DIEGO BUONANOTTE

TONI KROOS

JOHN FLECK

Nicolas Millan

I found very few video of him in Youtube, and this video I posted contains a few of his great moves only (even his description in wikipedia has a few lines only). Maybe its because he is currently playing his first season in the top flight, and not many care to make a video for him. But if anybody find a better video, please post it here or tell me, so I can replace it with mine.

I do think he is underrated. He is a very intelligent player, and all football fans worldwide should start knowing him well.

I think I wanna add Man Utd's Rafael da Silva. But I think there will be someone else who will post his vids here. So I'm done here

Lanzafame, born to a Catanese father and a Piedmontese mother,[2] had been part of the Juventus youth side, competing in competitions such as Trofeo Giacinto Facchetti, but made his senior team debut for Juve during their 2006-07 season in Serie B. Italy Under-21 boss Pierluigi Casiraghi called up the Juventus-owned striker in February, and called him up again for the Beijing Olympics.

In early April 2008, Bari coach Antonio Conte compared him to possibly reaching levels in his football career like Manchester United’s Cristiano Ronaldo. "Lanzafame has improved tactically,” he told the Gazzetta dello Sport. “He is explosive, he sniffs the goal, and imposes his speed outside the area. If he improves and learns he can become like Cristiano Ronaldo." During his stay with Bari, Lanzafame scored a total 10 goals in a very successful Serie B campaign in the Serie B 2007-08.

Mario Balotelli (born 12 August 1990 in Palermo, Italy) is an Italian footballer who plays for Serie A club Internazionale.

Biography
Balotelli was born in Palermo and is the son of Ghanaian immigrants Thomas and Rose Barwuah, who then moved to Bagnolo Mella, Brescia. In 1993, at the age of three, the Barwuah family agreed to entrust Mario to the Balotelli family; the legal move was successively formalized by the Court of Brescia.[3] They resided in Concesio, a town and comune in the province of Brescia, in Lombardy. According to Law 91 of 5 February 1992,[4] Balotelli had to wait until his 18th birthday in order to request Italian citizenship, as his adoption was never made definitive, which he officially gained on 13 August 2008.

Club career
With an average of more than a goal per game,[5] he is regarded as one of the games promising prospects of the moment, featuring in the international football press.[6][7] At the age of 15, Balotelli was promoted to the senior side of his then-club Lumezzane, making his senior debut in a Serie C1 league match against Padova.

Internazionale
2006-07
Milan giants Internazionale signed Balotelli for €340,000. Balotelli showed his potential for Inter Milan in their U-17 squad, known as the Allievi Nazionali, then joined the Primavera U-20 team at the age of 16, of which he quickly became a key player. He then scored a tie-breaking penalty in the Primavera league final in a 1-0 win over Sampdoria. These performances have prompted high praise[8] from several high-ranking people including Inter chairman Massimo Moratti.

2007-08
On 16 December 2007 Balotelli made his first team debut replacing David Suazo in a 2-0 Serie A win against Cagliari. Three days later, he featured in the starting lineup in a Coppa Italia match against Reggina and scored two goals in a 4–1 win.

On 30 January 2008 "SuperMario" Balotelli gained national news after he scored two goals against Juventus in the return leg of the Coppa Italia quarter-finals, being instrumental in a 3–2 away win for the nerazzurri. He then scored his first Serie A goal on 6 April 2008 in a 2–0 away win against Atalanta. He scored his second Serie A goal only a week later, after a one-on-one with Fiorentina goalkeeper Sébastien Frey. On 11 May 2008, in a home match against Siena, which would have given the league title in case of a win, he first took a corner, assisting Patrick Vieira's goal, and then scored one himself, but it was not enough to give his team the scudetto as the game ended in a 2-2 draw and Roma reduced the gap to just 1 point behind the nerazzurri with a win. However, the following week, Balotelli played in Inter Milan's final game of their 2007-08 Serie A campaign, defeating Parma 2-0 and successfully clinching the 2007-08 scudetto.

2008-09
On 26 August 2008 in the Italian Supercup Final against Roma, Balotelli came on late in the second half as a replacement for Luís Figo, scoring in the 83rd minute. Inter went on to win the final 6-5 by penalties after the match ended 2-2. Balotelli then signed a 3-year contract at an age of 17 years and 10 months.[9] On 4 November 2008, Balotelli scored his first Champions League goal against Anorthosis, and he became the youngest Inter player ever to score in Champions League at 18 years and 85 days (until that day the record was of Obafemi Martins, at 18 years and 145 days).

International career
Due to Balotelli's legal problems, he did not manage to answer a number of call-ups received by Italian national Under 15 and Under 17 teams in the past, as he was still considered a Ghanaian immigrant.

On 7 August 2007, five days before his 17th birthday, he received his first senior International call-up from Ghana Coach Claude Le Roy for a FIFA International friendly match against Senegal in the New Den Stadium in London, England on 21 August 2007, but declined the offer citing once again his willingness to play for Italy when he becomes eligible. He also stated his willingness to represent Italy at the international level once he will be able to acquire an Italian passport.

