2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup: The Non-US Players to Watch
Sure, you know U.S. midfielders Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsey.
You've seen U.S. forwards Jozy Altidore and Juan Agudelo.
You can speak to differences between Maurice Edu and Freddy Adu in your sleep.
Congratulations U.S. soccer aficionado. Now it's time to really step your game up in preparation for the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup.
Here's the top 10 non-US players to watch in "The Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association of Football."
Yeah, CONCACAF sounds better.
10: Dwayne De Rosario, Canada
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Oh Canada's hopes fall on the broad shoulders of Dwayne De Rosario.
The former MLS MVP who plies his trade for the New York Red Bulls is about as versatile as they come.
Technically a forward, Rosario is more than comfortable in the midfield and tracks back to stand on guard in defense for the Canucks.
9: Carlo Costly, Honduras
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The next great Honduran forward, Carlos "Carlo" Costly missed the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to injury and it ended up being a costly occurance for Honduras.
His 15 goals place him seventh all-time on the Honduras scoring list, one notch below strike partner David Suazo, who will miss the Gold Cup.
Also not on the roster are Carlos Pavon and Amado Guevarra, two great Honduran strikers who are now retired from national team duty.
If Carlo is leaving of the "s" for savings in his nickname, he might want to add it back on to the back of the word "goal" in this tournament.
8: Blas Perez, Panama
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Panama's man with a plan must be forward Blas Perez.
The forward scored three times in the 2007 Gold Cup and found his way onto the tournament's Best XI.
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7: Omar Cummings, Jamaica
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At 28, Omar Cummings doesn't exactly have the world (or the ball) at his feet so much anymore.
The Colorado Rapids forward spent six months on loan training at Aston Villa in England but left the club and returned to the Rockies without playing time or a future contract.
Cummings will pair with New York Red Bulls winger Dane Richards to form a ruthlessly quick partnership for the Jamaicans.
6: Alvaro Saborio, Costa Rica
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Saborio has since shaved his locks, but the Real Salt Lake forward still has his ups.
Saborio, 29, took part in the 2006 FIFA World Cup but spent the entirety of it on the bench watching famed Los Ticos striker Paulo Wanchope.
After earning MLS Newcomer of the Year award in 2010, Saborio's time to shine appears to be now.
5: Carlos Ruiz, Guatemala
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El Pescadito will find the currents difficult for he and his Guatemalan teammates.
After a four-year hiatus, the 2002 MLS MVP is back in the MLS and has three goals to his name with the Philadelphia Union.
Ruiz is the all-time leading scorer for La Azul y Blanco.
4: Gerardo Torrado, Mexico
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Mexican midfielder Gerardo Torrado isn't just a fan name to say, he's fun to watch.
Known locally as "El Borrego" (the Sheep), Torrado's job is to tackle and win balls in the midfield and then shepherd the Mexicans forward.
Torrado is this continent's version of Paul Scholes and may be the most important player for the favorites, Mexico.
3: Giovanni Dos Santos, Mexico
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The enigmatic winger appears to be on form as Gold Cup draws near.
But with Gio dos Santos you never can tell.
Case and point: In 2010, dos Santos' brother John was one of the last cuts on for the El Tri World Cup squad and Gio was unsure about whether he wanted to play...in the World Cup!
He did, and was runner up for FIFA Young Player award as he started every game for Mexico.
Dos Santos has bounced around from Barcelona to Tottenham and now plies his trade (on loan) at Racing Santander in La Liga.
On his best day he's the most talented player in this tournament. We'll be watching...
2: Wilson Palacios, Honduras
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At 26, the Tottenham midfielder just keeps on getting better.
It's no secret that many of the big English and Italian clubs have him on their radar screens despite only 18 appearances for Spurs in 2010-11.
Palacios has a massive task at hand but getting past Grenada, Guatemala, and Jamaica is doable for the Honduran talisman.
1: Javier Hernandez, Mexico
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Coming in at #1 is Chicharito (The Little Pea).
The Manchester United poacher was an aberration for Sir Alex Ferguson and a starter alongside Wayne Rooney in the UEFA Champions League Finale.
Chicharito, despite his diminutive size, is lethal in front of the net. Simply put, everything he puts on net goes in, and in soccer, that's everything.
He's my #1 player to watch in the 2011 CONCACAF Gold Cup. Enjoy!
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