Euro 2008: Six Potential Stars

We have all heard of the Ronaldo's, the Torres's and the Toni's of this world, but what about those lesser known European talents who could make a name for themselves in Euro 2008, and perhaps earn themselves big money moves in the process?

Here are six players who some may not have heard of, but who could be the talk of the town in a month's time:

Orlando Engelaar (Netherlands)

A 6-foot-5 holding midfield player sounds like a joke, but Endelaar breaks the mould in great style.

At 28 years old, he has seemingly come from nowhere to be a potentially key member of the Dutch team in the Euros, protecting the back four with aplomb and allowing the likes of Robben, Van Der Vaart and Sneijder to do their stuff.

The Captain of Champions League-bound Twente Enschede, his passing is his greatest strength, keeping the ball moving well, and always looking to pass forward.

Previously with Breda and Genk, he could well be a late comer to a true European giant if he impresses in the next month.

Jeremy Toulalan (France)

He is a 24-year-old central midfield player who came through the highly regarded youth system at Nantes and is now a key player for Lyon and France.

Toulalan just had a great season with the French double winners and impressed against Manchester United in the Champions League.

In 2006, he was voted in the Team of the Tournament at the UEFA U21 Championships. He can play anywhere across the midfield, but is primarily used in the holding role for Lyon and France.

Ebi Smolarek (Poland)

If Poland are to achieve anything in this summer's tournament, much will rest on the skill and goals of Smolarek. He scored nine goals in the qualifying campaign and has an impressive 13 goals in 29 caps overall.

Smolarek, 27, is the son of Poland legend Wlodzimierz Smolarek, who was part of the Poland team that finished third in the 1982 World Cup.

Ebi's club career has been a mixed bag. After spells with Feyenoord and Borussia Dortmund, he now plays for Racing Santander, who recently qualified for the UEFA Cup for the first time in their history with a sixth-place finish in Spain's La Liga.

Nicolae Dica (Romania)

Drawn in the deadliest 'Group of Death' in memory, Romania might have a short stay at Euro 2008, but playmaker Dica will have a chance to impress against some of the best players in the world when he faces Netherlands, Italy and France.

A key player for Steaua Bucharest, the 28-year-old Dica led them to the UEFA Cup semi-finals in 2005, and has a great record of 13 goals in 36 Champions League and UEFA Cup games overall. He scored a hat trick as a substitute against Montenegro just yesterday (May 31), to take his tally to nine goals in 25 games for Romania. 

Aleksandr Anyukov (Russia): An unsung hero of Zenit St Petersburg's UEFA Cup winning run, Anyukov is a buccaneering right back of the highest class.

He now has 29 caps as he approaches 26 years of age. With his best years ahead of him, he could well be plying his trade in one of the best European Leagues come the start of next season.

Anyukov will be a key part of Russia's attacking strategy, especially with club team-mate Andrei Arshavin banned for the first two games of the tournament.

Think of a European version of Sevilla's Daniel Alves, with less diving but fewer spectacular goals.  He also defends with pace and strength.

Sabri Sarioglu (Turkey)

This very pacy 23-year-old right back or winger is one of the new stars of Turkish football. He has over 100 appearances for Galatasaray already, and impressed in the Champions League in 2006-2007, particularly at Anfield, where he starred in a 3-2 defeat for Gala against Liverpool.

Sarioglu is a great dribbler, and his left foot is perhaps more dangerous than his right, despite playing from the right. He scores spectacular goals and is a real crowd pleaser. He has had disciplinary problems, but could be a star by the end of the finals.

Which lesser known players do you think will have an impact on the finals? Remember, I am not looking for the obvious choices, the Ronaldo's and Torres's of this world get enough praise already!