up to his head because previous big names who were identified as “the next big thing”, especially Dutch, have failed before.
22.
Name: Carlos MARTINS
Current Club: Sporting Lisbon (Por)
Nationality: Portugal
Date of Birth: ??/??/82
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Considered as one of the best talents in Portugal if not the best one of them all, Martins is a fantastic prospect and a very complete player. He has good vision, excellent technique, quick-feet, imagination, a great shot from distance and a great range of passing. He’s very accurate and is good in the air as well. He’s intelligent and his decision-making is not bad, though he is too ambitious at times. He has close control and rarely makes errors. He’s known for scoring the odd cracker as well. Martins has already had his debut for Sporting’s senior team and he’s bound to feature more heavily this season. Currently, Martins is probably the star of one of the best youth squads in Portugal if not the world, featuring potential stars such as Hugo Viana, Luis Lourenco, Carlos Marques, Ricardo Quaresma and Joao Paiva. I wouldn’t be surprised to see him wearing Barcelona or Real Madrid’s shirt in the not so distant future.
23.
Name: Jeremie ALIADIERE
Current Club: Arsenal (Eng)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: 30/03/83
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-18 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: If one wants to understand just how highly-rated Aliadiere is, here is a good example. One of France’s leading football coaches, Claude Dusseau, has said in an interview that he considers Aliadiere to be one of the top 3 strikers produced by France during the last decade, together with Thierry Henry and Nicolas Anelka. Whether that’s true or not Aliadiere is certainly making the right noises so far. A graduate of the famous ‘Clairefontaine’ youth football academy Aliadiere controversially joined Arsenal two years ago and has made a lot of progress since, especially improving his heading ability and movement off-the-ball. Aliadiere’s main asset is his amazing pace. He’s quick off the mark and has good acceleration. His passing game is good and he’s a sharp finisher with a great eye for goal. He’s intelligent and a danger to every defence. Arsenal manager Frenchman Arsene Venger has identified him as one of the club’s brightest hopes together with fantastic right-winger Jermaine Pennant. The two of them are likely to make a great impact on the senior Arsenal team in the not so distant future.
24.
Name: Ahmed HOSSAM
Current Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Hol)
Nationality: Egypt
Date of Birth: 23/02/83
Position: Striker/Left-Winger
Previous Clubs: Zamalek (Egy), KAA Ghent (Bel)
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.90/83
Comments: International striker Ahmed Hossam is considered as the biggest talent to come out of Egyptian football in years. The gifted African joined Belgian club Ghent during the 2000-2001 season from top Egyptian club Zamalek and immediately made a name for himself, scoring 11 goals in 22 appearances. Hossam picked up the ‘discovery of the year’ award in May 2001 beating Bruges youngster Timmy Simons. Ghent, low on finances, were willing to sell Hossam to the highest bidder. Anderlecht seemed to have clinched his signature for 3 million pounds but the transfer stalled and Hossam was quick to cross the border and sign for Ajax. Ajax manager Co Adriaanse has positioned him on the left-wing during pre-season but it is likely Hossam will play in his natural position, as a striker, during the 2001-2002 season. Hossam’s main strengths are his pace, power and trickery, which go along with excellent finishing skills. Hossam is tall and very strong in the air and likes to burst forward with the ball at his feet. His technique is superb as is his touch on the ball. He loves to nutmeg opposition defenders something which will surely award him a few admirers at the Amsterdam Arena. Hossam’s main lows are his cockiness and arrogant attitude. He can go on and become one of the best African players ever but only if he manages to contain himself. With fantastic signings such as Hossam, Ibrahimovic, Maxwell and possibly Van der Saar and with good young players such as Van der Vaart, Heitinga, Van der Gun, Van der Meyde, Cruz, Yakubu and Chivu, Ajax could well soon bloom again.
25.
Name: Leandro ROMAGNOLI
Current Club: San Lorenzo (Arg)
Nationality: Argentina
Date of Birth: 17/03/81
Position: Attacking Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 international
Height/Weight: 1.72/61
Comments: This has been an important year in the career of Leandro Romagnoli because of three main things. He has won his first major senior title (Argentinean championship with San Lorenzo), he has become a regular goal-scorer for his club side (8 goals in 37 league games as opposed to 2 goals in 35 league games last season and 1 goal in 12 games the season beforehand) and he has made a name for himself (excellent performances in the U-20 World Cup with Argentina). In my opinion Leandro Romagnoli is one of the most talented young players in Argentina, in the same brackets as players like Juan Roman Riquelme, Javier Saviola and the now departed Pablo Aimar. He’s very fast, has fantastic technique and dribbling skills, which include a vast range of tricks and flicks, he’s a good passer of the ball, an excellent crosser of the ball and recently also a good goal-scorer. However, the one thing that has kept him behind so far has been his mentality, immatureness and lazy attitude. While Riquelme, Saviola and Aimar have worked very hard in the last few seasons to become the players they now are, Romagnoli sat back and relaxed and thought it will all come easy to him. His arrogant and childish attitude on the field and out of it was not helping his career. The offers from big European clubs were not quite coming in full flow and he had a rather mediocre season with San Lorenzo. However, as I’ve previously mentioned, this has been a good year for the gifted Argentinean. The three things I mentioned seem to point out that Romagnoli has grown up a bit. He has improved tremendously (and improved his statistics as well) and proved he can lead a team on his own. The big boys from Europe are interested again and it seems a move to Europe is inevitable, probably to one of France’s big teams.
26.
