10 Football Players You've Never Heard of Who Will Be Stars by 2012
Who are some players you've watched during this European season that have impressed you? There would be many.
So narrow it down to players whose names don't ring a bell with the general football fan.
Now of these relatively obscure footballers, do you think they will be on my list?
Having watched the English Premier League, La Liga, Bundesliga and Serie A quite closely, I've compiled a list 10 footballer whose names don't ring a bell with the average football fan, yet I believe may become stars by 2012.
Kwadwo Asamoah
1 of 10
- Club: Udinese
- Nationality: Ghanaian
- Age: 22
- Position: Centre midfield
Ghana have a knack of producing athletic, determined, feisty and talented centre midfielders: Stephen Appiah, Michael Essien, Sulley Muntari and Kevin-Prince Boateng come to mind.
Now add Kwadwo Asamoah to that list.
Asamoah fulfils all the requirements in a centre midfielder: isn’t limited from an offensive or defensive perspective, comfortable with possession, hard working without possession, knows and plays his role to what the manager expects.
Manager Francesco Guidolin expects box-to-box running, to which Asamoah has delivered along with beating opposing players off the dribble.
In a nutshell, Asamoah’s whole hearted displays in midfield have allowed Alexis Sánchez and Antonio Di Natale to prosper.
With Sánchez set to leave Udinese for bigger and better things, Asamoah could transition from being a role player to a star player.
Antoine Griezmann
2 of 10
- Club: Real Sociedad
- Nationality: French
- Age: 20
- Position: Left winger
The case of Antoine Griezmann is a perfect example of a club, in this case, Real Sociedad finding a diamond in the rough.
Countless rejections from various professional clubs in France coupled with the chance of playing professional football in Spain, led a 14-year-old Griezmann to make the life changing decision in moving to San Sebastián.
Blessed with natural pace, Griezmann often accelerates with ease past lunging full backs, which makes him such a dangerous player.
Barcelona manager Pep Guardiola attests to this by stating to FIFA.com, “He [Griezmann] penetrates, he’s explosive and he knows how to get into the area”.
In the space of two seasons, one can make the argument that Griezmann is second only to Xabi Prieto, as Real Sociedad’s most valuable player.
Having escaped relegation by just two points, Real Sociedad will be hoping Griezmann can translate his flashes of brilliance into consistent dominance of opposing defences next season.
Six years on, Griezmann has vindicated scout Eric Olhats’ decision to recommend a reject to Real Sociedad.
Sven Bender
3 of 10
- Club: Borussia Dortmund
- Nationality: German
- Age: 22
- Position: Defensive midfielder
Playing in a midfield comprising of Mario Götze, Nuri Şahin, and Shinji Kagawa, one can be forgiven for overlooking Sven Bender’s efforts this season.
Some readers may even be more familiar with Bender from Futurama than Bender from Borussia Dortmund.
If not for captain Sebastian Kehl’s persistent injuries, Bender perhaps would have spent the season on the outer looking in.
Rather, Bender’s no-nonsense style of football has seen him become the clog in a very creative midfield, so much so, that it would be a surprise if manager Jürgen Klopp opted to demote Bender for Kehl out of seniority.
Much like when Claude Makélélé became the unsung hero in a Real Madrid midfield of Luís Figo, Santiago Solari and Zinedine Zidane—Bender will become noticed in the Makélélé role next season.
Alessandro Matri
4 of 10
- Club: Juventus
- Nationality: Italian
- Age: 26
- Position: Centre forward
As the 2008–09 Serie A season finished, Alessandro Matri had scored 14 goals in 69 games for Cagliari, had loan stints at Prato, Lumezzane, Rimini, and his best football accomplishment was being part of A.C. Milan youth set up—which he failed to make the grade.
He was perhaps better known for being the lucky boyfriend of beautiful showgirl Federica Nargi from Italian TV show Striscia la Notizia.
Whatever he did during the pre-season paid dividends for himself and Cagliari.
In the next two seasons, he scored 24 goals in 62 games for Cagliari, at one point scoring in seven consecutive games.
