Number 3: Kaka Country: Brazil Position: Central Midfield Club Team: Real Madrid American-Based Professional Athlete “Soulmate”: Joe Mauer, C, Minnesota Twins What is a superstar? Traditionally, the narrative goes like this: glamour position, great talent. Media-savvy if not personable. Almost always (not always), but almost always a leader and a household name—sometimes to the point where you simply say his first name, or his… Read more
Number 5: Fernando Torres and David Villa (The Spanish Strikers) Position: Forward Country: Spain Club Teams: Liverpool FC, EPL and FC Barcelona, La Liga American based Professional Athlete “Soulmates”: Sidney Crosby and Evgeni Malkin, Pittsburg Penguin We could have written about Fernando Torres and David Villa independently as two unique “Players to Watch,” but it just didn’t seem right. Based on these talented strikers’ individual… Read more
Number 6: Wayne Rooney Position: Forward Country: England Club Team: Manchester United, English Premier League American-based Professional Sports Athlete “Soulmate”: Jonathan Papelbon, RP, Boston Red Sox When Chancellor Seco, in his “infinite wisdom,” assigned me this player to watch piece my initial reaction was one of complete disgust. “You want me, a fan of the only real team in Manchester to write about this jackleg,… Read more
Number 7: Carlos Tévez Position: Forward Country: Argentina Club Team: Manchester City American Based Professional Athlete “Soulmate”: Alexander Ovechkin, LW, Washington Capitals What can I say about Carlos Tévez besides the fact that he’s our number seven player to watch at the upcoming World Cup? I suppose we should get the full disclosure part of this post out of the way right here. I love Carlos Tévez, he’s my dawg. Not in a… Read more
Number 8: Didier Drogba Position: Forward Country: Ivory Coast Club Team: Chelsea FC, English Premier League American-Based Professional Athlete “Soulmate”: Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota Vikings Beyond the questions about South Africa’s post-Apartheid future, beyond the security concerns (now alleviated) about the possible visit of President Barack Obama, beyond the concerns about tourists being victims of crime, beyond the very… Read more
Number 9: Robinho Position: Forward Country: Brazil Club Team: Santos, Brazil Serie A, on loan from Manchester City FC, EPL American-based Professional Athlete “Soulmate”: Manny Ramirez, OF, Los Angeles Dodgers The World Cup produces all manner of fascinating plot lines. A recurring one, yet one that always compels, is the tale of the player who rebounds from disappointing club form to find a measure of vindication wearing the shirt for… Read more
Number 13: Frank Lampard Country: England Position: Midfielder Club Team: Chelsea American-Based Professional Sport “Soulmate”: Eli Manning, QB, New York Giants It is 2:15 AM on a Sunday night and I’m still wide awake. Being awake at this hour is not uncommon for me; as Puck would say, “Sorry for partying.” Being this wide awake this late on a Sunday though – this is kind of weird. The reason I’m still awake, is that over the… Read more
Number 14: Daniele De Rossi Country: Italy Position: Midfielder Club Team: Roma American-Based Professional Sport “Soulmate”: Brian McCann, C, Atlanta Braves Daniele De Rossi is lucky to be alive. No one bloodies Brian McBride’s face with a flying elbow and lives to tell about, except this particular Italian. Yeah, De Rossi is that guy. But don’t be fooled by his moment of violence against an American hero in 2006, De Rossi’s not… Read more
Number 18: Diego Forlán Country: Uruguay Position: Forward Club Team: Atlético Madrid American-Based Professional Sport “Soulmate”: “Sugar Shane” Mosley, Welterweight Boxer Contrary to what you might have heard from Manchester United supporters whenever his name is brought up, Diego Forlán is no bum. Not only is he a financially well-off homeowner who’s had success (almost) everywhere he’s played, but Forlán represents his home… Read more
Number 20: Nemanja Vidić Country: Serbia Position: Center Back Club Team: Manchester United American-Based Professional Sport “Soulmate”: Zdeno Chára, D, Boston Bruins Nemanja Vidić is on the short list of players who legitimately belong in the best defender in the world conversation. Spain’s Carles Puyol and England’s John Terry (insert jab about Terry being a jackleg friend-betraying adulterer here) also make that list, as does… Read more
Number 21: Theofanis Gekas Country: Greece Club Team: On loan to Hertha BSC, German Bundesliga Position: Forward American Based Professional Athlete “Soulmate”: Matt Forte, RB, Chicago Bears For many of my American sports brethren—particularly those of us fortunate enough to hail from the South (whatever image you just put into your mind is hardly offensive—we’ve heard them all—some of them are true—and… Read more
Number 23: Yakubu Aiyegbeni Position: Center Forward Country: Nigeria Club Team: Everton FC, English Premier League American Based Professional Athlete “Soulmate(s)”: Jerome Bettis Divided by Lendale White In 1977, Pele, the greatest player in the history of football, predicted that an African nation would hoist the World Cup by 2002 (he actually said 2000 but that was in between Finals). He’s taken a great deal of heat… Read more
Number 24: Cesc Fàbregas Country: Spain Position: Midfielder Club Team: Arsenal American-Based Professional Sport “Soulmate”: 1990 Steve Young, QB, San Francisco 49ers, NFL Francesc “Cesc” Fàbregas is at the top of his game and on top of the world. He’s essentially a 22-year-old kid who captains Arsenal, London’s favorite football club (yeah Chelsea I said it, now go buy a new helmet for your non-World Cup goalie). But Fàbregas… Read more
Number 25: Philipp Lahm Position: Sideback/Defender Country: Germany Club Team: Captain, Bayern Munich FC, German Bundesliga American Professional Athlete “Soulmate”: Jonathan Toews, Center/Captain, Chicago Blackhawks, NHL A gifted screenwriter would be troubled to begin a character sketch better than the following two offerings. First, imagine a good-looking, well-spoken twenty-six year old. He’s a gifted athlete,… Read more