Name: Benjamin AUER
Current Club: Borussia M’Gladbach (Ger)
Nationality: Germany
Date of Birth: 11/01/81
Position: Centre-Forward
Previous Clubs: Kaiserslautern (Ger), Karlsruhe (Ger)
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: 1.86/83
Comments: Fantastic talent Benjamin Auer has been a superb goalscorer at all international levels, but has actually struggled in his club career. ‘Benni’, as he’s called by the M’Gladbach supporters, started his career with Kaiserslautern’s youth team before moving to Karlsruhe. There, he played 14 games during the 1999/2000 season, mostly as a substitute, scoring once. However, at the same time he was actually starring for Germany’s youth sides, including a great performance during 2000’s European U-18 Championship, where he was joint top-scorer, together with Fin Mikael Forssell, with 3 goals. After failing to avoid relegation to the 3rd Bundesliga at Karlsruhe, Auer felt he needed a change and moved to star-maker M’Gladbach. When joining the club it was made clear to him that he will not be a regular but he accepted it knowing that M’Gladbach and coach Hans Meyer has a good track record with youngsters. And indeed Auer only played 17 games for M’Gladbach during the 2000-2001 season, mostly as a substitute, scoring only once. However, this time he wasn’t so understanding and mouthed off about his position in the press, something that sent him further down the pecking order. Not only that but Auer wasn’t really giving Meyer a reason to include him in his first team as he failed to impress in training or with the reserves. He seemed a bit lazy and not really determined to break into the team. In the summer Auer joined the German U-20 team as they went off to Argentina to take a pop at the U-20 World Cup. Again, Auer was the star player, scoring 5 times during his side’s 4 games, including a stunning hat-trick against Canada. The one thing very evident in his game was his determination. Most of his goals came after out-powering defenders and all were scored in clinical fashion. The young German looked like someone who was out to prove something. Auer was one of the most impressive players in the tournament catching the eye of some Serie A teams. Though a number of bids have came in for him there’s no way Auer will be sold by M’Gladbach, and if so it will only be for a substantial fee. The M’Gladbach management have big plans for Auer, they know they have a jewel on their hands and they’re not planning on letting him go like they did with Sebastian Deisler and Stefan Effenberg. They are now back in the 1st Bundersliga and Auer is without doubt an integral member of their plans. They know they have a future Germany international on their hands, especially with Germany’s lack of real firepower upfront. Auer is the typical German striker, but with some improvements. He’s well-built, powerful and very strong in the air. A penalty-box striker, a goal-poacher. A great finisher, sharp and accurate, deadly. He’s a hard-worker on the pitch, him dropping back to collect balls from the midfield is not a rare sight. His movement in the box is very good and he has a very good first-touch. His technique is good and he has decent dribbling skills. He is lethal in the penalty box but that’s only if he gets enough balls from the midfield. If he gets the ball in the penalty box, there’s a good chance that the opposition goalkeeper will be getting the ball out of the net after a few seconds. Getting the ball to him outside the box is a waste though as he doesn’t have the pace to take it all the way to goal. When he gets the balls in the penalty box his strength and good first touch often allow him to go past one player and shoot. He’s an accurate passer and thrives on balls who are given to him over the defence and on through balls. He’s very determined and has an excellent left-foot. He’s not a fancy finisher, always going for the simple finish but does that accurately and with a lot of power. This year will be a test for Auer, it should be his break-through year. Benjamin Auer is a top prospect and I have zero doubts about him making it big time.
27.
Name: Francesco LODI
Current Club: Empoli (Ita)
Nationality: Italy
Date of Birth: 13/03/84
Position: Attacking Central Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: 1.83/70
Comments: Italian starlet Francesco Lodi is thought by many to be one of Italy’s brightest hopes. Lodi, star of Serie B club Empoli’s youth set-up, has already been linked with major money moves to Italian Serie A giants Juventus and AS Roma. It doesn’t look like Empoli are likely to sell him this early though, as it seems the club are resting their promoting hopes on his futures. Lodi appeared for Empoli’s first team twice last season at the tender age of 16. This year, he’s due for a more central role in the team, especially with recent news about potential moves for the club’s young star, winger Marco Marchionni (About to leave for Fiorentina).
Lodi, star of Italy’s U-16 team, is a very complete player. He’s well-built, has excellent touch on the ball, fantastic ball control and a smashing left-foot. He’s very technical and a good passer of the ball. He’s imaginative, athletic and versatile. He’s a good set-piece taker as well. I wouldn’t be surprised to see Lodi playing for one of the Italian giants in a couple of years or so.
28.
Name: Ricardo Bernardo QUARESMA
Current Club: Sporting Lisbon (Spo)
Nationality: Portugal
Date of Birth: 25/09/83
Position: Left-Winger/Forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-18 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: When it comes to pure talent and skill, not many are better than this guy. Quaresma is lightning fast and has superb dribbling skills. His balance, ball control and creativity are second to none. He has a cracking left-foot as well, capable of scoring spectacular goals. His technique is fantastic and his ball skills are exquisite. He has
I'm impressed with that list to be honest, there's a hell of a lot of world class players there and there's not many brilliant 26-27 year olds who immediately spring to mind who aren't in it.
...He has a great variety of skills and tricks and he just loves to run at people. However, there’s also a big downside to his game and that’s his attitude, selfishness, poor decision-making, huge ego and the tendency he has to run at players too much instead of passing to a teammate. I hope these characteristics won’t end up ruining him, as he’s a tremendous player with bags of skill.
Quaresma scored 2 goals in 6 matches during Portugal’s successful U-16 European Championship campaign in Israel and both those goals were scored in the final, against the Czech Republic, one of them being the golden goal that won Portugal the game. I have no doubt about Quaresma growing into a very good player, the question is: how good? It’ll all be about him and the decisions he takes at the end of the day.
29.
Name: Massimo DONATI
Current Club: AC Milan (Ita)
Nationality: Italian
Date of Birth: 26/03/81
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Atalanta (Ita)
International Status: U-21 International
Height/Weight: 1.86/75
Comments: Donati is a classy central midfielder who combines good attacking and defending skills. Considered as the best central midfield talent in Italy, and one of the best in the world, Donati was signed by AC Milan for 10 million pounds at the end of the 99/00 season but was loaned back to Atalanta because AC Milan thought he needs more Serie A experience. Donati had a great season for Atalanta, who were the surprise package in Italy. Milan decided to get him back into their side and straight into the first team squad as well. Donati is an excellent short passer who likes to spread the play around, usually keeping it quite simple. He’s good in the air, has a nice touch on the ball and a great shot from distance. His technique is superb and he is very strong, always showing willingness to get stuck in. Donati is not too far from a call-up to the senior International side though the ones keeping him out of there at the moment are actually his AC Milan teammates: Rino Gattuso and Dimitrio Albertini.
30.
Name: Erdal KILICASLAN
Current Club: FC Bayern Munich (Ger)
Nationality: German
Date of Birth: 29/08/84
Position: Centre-forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Kilicaslan is another fine player who possibly stands a chance of making it at star-studded Bayern Munich. Kilicaslan leads the line for Germany’s U-16 team and his biggest game so far in a Germany shirt took place in the 8-2 mauling of Romania in the group stage of 2001’s European U-16 Championship (where he scored a stunning hat-trick). The German hit-man, who originates from Turkey, is a player who possesses a wide range of different skills. He’s tall, strong, built-well and is cool under pressure. But Kilicaslan is not only about power, the boy can play as well. He can carry the ball himself or hold up the ball until he gets support. He also has good vision, not really typical of a big man. He has a lot of tricks and he turns very well. He’s not your typical Ulf Kirsten-style centre-forward. He’s not completely different of course, he’s definitely that type of player, but he has some improvements. He’s not fast but I wouldn’t name his relative lack of pace a flaw. Kilicaslan is a very good finisher as well and his arsenal of finishes is very diverse and includes strikes from different ranges. I don’t really know if Kilicaslan will make it at Bayern. I think he definitely has the talent and the attitude to do so but Bayern aren’t really ones to give an in-experienced striker a run out in the first team. Maybe he’ll have to move on in order to get his chance, maybe not, but whatever happens, Kilicaslan has the skill to be a success in world football.