Italy U-21 coach Pierluigi Casiraghi stated his intention to call up Balotelli once he obtains the Italian citizenship. On 13 August 2008 he was awarded the Italian citizenship and has stated in a press conference on the same day his desire to play for the Italy under-21 team. On 29 August Casiraghi finally called him to join the azzurrini for the upcoming matches against Greece and Croatia.

He scored his first international goal against Greece U-21 in a 1-1 tie, then two goals against Israel in the qualification play-offs for the 2009 Euro U-21.

Cristián Zapata full name Cristián Eduardo Zapata Valencia (born 30 September 1986) is a Colombian football (soccer) player. He currently plays for Udinese Calcio in a Centre back role. He can also play as left/right back as he is equally comfortable with both feet. Currently one of Serie A's best defenders he is wanted by several top clubs.

Zapata was signed by Udinese on 31 August 2005 from Deportivo Cali.

In October 2007, Zapata along with Andrea Dossena, Roman Eremenko and Simone Pepe were awarded new contracts until June 2010.

Cristián Zapata was a member of Colombian U-20 team at 2005 FIFA World Youth Championship who lost to Argentina in the round of 16.

After two great seasons at Udinese and always being the target of many of Italy's and Europe's top clubs' wish list he finally was given his long overdue call up. Despite his young age he has become a valuable national team regular after he was finally given his chance to start. In his first World Cup Qualifier he was a victim of a cheap shot by José Paolo Guerrero of Peru, and played over 60 minutes with a broken cheekbone. Renowned for his speed, ball playing ability from defence and in particular his excellent defending and anticipation.

In summer of 2008, Udinese reportedly turned down a £9.5m bid from Arsenal for Zapata

DOUGLAS COSTA

credits to RedCafe

IGNACIO CAMACHO

Sergio Asenjo

[QUOTE] Mauro Matías Zárate (born March 18, 1987 in Haedo, Morón Partido, Buenos Aires Province) is an Argentine professional footballer, currently playing for S.S. Lazio in the Italian Serie A on loan from Al-Sadd of Qatar.[1][2]
Zárate was born in Haedo, Buenos Aires to a reasonably wealthy family with much footballing pedigree. His father Sergio is a former professional footballer, who played for Independiente de Avellaneda. His mother, Catalina Riga, has Italian origins, with her family originating from Catanzaro in southern Italy. His grandfather Juvenal was Chilean and also a footballer.[3]

Mauro is the brother of fellow footballers Rolando who currently plays for Barcelona of Ecuador and Ariel of All Boys, as well as former international Sergio Zárate who currently acts as Mauro's agent.[4]

n 2008, legend Diego Maradona was appointed manager of the Argentine national team and declared in light of his sensational form for Lazio that Zárate would get a chance with the national team. [17]




This post has been edited by de_sengal: Feb 12 2009, 09:46 AM

Cristian Pasquato (born 20 July 1989 in Padua) is an Italian footballer who plays as a striker for Serie B club Empoli, on loan from Juventus.

Born in 1989, he joined Juventus in 2003. In 2006 he reached the Primavera team after winning the Allievi title. A free kick specialist, he scored the winner against Internazionale in the Supercoppa Primavera final.

He made his first team debut on the final matchday of the 2007–08 Serie A, as a second half substitute. He spent the 2008–2009 pre-season with the Juventus' first team, impressing throughout the summer, and competing with the team in the Uefa Champions League. On August 24, 2008 it was revealed Empoli had signed him on a one-year loan.

He is one of several Juventus youth products flooding the Italian Serie B on loan from the best team in Italy. Majority are on loan in Serie B to gain experience through first team playing time, before iminent returns to Juventus for most of them.

Pasquato has represented Italy at every youth level from under-15s upwards. He is currently part of Italy's Under-20 squad.

When Cristiano Ronaldo first arrived at Manchester United in 2003, you could have been forgiven for thinking that a Portuguese player would not cut it in the Premier League. The precedents of Helder Postiga, Hugo Viana and Abel Xavier had not been great, but after taking time to settle, the newly crowned FIFA World Player of the Year has changed the perception of Portuguese players across Europe.

Such has been the winger's impact that other clubs are looking to a Portuguese production line that has a rich history of success, for inspiration.

The Liga has struggled to hold onto it's top names in recent years, with Sporting's Brazilian-born striker Liedson the only star not to have tried his luck with another European side; and it points to a problem within the foundations of a league that has become more famous for who it has sold, than who it has in it.

Financial pressures have certainly played their part in limiting the ability of clubs to buy in big names, with many of Portugal's top stars seeking the high wages and prestige that comes from playing elsewhere in Europe. Match attendances are generally low, while the TV money on offer is a pittance compared to that of the English Premier League and there is a very real threat of bankruptcy for many of the smaller sides.

Even the established clubs have felt the pinch of the economic crisis and Vitor Oliveira, general director of first-division team Leixoes, told Bloomberg that Portuguese clubs "are cutting wages as ticket sales and sponsorship decline". To highlight the issue, one of the most popular clubs in the league, 2004 European Champions FC Porto, announced that ticket sales had fallen by 11.3% last year.