Juventus came calling, and he repaid them with nine goals in 16 games.
Goals were never really part of his memo: he could beat defenders with a burst of acceleration, win aerial challenges, or hold the ball up allowing his teammates to get into the game.
Now that he is regularly scoring, he becomes a complete forward from an offensive perspective for Juventus.
He’s at the peak of his career, so he’s headed for big things next season.
Salomón Rondón
5 of 10
- Club: Málaga
- Nationality: Venezuelan
- Age: 21
- Position: Centre forward
Sheikh Abdullah Al Thani’s ambitious project at Málaga has facilitiated the development of Salomón Rondón.
Rondón is an archetypal centre forward, a real bully who can outmuscle defenders on the ground, whilst also being a constant aerial threat.
He’s had a very good season, scoring 16 goals in 31 games, and one can only assume as Málaga rise, so does Rondón.
Josip Iličić
6 of 10
- Club: Palermo
- Nationality: Slovenian
- Age: 23
- Position: Attacking midfielder
Palermo are doing the best to dispel myths that big men aren’t skilful, as with the likes of Abel Hernández, Javier Pastore and Josip Iličić, it has been anything but skill from their big men.
Iličić is the flashiest of three, he’s a showman, some of the flicks and tricks he attempts are audaciously cheeky.
He’s entertaining to watch, though consistency remains an issue, and Palermo will be hoping for more next season.
André Schürrle
7 of 10
- Club: Bayer Leverkusen
- Nationality: German
- Age: 20
- Position: Winger/forward
Having shown promise as an 18-year-old, André Schürrle erupted onto the scene this season with Mainz this season.
What made his performances so impressive was that he didn’t rest on his laurels nor did he take issue when he was shifted onto the wings.
If anything Mainz manager Thomas Tuchel was complimenting Schürrle’s versatility.
Another aspect of Schürrle’s game to praise is his work ethic where his dynamism and courageous play has endeared him to Mainz faithful.
15 goals and five in 34 games have allowed Mainz cash in, as Bayer Leverkusen have paid €8 million for his services.
With Bayer Leverkusen in the UEFA Champions League next season, Schürrle is set to shine.
Tino Costa
8 of 10
- Club: Valencia
- Nationality: Argentinean
- Age: 26
- Position: Attacking midfielder
Having scored spectacular goal after spectacular goal, Tino Costa can lay claim to having the best left foot in Europe this season.
Costa’s work rate and positivity has outshone the often negative body language and sulky attitude of his more talented team mate and compatriot Éver Banega.
Detractors of Costa point to the fact he isn’t Rubén Baraja, well Banega isn’t Baraja either. I’d rather have a less talented but hard working Costa over a talented but problematic Banega.
Marco Reus
9 of 10
- Club: Borussia Mönchengladbach
- Nationality: German
- Age: 22
- Position: Right/left winger
Marco Reus shares some uncanny similarities with Marko Marin: both have the first same name (albeit different spelling), both are skinny, technically gifted, confident wingers who have made it at unfancied Borussia Mönchengladbach.
It was Reus’ attacking, bold, cavalier like wing play which saved Borussia Mönchengladbach from being relegated.
It’s only a matter of when not if, that like Marin, Reus will be sold to a bigger club.
Samir Handanović
10 of 10
- Club: Udinese
- Nationality: Slovenian
- Age: 26
- Position: Goalkeeper
Samir Handanović makes goalkeeping entertaining, not as entertaining as René Higuita, but Handanović’s penalty saving exploits this season has been quite riveting.
He just kept saving penalty, after penalty, after penalty. In total he saved 11 penalties out of 26 penalty attempts.
So from 12 yards out, the penalty taker only had a 58 percent conversion rate, which is incredible given Matt Le Tissier had a 98 percent penalty conversion rate.
Handanović is a terrific shot blocker, and will impress again next season.
Incredibly Handanović wasn’t even the best Serie A goalkeeper this season—that title belongs to Christian Abbiati.
