Gianluigi Buffon Club: Juventus Nation: Italy Already a legend, the Italian has been among the best in the world for well over a decade. No goalkeeper possesses the full array of talents that Buffon enjoys, nor matches his consistency. An excellent shot-stopper, tall yet agile, strong on crosses and with complete command of his penalty area Buffon at his best is imperious. Really he has no obvious weaknesses with good distribution and an ability to concentrate for long periods of inactivity before producing crucial late save. Displayed remarkable maturity as he emerged as a youth in a fabulous Parma defence before completing a world record transfer (for a goalkeeper) to Juventus. With the Old Lady he won a series of Serie A titles and reached a Champions League final in 2003, though injuries have limited his contributions in recent years. A World Cup winner with Italy in 2006 where he conceded just two goals in seven games.
Diego Buonanotte Club: Malaga Nation: Argentina Pint-sized Argentine forward who is renowned for his exceptional dribbling ability and willingness to take on opponents. Standing just 5 foot 3, Buonanotte lacks the physicality which is preeminent in the modern game, but his skill on the ball, speed and fearlessness make up for his shortcomings in stature. An expert free-kick taker with a wand of a left foot, he is deadly from all around the penalty area, imparting wicked dip and swerve on a dead ball to the despair of goalkeepers. Buonanotte broke through as a precocious 17 year old, but soon established himself as a key weapon for River Plate and was widely regarded as one of the most promising young players in the world. A serious car crash in 2009 had a major impact on his development and since moving to Malaga he has struggled with injury, showing flashes of his previous brilliance.
Sergio Busquets Club: Barcelona Nation: Spain Tall defensive midfield shield now established as one of the best in the world in his position. Son of the former Barcelona goalkeeper Carles Busquets, he managed to unsettle Yaya Toure to win his place in the Barca side and has retained it ever since. An exceptional one touch player (Xavi regards him as the best in the Barcelona team), his ability to retain and rotate possession is as important as his defensive ability. Strong in the air, he’s more than capable of playing at centre-back when pressed where his reading of the game and composure on the ball is a major advantage. Has gained himself a reputation for exaggerated theatrics when fouled after he feigned injury against Inter Milan to get Thiago Motta sent off. Replaced Marcos Senna in the Spain squad for the 2010 World Cup and looks likely to be a mainstay for years to come.
Yohan Cabaye Club: Newcastle United Nation: France Hugely influential central midfielder who loves to dictate the pace of play. Ostensibly a playmaker, he also provides significant defensive contributions with his well judged positioning and tenacity in the tackle. Blessed with a wide range of passing, vision and ability from set pieces his creativity has been obvious for all to see. Cabaye began his career at Lille and soon established himself as a first team regular, enjoying a remarkable 2009-10 season where his prowess from the penalty spot saw him consistently among the goals. The following campaign was less prolific but a more rounded Cabaye was central in Lille’s remarkable “double” success. A move to Newcastle for an inexplicably low £4m brought his talents to the notice of a wider audience and he has now secured his position at the heart of midfield for both club and country.
Víctor Cáceres Club: Flamengo Nation: Paraguay This tall Paraguayan defensive midfielder is a fixture at the centre of his national team. He is immense defensively - he can also play at centre back - and organises the team around him, then keeps it simple and is unfussy on the ball. He has spent the majority of his career at Libertad in Asunción, winning four titles there and watching as most of his International colleagues opted for high-profile moves abroad. In 2012 he followed, joining Flamengo on a free transfer. In addition to his defensive qualities he offers height from set pieces and his goal-scoring record at Libertad was not bad for a disciplined holding player; he scored 16 goals in 161 games over four years.
Tim Cahill Club: New York Red Bulls Nation: Australia One of Australia’s most successful ever players, Cahill marked himself our as an excellent goalscoring midfielder during his time in England, prior to completing a move to the New York Red Bulls. Superb in the air, Cahill was noted for his ability to arrive late in the box for many goals and out jumping far taller players. Feisty in character and not afraid of a tackle he caused controversy with a goal celebration that paid tribute to his brother who was serving a prison sentence at the time. Initially his step up to Premier League level after six years with Millwall was somewhat unexpected, yet he proved a bargain, given that Everton paid just £1.5m for his services. Often pressed into service as a striker given the Toffees’ frequent injury crises his versatility remains a key strength, though he’s at his best in a more withdrawn role.