31.
Name: Jermaine DEFOE
Current Club: West Ham United (Eng)
Nationality: England
Date of Birth: 10/07/82
Position: Forward
Previous Clubs: Charlton Athletic (Eng)
International Status: U-21 International
Height/Weight: 1.70/65
Comments: A small nippy forward, quick off the mark, fantastic finisher and a player of great movement, he is uncannily similar to Ian Wright. DeFoe hit the headlines last year playing on loan at Bournemouth because he scored in 10 consecutive games, a new record. The most remarkable thing about this run of form was the variety with which these goals were scored, long distance, in the box, headers, chips, all were included, which goes to show how much talent and awareness the youngster has. He is sure to be the next on the Upton Park talent conveyor belt, and it would be surprising if he isn’t a regular by the end of next season, especially with fans and players alike calling for a regular goalscorer. DeFoe has recently made his debut for England’s U-21 side after being promoted from the U-18s.
32.
Name: Julio COLOMBO
Current Club: Montpellier HSC (Fra)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: ??/??/84
Position: Central Defender/Left-Back
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Colombo helped France’s U-16 team reach the final of the U-16 European Championship with a string of cultured displays at the heart of the defence and on the flank. However, it was his alleged hand-ball in the penalty-box that awarded Spain a penalty towards the end of that final (which Fernando Jose Torres happily converted). Nevertheless, it doesn’t change the fact Colombo had a very good tournament. Until the final, the French team hadn’t conceded even a single goal, not even in the qualifying round. Colombo reminds a bit of Thuram in stature, not huge but well built and quite strong. He’s comfortable with the ball and passes it well, both to his defence-partners and upwards to the attackers. He’s not lightning fast but I wouldn’t class him as slow. He’s very strong in the tackle, determined and good in the air as well. He’s got good vision for a defender and can operate in different formations equally well (as a left-back or left-sided centre-back). He’s got a strong shot as well though he doesn’t support the attack too often and if he does opt to leave his defensive position, he doesn’t go too deeply. Like many French defenders, even the best of them, including Thuram, he has a tendency of playing too much with the ball instead of keeping it simple. Technique and good dribbling skills is a good thing but a defender shouldn’t use them excessively. I certainly don’t think Colombo is the finished article yet but he seems like a good prospect for the future. Foreign clubs are already sniffing around him but I think it’s too early for him to leave.
33.
Name: Marius Constantin NICULAE
Current Club: Sporting Lisbon (Por)
Nationality: Romania
Date of Birth: 16/05/81
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: Dinamo Bucharest (Rom)
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.84/79
Comments: Young marksman Marius Niculae is thought of as one of the most promising players in Romania. Last season he scored 13 goals in 27 games for his club. The 20-year-old striker has already made his debut for the Romanian national team and even scored a couple of good goals against Hungary and a long-range cracker on his full debut against Latvia. Despite interesting many of Europe’s elite clubs including Real Madrid, Juventus, Bayer Leverkusen and various Italian teams (He almost joined Lecce last season), Niculae insisted he was to continue his progress playing for Dinamo Bucharest. However, a move to one of Europe’s big clubs was inevitable, as his club, Dinamo, were suffering from financial difficulties. Niculae joined Sporting Lisbon and is hoping to star there this season. Niculae is predominantly left-footed though he’s not bad with his right one as well and can score with either foot. He’s powerful, well-built and not bad in the air (though he doesn’t score enough with his head). For quite a big man he has fantastic pace and is very quick. He’s good with the ball at his feet and despite not having overwhelming dribbling skills he can go past players occasionally. Though Niculae isn’t really a centre-forward, he can hold up the ball well and shield it with his body strength. He’s intelligent, a hard-worker and is a constant mover on the pitch, both on and off the ball. Niculae has the talent to become a leading player in European football and with him, Mutu, Chivu, Petre and others Romania could be the dark-horses of next year’s World Cup in Korea and Japan.
34.
Name: Jaime GAVILAN Martinez
Current Club: Valencia (Spa)
Nationality: Spain
Date of Birth: 22/04/84
Position: Left-Winger
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Silver-quick left-winger Jaime Gavilan was one of the star attractions in Spain’s quest for 2001’s European U-16 Championship. The pacey forward scored 2 goals during the tournament and assisted many others including 2 important goals during Spain’s 3-0 defeat of Niko Kranjcar’s Croatia in the semi-final stage. The skillful Gavilan is a typical winger. He’s very fast, has quick feet, good technique and a nice touch on the ball. He’s a good crosser of the ball as well and is a player of great off-the-ball movement. He likes to drop deep into midfield but also play next to the strikers. He has a lot of options when running down the flank, often opting to cut-inside but sometimes deciding to continue running and opt for a cross. He reminds a lot of Vicente, Valencia’s up-and-coming left-winger currently making shockwaves in Spain. In that tussle I would rate Vicente as the better player but that’s just because Vicente is probably one of the most promising players in world football at the moment. As a player of his own right, Gavilan will undoubtedly succeed, but I’m not too sure if it’s going to be for Valencia.
35.
Name: Fabricio COLOCCINI
Current Club: Alaves (Spa) - On loan from AC Milan (Ita)
Nationality: Argentina
Date of Birth: 22/01/82
Position: Central Defender/Sweeper
Previous Clubs: Boca Juniors (Arg), San Lorenzo (Arg) - (One year loan)
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: 1.83/78
Comments: Highly-rated defender Fabricio Coloccini won the Argentinean championship with San Lorenzo last season after putting in some cultured displays. The youngster was one of the most impressive defenders in the league, if not the most impressive one. The young Argentinean then joined his international teammates and won the U-20 World Cup with them, pitching in with 2 fabulously headed goals. However, I wouldn’t call the tournament such a success for Coloccini. Though he wasn’t awful or even bad, he didn’t really stand out in his defensive skills. His passing and technique were superb but in the few times he really had to show good defensive skills, he failed. AC Milan probably saw that as well and decided to loan him out again, this time to Spanish side Alaves, where he will have his first experience of European football. The curly-haired defender, captain of Argentina’s U-20 team, is nonetheless a very promising prospect. He’s good in the air, a threat at corners and free-kicks and is cool and secure. He has good organizational skills and simplicity in his game that oozes class. Unlike many defenders he prefers to stick with short balls instead of hacking it up field to the strikers. However, Coloccini still has a few lows in his game. Firstly, his response is very slow, something that makes him quite a mediocre man-marker. Quick strikers can often go past him with relative ease. The same goes for strikers who possess quick-feet and good trickery. All in all though, Coloccini is a very good defender and quite possibly a future international.