Therefore, in order to ensure that they can continue to develop, clubs have focused on youth - and although it springs from necessity rather than desire, they have found a high degree of success in selling on their young players.

Sporting Lisbon were forced to cash in on Ronaldo in 2003, making a profit of £12.24 million, having snapped him up from Madeiran club Nacional for almost nothing at the age of only 11. But the danger is that none of Portugal's rising stars will continue their trade in their homeland.

The Lisbon club's renowned academy has produced the likes of Luis Figo, Simao Sabrosa, Ricardo Quaresma, Hugo Viana, Luis Boa Morte, Nani and, of course, can take the credit for the development of Ronaldo, but out of the seven, only Figo made more than 100 appearances for the club.

Most recently they have brought through the likes of Joao Moutinho and Miguel Veloso, yet already the club are under tremendous pressure to sell. Rejecting a bid of around £12 million from Everton for midfielder Moutinho in the summer, the future of the versatile Veloso has also been under the spotlight with a Sporting spokesman forced to issue a statement claiming the 22-year-old would be staying at the Estadio Jose Alvalade this season.

The reality is that despite the excellent academy facilities in the country, when a large offer comes in, clubs are not able to refuse it for long. Arsenal, Fiorentina, Everton and Tottenham Hotspur are just a few of the interested parties in the highly-rated pair and any bid north of £15 million each appears enough to secure their signatures.

The precedents have been set in recent years with arguably the most talented player in the league at the time, Porto winger Quaresma, sold in the summer for €18.6 million to Inter Milan.

Miguel made the move to Valencia for €7.5 million in 2005 having begun his career with Estrela Amadora, while Benfica youth product Maniche has accumulated over €20 million in transfer fees in his European adventures.

While the Portuguese league has a history of selling its homegrown talent for big bucks, it also benefits from a steady stream of talent from outside of the EU, keen to secure themselves a European passport with the eventual aim of winning their big move to one of the top clubs on the continent.

Naturalised Portuguese defender Pepe (picked up by C.S. Marítimo at an early age from Corinthians' youth team) brought in €30 million for FC Porto when he was transferred to Real Madrid in 2007, while Brazilian midfielder Anderson also netted them £18 million when he was signed by Manchester United after joining from Gremio.

There are a host of other South Americans on show, including 22-year-old Brazilian striker 'Hulk' and impressive Argentine Lisandro Lopez. Nani, from Cape Verde Islands, and Jose Bosingwa, from Congo, also advanced their careers through the Liga; while there are others putting themselves in the shop window after spending time in the Liga, including Porto skipper Lucho Gonzalez and Benfica's Brazilian defender Luisão.

A player who could ultimately have a big impact on the English game in the near future, however, is Argentine winger Angel Di Maria. Benfica snapped him up from Rosário Central in July 2007 for just over £5 million and the tricky midfielder has attracted a lot of attention with his displays for the title contenders.

Now worth in excess of £15 million, Chelsea are reported to be interested in signing the 20-year-old to bolster the left side of their midfield. Luiz Felipe Scolari, a former manager of Portugal, will be fully aware of the Argentine's talent having watched him in the league last year and the club are confident that their links with his agent, Jorge Mendes, will aid their pursuit of the player.

Without a left-footed left winger, Chelsea could certainly use Di Maria's craft and he has become one of Europe's most sought-after talents after helping Argentina to win the Under-20 World Cup in 2007, and the Olympics in Beijing last year.

The London club has a history of picking up Portuguese talent in the past, thanks largely to their appointment of manager Jose Mourinho, and currently have five Portugal stars on their books: Bosingwa, Deco, Paulo Ferriera, Hilario and Ricardo Carvalho. But while the Premier League remains the most prestigious destination for the country's top players, there has been a more worrying exodus to less glamourous locations outside of Portugal.

Notably, the Cypriot league contains 40 Portuguese players, while the Romanian division holds 39. These 'middle-ranking' players are given the chance to secure their financial futures by plying their trade in Central Europe and their decision to swap their homeland for foreign shores is indicative of a growing indifference towards a cash strapped domestic league.

Portugal's national players' union now lists 313 expatriate Portuguese players across all European leagues, as well as several as far away as Iran, New Zealand and Kuwait and it does not bode well for the future that they would rather play there than in the Liga.

While the experience of playing abroad may benefit a few, there is an increasing concern that a country capable of nurturing the talent of the likes of Ronaldo may miss out on the benefits of their youth policy on their own soil and ultmately become nothing more than a fertile recruiting ground for Europe's elite.
http://soccernet.espn.go.com/columns/story...=europe&cc=4716

Wonderkid

Bojan
Busquets
Mata
Rafael
Pato - Nobody mentioned his name up until now
Gourcuff

Potential players

Buonanotte
Kroos
Altidore
Kerlon
Merida
Wilshere
Giovinco
Okaka
...
...
...
...
... (the list would never end )