STAR-RIFIC! - outstanding players who are expected to shine

Hyderabad: The Fifa World Cup is as much about teams as it is about the ability of individuals to rise above a group and stamp their authority. Pele was a precocious yet unknown quantity before he burst on to the scene with a scintillating performance at the 1958 World Cup. Having just completed a ban for match fixing, Italian Paolo Rossi was a much maligned man at the start of the 1982 World Cup. When he went through a barren patch in the first four matches, calls for his head grew shriller. Rossi hit back with a vengeance — and a hat-trick against the redoubtable Brazilian team in the second round — to shut up his critics. The forward scored two more in the semi-final and once in the final against West Germany to help Italy complete a fairy tale triumph.

The next edition in Mexico saw the greatest individual effort in the history of the tournament as Diego Armando Maradona dragged an ordinary team all the way to the summit of world football. Ronaldo’s redemption song at the 2002 World Cup after coming back from career-threatening knee injuries is another story that will stand the test of time. The World Cup is a veritable theatre of dreams. The 20th edition has no shortage of star power. Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi headline the list of outstanding players who are expected to shine the brightest in Brazil. And, there is son of the soil, Neymar.

Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
It’s easier to admire the man than to like him. A perfect physical specimen, Ronaldo is the embodiment of an all-round player. There isn’t a trick in football that is beyond the Portuguese. Above all, he hates losing. Ronaldo is also aware of the significance of proving himself at the World Cup. The 29-year-old with a narcissistic streak will be hungrier than ever after a forgettable show in South Africa four years earlier. Six hours of toil in four matches yielded him a paltry return of one goal in the first World Cup in Africa, which he scored against minnows North Korea. Success breeds more success and Ronaldo is fresh from steering Real Madrid to their 10th chance to show the world that he belongs to the pantheon of legends such as Pele, Maradona, Zinedine Zidane and his namesake from Brazil. The country where the World Cup will be held this time speaks his language and he will be hoping that it chants his name after the final on July 13.

Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Like Ronaldo, Messi’s World Cup cupboard is also bare. It’s not only empty; it’s also full of nightmares. Argentina coach Jose Pekerman failed to play his starlet against Germany in the quarterfinal of the 2006 World Cup as the South American giant went on to lose on penalties. It got even worse for Messi and Co. in South Africa four years later as they, under the clueless leadership of Maradona, crashed to a heavy defeat against Germany at the same stage. Messi, who was at the peak of his powers then, returned home a traumatised man without a goal. At least in 2006, he had found the net once. Brazil will be the sternest test for Messi’s character. The most loved football player of this era has to prove that he can deliver when the pressure is at its zenith. In full flight, Messi is a force of nature. He can dribble the ball in a way his peers can only dream of. For his short stature, he has tremendous strength. The Argentine, who overcame growth hormone deficiency in his younger days, is a giant now in terms of achievements.

Neymar (Brazil)
The World Cup debutant will carry the weight of expectations of his 200 million compatriots on his slender shoulders. Neymar stepped up to the plate to win the Confederations Cup at home last year but the World Cup will be a different ball game. Brazil’s over reliance on Neymar is proof that the land of samba isn’t overflowing with awe-inspiring talent these days. The Barcelona forward and the face of his country can glide through the pitch — with the ball at his feet — with the pace of an Olympic sprinter and the grace of a ballet dancer. He also has a hammer of a shot in his right foot. Neymar, 22, appears a featherweight in appearance but he can flatten heavyweight defenders in the blink of an eye. There is no doubt about his ability, even though he endured a trophy less debut season with Barcelona. Can Neymar play to his potential when the whole of Brazil expects him to do so? Coach Luiz Felipe Scolari believes his talisman can cast a spell.