36.
Name: Kim KALLSTROM
Current Club: BK Hacken (Swe)
Nationality: Sweden
Date of Birth: 24/08/82
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.82/83
Comments: Combative midfielder Kim Kallstrom is seen as one of the rising forces of Swedish football. Together with players such as Zlatan Ibrahimovic (Ajax), Tonton Mkouko (Derby County), Bojan Djordjic (Manchester United), Pontus Farnerud (Monaco), Alex Farnerud (Landskrona), Johan Elmander (Feyenoord) and Kennedy Bakircioglu (Hammarby) he is seen as the player who will lead Sweden into the World Cup in 2006. Kallstrom is a physical, powerful central midfielder, blessed with excellent passing skills. He has appeared in the U-16 European Championship with Sweden twice, in 1998 and in 1999 (he was the side’s captain in the 1999 tournament). Kallstrom enjoyed a tremendously successful first season in Swedish football, helping his club side Hacken avoid relegation and making his breakthrough at international level. The young starlet was awarded the ‘rookie of the year’ award and was identified as one of the best three midfielders in the Swedish league. Kallstrom is a humble person with a very down-to-earth attitude and good work-rate. A central role in the Hacken team, Kallstrom dictates the play very well. The youngster, who made his Swedish League debut at 15, blends good offensive ability with equally good defensive skills. He’s a good tackler, never afraid to get stuck in. He’s not only about power though. He has fantastic vision and excellent distribution skills. His decision-making is superb and he makes few errors. The only thing he might have to improve is his movement and pace off the ball. Kallstrom has already had trials at Udinese, PSV Eindhoven, Ajax and Tottenham but says none of these clubs felt right for him. In my opinion Kallstrom has the skill and ethics to be an important player for one of Europe’s elite clubs.
37.
Name: Johnnier MONTANO
Current Club: AC Parma (Ita)
Nationality: Colombia
Date of Birth: 14/01/83
Position: Central Attacking Midfielder/Forward
Previous Clubs: America Cali (Col), Quimes (Col)
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.74/73
Comments: Montano burst onto the scene as a 16-year-old in the Toulon tournament a few years back, playing mainly against players five years older than him, he was the star of the tournament and destroyed many defences. He is mainly utilised as a forward, but can play in a deeper role and even in a wide midfield role. After his sudden emergence his form slumped a bit, as is expected with young players, but at the end of last season he was producing the kind of form which made so many people so excited about him. His most prominent feature is his pace, he has very quick acceleration that can cause havoc in and around the box, and he is a confident finisher. Montano’s weaker side at the moment is his first touch, which is still a bit rough, and his decision-making, which should be improved. For a player of Johnnier’s age to have achieved so much already is quite remarkable, and the scary thing is, he is only 18 and has a lot of time on his side!
38.
Name: Carlos GARCIA
Current Club: Espanyol (Spa)
Nationality: Spain
Date of Birth: ??/??/84
Position: Central Defender
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Captain of the Spanish U-16 team, Garcia lifted the European U-16 trophy earlier this year with Spain. And indeed, Garcia reminds a lot of another Spaniard who has lifted many trophies in his life, Real Madrid stalwart Fernando Hierro. The similarity is quite astounding really. Both are tall, well-built players. Both are captains of their international side and have excellent leadership skills. Both are slow and have very slow response to the surroundings, both are very intelligent though and read the game superbly. Both are fantastic tacklers (especially Garcia) and have long legs enabling them to reach distanced balls, both are excellent in the air, both can play in the defensive midfield area as well, both have good organisational skills and both are good passers of the ball. Obviously their problem is handling quick, nippy strikers, a la Michael Owen. Out-powering them is a hard thing to do but out-pacing them is certainly doable. If it has worked out this good for Hierro then there’s no reason for it not to work out for Garcia. He certainly won’t be the first star to come out of star-maker Espanyol, with previous big names being Ivan Helguera, Tony Velamezan, Raul Tamudo, Sergio Gonzales and Joan Capdevilla.
39.
Name: LEONARDO Santiago
Current Club: Feyenoord (Hol)
Nationality: Brazil
Date of Birth: 09/03/83
Position: Left-Winger
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: -
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: A tricky left-winger, signed as a young kid and brought to Holland from the Jota-Jota youth academy in Brazil, his talent and ability is there for everyone to see. He can make magic with the ball at his feet. His biggest problem is that he tends to over-run the ball, trying to be too elaborate and run the game on his own, it is a trait that could hamper his development, but is being worked on by the management at Feyenoord. He was involved in a spot of controversy last year over his claims to an EU passport, but it all came to nothing, and unlike some of his fellow professionals he didn’t receive any sort of ban. He has the potential to be a superstar, but there is a big difference between potential and performance, and Leonardo needs to become a more disciplined player if he is to have the career that his talent deserves.
40.
Name: Christian PETEREIT
Current Club: Schalke 04 (Ger)
Nationality: Germany
Date of Birth: 01/02/84
Position: Right-Back/Central Defender
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Wonderful right-back Christian Petereit was in my opinion one of the most impressive defenders in 2001’s European Championship. The young stalwart wasn’t only impressive due to his defensive ability but also due to his ability to support the attack and even score goals. Petereit’s best game was undoubtedly in the 8-2 thrashing of Romania, where he scored what was probably the best goal of the tournament, waltzing past three or four defenders before slotting the ball easily past the Romanian keeper. However, Petereit’s defensive ability is fantastic as well. He’s wonderful in the air, aggressive, a good tackler and has excellent technique. Petereit is cool and composed, sometimes even looking a bit nonchalant, or even lazy, as it all comes so easy for him. He has close control and is very good going forward. He’s not really a wing-back, he likes to cut-inside and go through the middle. He’s tall and dangerous at corners and free-kicks. He can play as a right-back but also as a right-sided centre-back in a 3-men defence. I expect Petereit to break into the Schalke first team in 2-3 years and probably become a regular, possibly in the German national team as well.
41.
