Zico: youngsters like Daniel Sturridge can set Brazil World Cup alight Oscar, Mario Götze, Paul Pogba and Thibaut Courtois could also perform really well in Brazil – with a bit of help from the old guard T Englands Daniel Sturridge impressed me with his composure and movement. Photograph: David Davies/PA he World Cup is a tough competition even for experienced players, so youngsters could obviously feel the heat much more. However, we have examples of players who are able to absorb the psychological impacts. The English will certainly remember Michael Owen in 1998. He was fearless against Argentina, scoring that peach of a goal and taking a penalty in the shootout. Pelé in 1958 also comes to mind, but he has always been a case apart. In Brazil there will be some interesting young players who could bring something special to the tournament. It is important to have in mind that they will need the help of more established team- mates to settle them and try to do their best. In 1958, Pelé had some experienced players around him, such as Didi and Nilton Santos. That reassurance and harmony are instrumental. I would like to highlight five youngsters who could perform really well in Brazil. The first that comes to mind is Oscar. A lot of people in Brazil and around the world go on and on about Neymar and forget how important Oscar is for the Seleção. Tactically, he actually shares the creativity burden with Neymar. Oscar has amazing technique and I am impressed by how easily he constructs play. Oscar’s reading of the game is also developed and the way he positions himself for short passing exchanges is hard for markers to predict. His finishing can be elegant, as some of his goals in England and Europe prove. I was a bit surprised that José Mourinho did not use Oscar more often this season, especially when he has a player like Eden Hazard in his squad. The two together are a handful. Hazard is exciting to watch. I like the way he takes on his markers. He’s a dribbler and his control is impressive. The way Hazard drifts to open up spaces for his team-mates is useful as well. He is part of a Belgium team that was one of the sensations of the European World Cup qualifiers and everybody is expecting them to go far in the World Cup. For that to happen they will need Hazard to shine. Daniel Sturridge impressed me with his composure and movement. His season for Liverpool showed he can also score. To reach the 20-goal mark in a tough league like the Premiership is not easy and this could be good news for England. It’s also interesting that he will have some Liverpool team-mates around him, especially Steven Gerrard. Providing there are no injuries, Sturridge could be a difficult player for the opposition to handle. And in a difficult group England will need all the help they can get. Mario Götze is another player who could benefit immensely from familiarity around him. He will go to the World Cup alongside several of his Bayern Munich team-mates and that is important for a number of reasons, although the Bavarian contingent will arrive on the back of that heavy defeat to Real Madrid. Götze is a player who impresses me by the quality of his positioning above all. People tend to forget how crucial the ability to find yourself with space to operate is in football at a time where it’s a rare commodity. Götze also has great technique and it is interesting to watch him play. He is a very versatile kid and there is even talk that Germany could use him as a false No9 to compensate for the lack of strikers on form. All I know is that he had a very good first season for Bayern and certainly has enough quality to play in a different role. France, after such a disappointing campaign in 2010, have managed to qualify again and they have in Paul Pogba very exciting young talent. My respect for any player who at such a young age manages to establish himself in a league as hard and competitive as Serie A deserves my respect. Pogba has been impressive since winning the Under-20 world tournament with France and now he is a starter with France. People in England might remember Pogba didn’t do well at Manchester United, but
Posted on: Sun, 01 Jun 2014 14:36:05 +0000
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