Today’s Soccer Stars
Soccer is growing in the US, that’s obvious. Sometimes it’s at a snails pace, other times it’s a coast-to-coast obsession, as we’ve seen this World Cup season. No matter the speed, no one can deny it is growing. The trajectory suggests that it will overcome USA Hockey before too long and some suggest that its rising popularity will spawn the talent needed to claim a World Cup title in as little twenty years.
Soccer, like every other sport, is all about the players, the personalities. The NFL has Manning, Johnson, and Brady. The NBA, James, Durant, and Wade. MLB boasts Cabrera, Trout and Freeman. Some you love, and some you love to hate. Soccer is no different and has its own list of elites. In the spirit of retaining some of that post Cup fervor, here are some of the sport’s most exciting players to follow, as the US begins its embrace with Pele’s “Beautiful Game!”
The obvious top spot goes to the best player in the sport right now: Lionel Messi. You’ve seen him in the light blue and white jersey, but more often than not he’s sporting Barcelona’s dark blue and red. Four time World Player of the Year winner; Messi confounds defenders with unmatched control, pace, and grace and is deserving of a place next to Pele and Maradona.
Pretty boy Cristiano Ronaldo easily slides into the number two spot, and deservingly so. Ronaldo’s famous step-over maneuver has helped make him Real Madrid’s most dangerous forward. Augmenting his amazing natural talent is his size and strength. Its no wonder his price tag was $131 million.
The human metronome, Xavi Hernández, is Barcelona’s pace keeper and one of the most consistently effective players at that. He has an uncanny spatial sense on the field and rarely gives up the ball. In fact, he frequently completes the same number of passes as three or four of his opponents combined.
A name that no one has missed in this World Cup is that of Luis Suárez, unfortunately not for the right reasons. But when he’s not making himself a liability, he’s one of the best players that Liverpool had. Incredibly dangerous if he is allowed to sweep across the penalty box from the left, his link up play with his teammates is accurate and his free kick skills are often game changing.
Robin van Persie is Manchester United’s shining star. He had a rough start early in his professional career, plagued by injury, but has risen to become a formidable striker. His in-the-moment poise has translated into some of the sweetest left-footed goals in the business. It’s also made the Dutchman his country’s all-time leading goal scorer.
Barca’s roster is stacked, and no doubt high in that stack is Andrés Iniesta. His versatility is proven as an attacking midfielder, he is at home defending or up front, and has proven to be ambidextrous when shooting. Paired with teammate Xavi Hernández, he’s the bane of many a rear-guard.
Yaya Touré was indispensable for the Ivory Coast this World Cup, but professionally resides up in England playing for the fabled Manchester City. His tall and sturdy build proves him formidable, especially in his box-to-box style of play and lung-bursting runs down field.
A stalwart of the Bayern Munich family, Philipp Lahm may be the best full back in the world. Regularly stifling many unworthy attackers, he is comfortable playing either side of the pitch. Renowned for his impeccable pace and dribbling, he is also known for his surgical slide tackling. Congratulations to Lahm on a great international playing career.
Welsh footballer Gareth Bale compliments Ronaldo nicely. Having one of the strongest boots in the sport is quite helpful, and Bale is a proven free-kick specialist as well as a long-range finisher. His tremendous speed seems to be able to put him wherever he needs to be to unleash that foot.
Zlatan Ibrahimović is one of the most exciting players to watch, many times because he brings his taekwondo skills to the field. Paris Saint-Germain’s most notable player is an unorthodox yet effective finisher and brings more flair, and controversy, to the game than anyone. You can waste an afternoon just looking up video on this guy!