Name: Alex PEDERZOLI
Current Club: Juventus (Ita)
Nationality: Italy
Date of Birth: 06/03/84
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: Bologna (Ita)
International Status: U-16 international
Height/Weight: 1.74/73
Comments: Elegant midfielder Alex Pederzoli is rated as a future first team member of Juventus. The classy U-16 international is considered as the star player in the Italian U-16 team, together with teammates Francesco Lodi, Alberto Aquilani and Gianpaolo Pazzini. Pederzoli actually reminds a lot of AC Milan midfielder Massimo Donati. He’s got good vision, is very technical and has a great touch on the ball. He’s a real pivotal member of the squad, spreading the play well, sending through-balls, short-passes, long-balls and so on. Though his vision is superb the quality of his passes is still not of the highest level. The idea is right but the accuracy is not always there. Though he’s not a real combative midfielder he can tackle as well and likes to get stuck in. I think he has a good future in the game, both at club and international level though Italy have a lot of good young players in his position, particularly the likes of Massimo Donati, Roberto Baronio, Demertrio Albertini, Rino Gattuso, Matteo Brighi and Massimo Ambrosini.
42.
Name: Henrique Souza EWERTHON
Current Club: Corinthians (Bra)
Nationality: Brazil
Date of Birth: 06/10/81
Position: Forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: Senior International
Height/Weight: 1.75/65
Comments: Talented forward Ewerthon was the joint top-scorer of the recent South-American U-20 Championship together with Brazil strike-partner Adriano. The two young sensations formed a deadly partnership and led Brazil to first place in the tournament which awarded them a place in the U-20 World Cup in Argentina. And indeed, Ewerthon and Adriano complement each other fantastically. While Adriano is a big old-fashioned style centre-forward, Ewerthon is a lightning-fast, nippy forward who loves to burst forward with the ball. Ewerthon has fantastic, close control and good dribbling skills. He breezes past defenders with ease and creates many goal-scoring opportunities for himself. The downside of his game is being a bit too selfish at times and wasting many goal-scoring chances. He’s not too strong as well. However, Ewerthon is still young and has a lot of time to work on his game and improve it. In my opinion he’s a poor man’s version of new PSG-signing Ronaldinho Gaucho. Like Ronaldinho, Ewerthon has already made his debut for the senior Brazilian side currently in shambles.
43.
Name: Alexander LUDWIG
Current Club: Werder Bremen (Ger)
Nationality: Germany
Date of Birth: 31/01/84
Position: Left-Winger
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-16 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Another player from the excellent Germany U-16 side. Ludwig has a great variety of different skills. He’s naturally left-footed but he’s equally good with his right as well. The first thing I’d mention about him is his ability at set-piece situations. He has an excellent amount of curl and strength on his free-kicks and is very accurate when trying to find a teammate’s head in the box, if it’s from free-kicks or corners. Ludwig is strong, well-built, an excellent dribbler and has a fair share of pace. He’s an absolutely wonderful crosser of the ball and his work-rate is very good as well. He’s also very helpful when defending, always tracking back down his flank to help the left-back. His awareness is still not perfect though and he’s often seen losing the odd ball needlessly. His movement is superb though and he’s versatile as well, able to play on both flanks. Bremen has an excellent left-side player in former Germany U-21 international Stefan Blank but when the time arrives for Blank to move to a bigger club I believe Ludwig will be an able successor.
44.
Name: Dean ASHTON
Current Club: Crewe Alexandria (Eng)
Nationality: England
Date of Birth: 23/11/83
Position: Centre-Forward
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-17 International
Height/Weight: 1.85/80
Comments: Crewe-starlet Dean Ashton has been marked out as the next bright star to come out of the Crewe production line, previously nurturing the likes of Danny Murphy, Seth Johnson, David Platt, Neil Lennon, Rob Jones and Geoff Thomas. Ashton came to prominence towards the end of the 2000/2001 season when injuries to the club’s regular strikers forced legendary manager Dario Gradi to install the youngster into his first team. And Ashton did not disappoint. He went on to score 8 goals that season helping Crewe avoid relegation to the English Second Division. Ashton is seen by many as the next Alan Shearer, mainly due to his body size and physique. Ashton is powerfully-built and is fantastic in the air. He holds up the ball well and can carry it too. He’s fantastic in the box latching on to rebounds and crosses. Scouts from top English clubs such as Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United and Leeds have flocked to Crewe’s games only to get a glimpse of the young sensation. Arsenal have reportedly had a 2 million pounds offer rejected for him and Liverpool are supposed to be very interested as well and could be seen as favourites due to an arrangement they have with the Crewe management regarding first option on promising youngsters.
45.
Name: John HEITINGA
Current Club: Ajax Amsterdam (Hol)
Nationality: Holland
Date of Birth: 15/11/83
Position: Central Defender/Left-back/Central Defensive Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Captain of Holland’s U-20 team at the age of 17, Heitinga is seen as one of the most promising defenders in Holland. The young stalwart can operate in the centre of defence (his natural position) and on the left, as an attacking left-back. He can even operate as a central midfielder from time to time but I don’t feel his passing skills are quite good enough to play there, though he is very good offensively. Heitinga is a technical defender, a good short passer but not a brilliant long passer. He’s strong, especially for his age and good in the air. His positioning at the current stage of his development is not perfect yet but he can work on that and he certainly has time on his hands. Heitinga’s tackling is not perfect too, he too-often mistimes his challenges, resulting in foolish yellow cards or sending offs. Though he is not huge, Heitinga is rather strong and is hard to out-muscle. He deals with fast strikers decently, though not brilliantly. Heitinga is a very good prospect, there are times one can see some brilliant aspects in his game but he still has a few soft-spots to work on. Heitinga hasn’t made his senior Ajax debut yet but is expected to do so this season. It will be hard for him to break into the senior Ajax team though, with Chivu, Pasanen, Galasek, Yakubu and co. currently doing a good job. Nevertheless, if he will indeed work on the few lows currently apparent in his game he certainly will have a place in the senior Ajax team, not to mention the senior Holland squad.
46.
Name: Hugo Miguel VIANA
Current Club: Sporting Lisbon (Por)
Nationality: Portugal
Date of Birth: 15/01/83
Position: Central Midfielder
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-18 International
Height/Weight: ??/??
Comments: Viana led Portugal to the European U-16 crown in 2000, giving some fantastic performances during the tournament, which took place in Israel. The powerful lad was influential in his side’s success pivoting the play and spreading it. The Barcelos-born youngster hasn’t yet made his debut for the senior club but there’s no doubt he’ll make it to the first team during the next season, or the one after. Viana is very well-built. He’s strong and tackles well. He’s not all about power though, not at all. He has a lot more than that to his game. His technique is fantastic and his distribution is very good too. He has an alarming shot from distance and a good goal-scoring record for Portugal’s various youth sides. He’s good in the air and can carry the ball as well as spread it wide effectively. I expect him to partner Carlos Martins in the senior Sporting side as well as for Portugal’s senior side in about five years or so.
