10 Players to Watch in World Football This Weekend of May 15-17
Titles, survival, three points, playoff places and finals—this weekend has plenty to offer no matter which domestic leagues you follow or team you support.
Our 10 Players to Watch series takes a look at important upcoming games in a variety of leagues and continents, selecting the player who could have a big say on the outcome.
Simply because we can, this time around we're focusing largely on those who could score the goals to win games, with nine forwards featured—as well as one playing bidding farewell.
Wayne Rooney, Manchester United
1 of 10
Starting off in the Premier League, in which Wayne Rooney will be one to watch after recovering from injury. He could be ready to take his place to lead Manchester United's attack against Arsenal.
In the battle for third place—and an automatic Champions League spot—the Gunners still have the edge, as they have a game in hand after this fixture. But after Arsene Wenger's men lost to Swansea City last time out, United could overtake their rivals with a home win.
Rooney is United's top goalscorer with a dozen in the league this term. He has been in good form when playing in attack of late.
Bas Dost, Wolfsburg
2 of 10
It seems Wolfsburg are intent on buying every forward who might be available this summer. Their main man in attack this year has been Bas Dost, who embarked on a brilliant scoring run early in 2015 before reverting to type and going on a drought more recently.
However, he has been back in the goals over the past couple of weeks, netting two at Paderborn last time out and one the week before against Hannover.
Wolfsburg face a crunch match at home to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. Die Wolfe will be looking to seal the runners-up spot in the Bundesliga.
Mauro Icardi, Inter
3 of 10
Saturday in Serie A sees Inter Milan play title winners and Champions League finalists Juventus, with the home side still having an outside chance of clinching a Europa League spot if they win their remaining games.
That means they need a positive result against the table-toppers, which is not an impossibility, given Juve's attentions have been elsewhere since it appeared probable they would lift another title—they have only won three of their last six fixtures in the league.
Inter beat Lazio 2-1 last time out to give themselves hope. If they are to beat another member of the top three this time around, they need Mauro Icardi back in scoring form.
Neymar, Barcelona
4 of 10
Brazilian attacker Neymar has been right on top of his game for Barcelona recently, scoring big goals against Bayern Munich, Real Sociedad and Espanyol to keep his club on course for a memorable treble.
Barcelona will face Atletico Madrid in a crunch game that could seal La Liga title for the Catalan club, who need just three more points to be assured of domestic success. Neymar has 22 in the league this term and is joint-third top scorer with Antoine Griezmann, who will be at the opposite end of the field.
This match, of course, is dependent on strike action by the players' union in Spain being lifted—a decision over the legality of the strike is expected on Thursday.
Edinson Cavani, PSG
5 of 10
Paris Saint-Germain are set to pick up a third consecutive Ligue 1 title after their big win last time out was followed a day later by a defeat for second-placed Lyon.
Edinson Cavani proved the man for the occasion, scoring a hat-trick to take him onto 16 goals for the season. Not the most glamorous, consistent at the highest level or aesthetically pleasing, Cavani nonetheless retains that ability to hit the net when his team needs it—and just one more victory will seal the title.
His club play away against Montpellier, the last team to win the French title other than PSG.
Fernando Cavenaghi, River Plate
6 of 10
Outside Europe's biggest leagues now and to Argentina, where River Plate will be looking to pick up a positive result against Tigre, the team one place and three points behind River, who lie in fifth.
Fernando Cavenaghi will be the man to lead the line as River look to get back to winning ways domestically, following a Superclasico defeat to Boca Juniors and a home draw to Racing Club.
Just three points separate River from top spot, currently occupied by Boca, and River gained swift Superclasico revenge with a Copa Libertadores win over their rivals on May 8.
Marc Janko, Sydney
7 of 10
Sunday sees the culmination of Australia's A-League season with the grand final, to be played contested by Melbourne Victory and Sydney.
The two clubs finished the regular season in positions No. 1 and 2 respectively, with just three points between them. The A-League games between the two teams this term finished 0-0, 3-3 and 3-3.
Austrian striker Marc Janko netted in those latter two games and should end as the A-League's top scorer—he has 16 to his name so far—so takes our vote as the one who could settle the grand final in his team's favour.
Ronaldinho, Queretaro
8 of 10
Last week in Mexico's Liga MX was the final gameweek of the Clausura. In the 94th minute, Queretaro were drawing 0-0 at home to Chiapas, stuck on 24 points and finishing outside the top eight places that lead to the playoffs, before a last-gasp penalty was awarded.
Step forward the big-name star Ronaldinho, on as a substitute in the second half. He just about snuck his penalty away into the corner to send Queretaro into the Liguilla after other results went their way.
He may not start the quarter-final first leg against Veracruz but could certainly still have a big impact on the game.
Artem Kravets, Dynamo Kyiv
9 of 10
Over to Ukraine now. Although the league title in that country is all but wrapped up, this weekend still has a big fixture, as leaders Dynamo Kyiv face third-placed Dnipro Dnipropetrovsk.
Our man to watch is Kyiv's joint-top scorer, Artem Kravets, who has 14 for the league season and is recording a goal every 98 minutes of league action over the entire campaign, with five goals coming in his last five matches.
As an added layer of intrigue, striker Kravets was born in the Dnipropetrovsk region, though he has spent his entire senior career with Dynamo.
Steven Gerrard, Liverpool
10 of 10
We finish up where we started, in the Premier League, and with the home-stadium farewell of a club and English football legend: Steven Gerrard of Liverpool.
Against Crystal Palace on Saturday, the Reds captain will play what could be his final competitive Anfield match, knowing that the top four is now all but out of reach but doubtless determined to go out on some sort of high anyway after two goals in his last couple of appearances.
Gerrard's departure from Liverpool ranks with the likes of Xavi leaving Barcelona, Ryan Giggs' retirement from Manchester United or Paolo Maldini hanging up his boots with AC Milan—an icon who will be remembered for successes and impact, for longevity and quality, long after his name departs the teamsheet.