47.
Name: Filip TROJAN
Current Club: Schalke 04 (Ger)
Nationality: Czech Republic
Date of Birth: 21/02/83
Position: Left-Winger/Forward
Previous Clubs: ?
International Status: U-18 International
Height/Weight: 1.72/69
Comments: Czech youngster Filip Trojan has signed his first professional contract with German club Schalke 04 this summer. The Czech wizard was promoted to the first team after impressing with the club’s youth side, for whom he scored many goals. And goalscoring is indeed a feature of Trojan’s game. The youngster first came to prominence during 2000’s European U-16 Championship, scoring 4 goals in 6 games from his deep left-winger position, leading the Czechs to the final only to be beaten by Portugal. The youngster then led the Czech U-18 team to the final of 2001’s European U-18 Championship, scoring 1 goal and impressing throughout. Trojan is a Ryan Giggs style winger, always relishing the chance to take on players or go for goal. The main features of his game are great pace, a lot of strength despite not being the biggest, fantastic crossing ability, a great left-foot and superb ability from free-kicks. Trojan is a very accurate player and has excellent dribbling skills. He’s got good balance and a good eye for goal. Trojan is set to be farmed out to one of Schalke’s reserve teams playing in the 3rd division. Breaking into the Schalke side will be hard for him though as Schalke have two of the best left-wingers in Germany, internationals Jorg Bohme and Gerald Asamoah.
48.
Name: Oleksii BIELIK
Current Club: Shakhtyor Donetsk (Ukr)
Nationality: Ukraine
Date of Birth: 15/02/81
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: 1.84/73
Comments: Deadly striker Oleksii Bielik is considered the no.1 talent in the Ukraine. The young marksman first made a name for himself during 2000’s U-18 European Championship where he almost single-handedly led Ukraine to the final, only to lose to Djibril Cisse’s France. However, even though he is highly thought-of back home Bielik is not yet a regular in Donetsk, despite impressing whenever he’s been given the chance, including during the 3-0 Champions League thrashing of Arsenal, where he scored his side’s 3rd goal. Bielik never really got a sustained run in the first team and when the club opted to sign highly-rated Nigerian forward Julius Aghahowa for an Ukrainian record fee of 5 million pounds the young hitman slid even further down the pecking order. The home-grown talent felt frustrated at his lack of first team chances and went out with it publicly saying he is not happy with the current situation and that he’s very likely to leave. He was very happy when the time for the U-20 WC came, as it was a good stage for him to showcase his talent. Though the lacklustre Ukrainian team disappointed, Bielik certainly impressed scoring 3 goals in 4 matches. For the time being Bielik is still a Shakhtyor player but it seems ever so likely that the young striker will leave for a bigger team during the season.
49.
Name: Gael GIVET
Current Club: AS Monaco (Fra)
Nationality: France
Date of Birth: 05/10/81
Position: Central Defender/Left-Back
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: 1.81/85
Comments: Gael Givet is a talented France U-20 international who has performed for France at U-16, U-18 and U-20 levels. Givet won 2000’s European U-18 Championship with France giving some excellent displays. The long-haired Givet is a well-built left-footed defender, who operates in the centre or on the left. However, in my opinion he is not good enough to play on the left, as he sometimes struggles with fast, tricky wingers. Also, he’s not that helpful when attacking so he’s a bit of a waste on the flank. Nevertheless, Givet is a very stable defender. He’s good in the air, has excellent technique and a nice touch on the ball. He’s usually a very good passer as well. He’s not error-prone and his positioning is good. He’s a good tackler and his timing is very good too. Givet only made 1 appearance for Monaco last season but with the departures of defenders Philippe Christanval (Barcelona) and John Arne Riise (Liverpool) he is likely to get more minutes next season. I think Givet is likely to be a Monaco regular in a year or two and even an international player in the future.
50.
Name: Tomas JUN
Current Club: Sparta Prague (Cze)
Nationality: Czech Republic
Date of Birth: 17/01/83
Position: Striker
Previous Clubs: None
International Status: U-20 International
Height/Weight: 1.77/74
Comments: Tomas Jun is considered as one of the best young hopes of Czech football, together with Borussia Dortmund midfielder Tomas Rosicky, Banik Ostrava centre-forward Milan Baros and Schalke 04 left-winger Filip Trojan. The young striker is actually the youngest ever player to play in the Czech league after making his debut last season. Jun’s main characteristics are quick-feet, close control, agility and a good nose for goal. He’s rather small and is weak in the air but he has good dribbling skills and decent pace. He’s a fox in the box and has tremendous goalscoring records wherever he’s played. His record for the Czech Republic at U-16 and U-18 level is quite superb, 16 goals in 14 official matches. Jun led the Czech U-16 side to the final of the U-16 European Championship in Israel (2000) scoring 7 goals in 6 games during the tournament. Despite Jun scoring a goal in the final against Portugal, the Czechs lost the match conceding 2 goals from livewire winger Ricardo Quaresma. Jun recently played for the Czech U-20 side in the World Youth Championship in Argentina scoring 2 goals in 5 matches (The Czech Republic went out in the Quarter-Finals stage after losing 1-0 to Paraguay). Jun’s scoring record over the years is fantastic but now’s the time for him to prove he can cut the mustard at senior level as well.
Close Candidates
The players below were very close to making it into the list (some of them are probably just as good as players who are on the list, but 50 places were just not enough to fit everyone).
Niko Kranjcar (Dinamo Zagreb, STR) - Croatia U-16 star, blessed with wonderful offensive skills and good finishing qualities. Tall, not too pacey but with excellent ball-skills and superb technique.
Rubinho (Corinthians, GK) - Fantastic Brazil U-20 goalkeeper with one of the safest hands I’ve ever seen. Fantastic reflexes as well. Like most Brazilian goalies a bit dodgy on decision-making.
Helder Positga (FC Porto, CFWD) - Big, strong centre-forward blessed with great strength in the air, scores a lot of headers and makes good movement in the box.
Brian Howard (Southampton, AM/LM) - England U-17 offensive midfielder who can play on the left flank as well as in the centre. Fast, creative and a good passer of the ball. An excellent prospect, Manchester United have been reportedly eyeing him.
Mark Peters (Southampton, STR) - 17-year-old goalscorer who has broken all academy records scoring for fun whenever he’s had the chance.
Stefan Moore (Aston Villa, STR) - Wonderful England U-17 striker with a great touch on the ball and superb finishing qualities. A classy performer capable of fantastic things.
Marco Ferro (AC Pistoiese, STR) - Long-haired forward who possesses a lot of skill on the ball, good movement, always asking for the ball. Has a good shot from all ranges and is a good finisher.
Vincent Pericard (Juventus, STR) - Long-legged striker signed by Juventus last year. Star of France’s U-17 team, has good skill on the ball and is very powerful. A good goalscorer as well.
Alberto Aquilani (AS Roma, CM) - Classy central-midfielder in the Albertini mould, a good tackler, strong, technical, not a brilliant passer though. Almost signed for Chelsea but his excessive wage demands hampered the deal.
Ricardo Costa (Boavista, CB) - Captain of Portugal’s U-16 team that won the European Championship in 1998 and currently captain of Portugal’s U-20 team that recently won the Toulon tournament. Strong, a leader, reads the game well, a very powerful tackler, good in the air and has a quick response to the surroundings. A bit too hasty at times and should improve his passing.
Hassan Yebda (AJ Auxerre, CM) - Fantastic France U-16 power-house, the unsung hero of the side. Extremely powerful, long-legged, strong in the tackle and always likes to keep it simple. Not a brilliant player but a player any side needs, a terrific prospect. Aston Villa are apparently interested.
Gael Maia (Girondins de Bordeaux, CM) - Yebda’s partner at the centre of midfield for France U-16, not as powerful or as big but a better passer of the ball who possesses good vision and good organizational skills.
Florent Shaigneau (Stade Rennes, GK) - France U-16 goalkeeper, steady and comfortable with the ball at his feet. Has good kicking and is excellent on crosses.
Jacques Faty (Stade Rennes, CB) - Extremely powerful France U-16 centre-half, not as good as Julio Colombo but still a very good prospect. Excellent in the air, a strong tackler and leads the ball out of defence well.
Sebastian Grax (AS Monaco, STR) - Fantastic French U-16 striker, fast, tricky and possesses great vision. A good finisher and a fantastic passer of the ball. A top talent capable of great things.
Youssef Sofiane (AJ Auxerre, STR) - Another excellent France U-16 striker, maybe not as classy as Grax but powerful, pacey and with excellent finishing skills. Linked with Aston Villa.
Kevin Jackmot (Lyon, L/WNG) - Lightning fast left-winger in the Robert Pires mould, tracks back well and has good vision. A bit raw though and the accuracy in his passes, shots, etc is still not good enough for top-class football.
Francisco Tarantino (Athletic Bilbao, LB) - Wonderful Spain U-16 left-back, fast, technical, helps the attack well, has good defensive qualities and is a good passer of the ball. Has an extremely quick response and is an excellent prospect for the future.
Gorka Larrea Garcia “Busy” Bauza (Real Sociedad, R/WNG) - Mendieta-like Spain U-16 right-winger, has good pace and excellent passing and crossing skills. A team-player who likes to try his luck from distance. Quality player.
Gianpaolo Pazzini (Atalanta, CFWD) - Big, strong Italy U-16 centre-forward who turns well and is a good finisher. Has a good nose for goal and his positioning is excellent.
Pedro Oliveira (FC Porto, FWD) - Lightning fast Portugal U-20 forward, very technical and is an excellent dribbler. Can play on the left-flank or in the centre, he’s a danger to every defence with his pace and trickery.
Fernando Macedo “Nano” (FC Barcelona, L/WNG) - Big Spain U-18 left-winger, starred for Barcelona against Valencia a couple of years ago but hasn’t been awarded a chance in the first team ever since. A pacey left-winger who has good dribbling skills and a ferocious shot from all distances. A powerful runner capable of great things.
Michael Chopra (Newcastle, STR) - Star of Newcastle’s youth sides and an England U-17 international, a penalty-box striker who has a good touch on the ball and good finishing skills.
Michael Zepek (Bayer Leverkusen, CB) - Germany U-20 captain who disappointed during the U-20 World Cup in Argentina. Was bought by Leverkusen from Karlsruhe this summer. Technical, strong and leads the ball out of defence well. Too inconsistent at the moment but senior football should do him well.
Landon Donovan (San-Jose Earthquakes, STR) - Senior USA international, set to be on loan to the US side from Bayer Leverkusen for the next 4 years, Donovan is a pacey runner who has a good touch on the ball and excellent finishing qualities.
DeMarcus Beasley (Chicago Fire, L/WNG) - USA U-20 international Beasley is a fast and strong left-winger, a good crosser of the ball who likes to carry the ball whenever he can. His decision-making is still not perfect though as is his goalscoring record.
Bobby Convey (DC United, AM) - Small yet extremely talented US U-20 international, failed to impress during the U-20 World Cup. Excellent technically and very pacey but at the same time frail and spends a lot of time on the ground. English Premier-league outfits Ipswich and Newcastle have shown interest in him.
Tomas Guzman (Juventus, AM/STR) - Star of Juventus’ youth side and Paraguay’s U-20 team, Guzman is a gifted attacker who likes to drop back and deal with a bit of play-making. He’s a good dribbler though he’s not extremely pacey. He’s good in the box as well and scores his fair share of goals.
Keith Kelly (PSG, CM) - Strong and imaginative central midfielder, star player of Jamaica’s U-20 team, an excellent passer of the ball, both short and long. Kelly is a good tackler and a very complete player. Despite being only 17, he was in my opinion one of the revelations of the U-20 World Cup. PSG have a gem on their hands.
Christoph Preuss (Eintract Frankfurt, R\WB) - Wonderful Germany U-20 right-sided wing-back who loves to help in attack. Very fast and an excellent crosser of the ball Preuss can score from free-kicks and corners despite not being the biggest. He’s a team player and has excellent technique. He’s a wonderful passer of the ball, especially for long-ranges. His vision is superb and he’s a fantastic prospect for the future.
Hassan Ahamada (Nantes, FWD/WNG) - Very pacey France U-20 striker who won 2000’s European U-18 Championship with France and the 2001 Championnat with his club side Nantes. Ahamada is a tricky attacker capable of scoring good goals. He is a player capable of playing on the wing, where I feel he is at his best, rather than in the centre where he is often positioned at Nantes.
Tuomas Aho (My-Pa, CB) - Strong and stable Finland U-20 centre-half who is an exact duplicate of Liverpool’s Sammy Hyypia. Tall, powerfully-built and a good tackler, Aho is already reportedly interesting Liverpool. Despite not being the fastest Aho’s positioning and long-legs give him an advantage on attackers. He’s also superb in the air. A terrific prospect.
Mika Vayrynen (Heerenveen, AM) - A very talented Finland U-20 international. Likes to dictate the play and is an excellent dribbler who possesses good vision and excellent passing skills. His diving antics are not a pretty site though.
Daniel Sjolund (Liverpool, STR) - Talented Finland U-20 striker who started his career at star-making Swedish team Brommapojkarna before moving to West Ham United where he developed an excellent partnership with Jermaine DeFoe. Despite being happy at West Ham Sjolund moved to Liverpool last season for a reported fee of 1 million pounds. Sjolund is a pacey striker who has a good touch on the ball and excellent finishing skills. He’s a real fox in the box and has a good nose for goal.
Winston Parks (Limonense, STR) - Strong and tricky striker who impressed with Costa Rica’s U-20 team at the World Youth Cup. A player of great strength and excellent, close control he is also a great finisher. It’s fair to assume that we’ll soon see him performing in Europe.
Sebastian Pardo (Universidad de Chile, AM) - Star of Chile’s U-20 team he was fantastic during the South-American U-20 Championship but rather disappointed during the U-20 World Cup. A player of great skill he is an able playmaker who has good vision and excellent passing skills.
Leonardo Ponzio (Newell’s Old Boys, RM) - Argentina U-20 international who impressed during the U-20 World Cup with some very good displays of excellent passing and good movement.
Mauro Rosales (Newell’s Old Boys, R/WNG) - Fantastic Argentina U-20 right-winger who reminds a lot of Inter Milan’s Uruguayan Alvaro Recoba. Rosales is fast, tricky and a good crosser of the ball but a bit too frail for top-class football at the moment.
Daniel Cimen (Eintract Frankfurt, CB/LB) - Fantastic Germany U-16 defender. Was the captain of the Germany U-15s but was called up by Germany’s U-16 coach for 2001’s European U-16 Championship where he gave some very assured displays. Strong, good in the air and an excellent tackler, Cimen is an excellent prospect for the future.
Douglas Sisenado Maicon (Cruziero, R/WB) - Wonderful Brazil U-20 right-sided wing-back, blessed with superb dribbling skills, fantastic pace, two excellent feet, a strong shot from distance and superb crossing ability. His defensive side is a bit suspect so it seems likely he’ll play in a more offensive position in the future where he will be able to truly showcase his talents. A terrific prospect poised for great things.
Moritz Volz (Arsenal, RB/RM) - Strong and pacey Germany U-18 right-sided player, is bound to make his break-through at Arsenal this year after winning the FA Youth Cup for the last two years. A cultured right-back who is a good passer of the ball. Blends good attacking skills with equally good defensive ones.
Matteo Brighi (Juventus, CM) - Wonderful Italy U-21 central-midfielder who was bought by Juventus last year. A good tackler who possesses good technique and excellent passing skills. Has a fantastic shot from distance and is not half bad in the air too.
Sam Dalla Bona (Chelsea, CM) - Strong and technical central midfielder set to move away from Chelsea, probably to one of the Milan clubs. A good passer of the ball and an excellent tackler who made his break-through at Chelsea during the 2000-2001 season.
Bojan Djordjic (Manchester United, L/WNG) - A fantastic left-winger in the Ryan Giggs mould. Has excellent pace, an excellent left-foot and fantastic crossing ability. Djordjic is an excellent prospect who has a great variety of different finishes. A star for United’s reserves last season, Djordjic’s main problem is his ego. Belgrade-born but has so far played for Sweden, though he’s pondering a future with Yugoslavia after falling out with his Sweden U-21 coach. Is set to play some part in United’s first team this season.
Gaetano D’Agostino (AS Roma, STR) - Strong and technical striker who possesses an excellent left-foot. An Italy U-21 international who might be farmed out on loan to Bari this season.
Tounton Mkouko (Derby County, FWD) - Strong and pacey attacker who has not really settled at Derby but nevertheless produced quality displays for the club’s reserve and youth sides. A very talented player set to star for the first team in a year or two.
John Van Beukering (Vitesse, STR) - Holland U-18 striker who has already made his debut for Vitesse, and scored twice. A penalty-box striker and a great goal-poacher, he starred for the Dutch during 2000’s European U-16 Championship. A great finisher who has a good touch on the ball.
Luis Lourenco da Silva (Sporting Lisbon, FWD) - Lourenco is a small, nippy striker with a lot of skill and an excellent left-foot. Together with midfielder Carlos Martins, defender Ricardo Costa, forward Pedro Oliviera and centre-forward Helder Postiga, he starred during 2001’s Toulon tournament scoring 3 goals and leading Portugal to the title with a good 2-1 win over last year’s winners, Colombia. Angolan-born Lourenco is extremely agile, has good balance and close control. He’s a danger in the box as his quickness makes him a favourite to every rebound off the keeper. He’s frail though, that’s certainly the main downside of his game. He’s hard-working, intelligent and very good tactically. His lightning pace makes him a burden for every defence. Lourenco spent two months on loan at English side Bristol City, where he impressed and scored a goal in 3 appearances as a substitute. City wanted to keep him but Sporting rebuffed their offer claiming Lourenco has a big future with them. I don’t think he has the potential to be world-class but he could certainly become a good international player and a quality purchase for any team.
Per Nilsson (GIF Sundsvall, CB) - Nilsson is a technical and very highly-rated CB who can play in different positions including on the right and in midfield. He’s strong, good in the air and is a good passer of the ball.
Emiliano S. Dudar (Velez Sarsfield, CB) - Tenacious central-defender, tall, powerful, a real brick-wall for opponents. Dudar is quick as well and reads the game well. He’s a good passer of the ball too. An excellent prospect.
Chris Kirkland (Coventry City, GK) - Kirkland made the most of the opportunity he got last season. Magnus Hedman suffered an injury that kept him out for a couple of months, and the giant youngster stepped in and showed just why he was rated so highly. During Coventry’s ill-fated relegation scrap Kirkland was the one shining light, his performances were so good, he kept the Swedish international keeper Hedman on the bench after he had fully recovered from his injuries. Kirkland’s form attracted interest and Liverpool were rumoured to be interested in signing him for a fee in the region of £8m. It seems unlikely however that he will leave the Midlands club in the near future, and looks set to be playing regularly in the first division next year, with Hedman on his way out of Highfield Road.
Rahamat “Riga” Mustapha (Vitesse, L/WNG) - Holland U-20 international Mustapha is an extremely gifted winger blessed with superb natural talent, good balance and excellent dribbling skills. However, his problem is his poor end-product. He doesn’t score enough and doesn’t get that many assists as well. The Ghanayan-born sensation was on loan to small Dutch side RBC Roosendaal last season where he failed to impress, playing only 8 times (no goals). Mustapha is now back at Vitesse and hoping for a better season.
Where are they now? 
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