Jose Callejon Club: Real Madrid Nation: Spain A product of the Real Madrid cantera, Callejon had to go to Espanyol in order to get his chance in the big time. In Catalonia he had the time and the patience to demonstrate the skills that had been obvious from an early age. Capable of playing as an attacking midfielder or forward from right to left, at Espanyol he played primarily from the flanks and was a constant source of danger, utilising his pace and the accuracy of his crossing to carve out a host of chances for his front men. His dribbling ability and fine movement have always been two of his most prominent hallmarks, and after three seasons in Barcelona, Real Madrid were moved to bring the youngster back to the Bernabeu. While he has been far from an automatic choice since the move, his lively attacking style has won favour with Jose Mourinho and he has regularly featured in rotation and from the bench.
Esteban Cambiasso Club: Internazionale Nation: Argentina Originally a left-back or left-winger while in Argentina and with Real Madrid, Cambiasso’s conversion into a central midfielder has more than paid dividends. An outstanding short passer, his positioning is a key strength and allows him to break up opposition moves without resorting to tackling. Clever in possession he rarely attempts the spectacular but is content to look for better placed teammates. A tireless worker, Cambiasso has plenty of finesse and possesses a strong shot when he finds himself in the box. At Inter he prospered first under Roberto Mancini and then Jose Mourinho, both of whom recognised the enormously important role the Argentine played. On the international stage he has had mixed fortunes and was bizarrely omitted from the 2010 World Cup squad despite starring in Inter’s Champions League victory, though he did score the goal of the tournament at the 2006 World Cup.
Hugo Campagnaro Club: Napoli Nation: Argentina A rugged and uncompromising central defender who has improved significantly with age. Began his career at Deportivo Moron in the Argentine lower leagues, but quickly transitioned on his move to Italy with Piacenza, spending five years in Emilia-Romagna. A transfer to Sampdoria raised his profile and his value, leading to a switch to Napoli, where he has excelled as the club have returned to the glories of the 1980s. Campagnaro has been a vital part of that success with the dominance in the air and ferocious tackling proving integral. A strong all-round player he now has few weaknesses though there is a suspicion that his pace (a noted attribute) may be on the wane. That will only reinforce his reliance on the typical Argentine wilyness exemplified by the likes of Oscar Ruggeri and Nestor Sensini.
Lorik Cana Club: Lazio Nation: Albania Albania are not renowned for the quality of their footballers, but in Lorik Canathey do at least have of player of international class. A combative central midfielder, Cana began his career in France, having emigrated with his family to Switzerland as a child. At Paris Saint-Germain the young Cana established himself as a fine shielding midfielder, known for his tenacity in the tackle as well as an ability to distribute the ball. A move to Marseille offered a greater platform on which to demonstrate his skills and he received the captaincy of L’OM in recognition of his fine performances. In the South of France he developed further, adding a greater range of passing to his more defensive skills and attracting the attention of Premier League clubs. While he impressed during his time at Sunderland, his time on Wearside was brief and after a spell in Turkey with Galatasaray he joined Lazio in 2011. Far from a first choice in Rome he now faces a battle to partner Hernanes in the Lazio midfield.
Sergio Canales Club: Valencia Nation: Spain At the moment the jury is out on whether Canales will prove to be a superstar of the future or a case of too much too young. An exceptional talent who showcased his wonderful attacking gifts as a seventeen year old at Racing Santander, it was not long before bigger clubs came in for him A move to Real Madrid was evidence of just how highly he was rated, but given the presence of Mesut Özil and Kaka at the club it was no wonder that his playing time was limited. A loan move to Valencia should have provided slightly greater openings but a major knee ligament injury ruled him out for almost the whole of last season, with a reoccurrence on his return extending his absence still further. When he is fit Canales has the deft touch, clever passing and ability on the ball of a young David Silva, illustrating quite what a big loss he has been. Should he return with no long term damage, Spain will benefit from yet another wonderful playmaker.
Michael Carrick Club: Manchester United Nation: England Tall and elegant central midfielder who appears more Continental than British in his approach to the game. Part of the famed West Ham academy (though originally from the North East), Carrick was often in the shadow of Joe Cole while at Upton Park, but a move to Spurs following the Hammers’ relegation saw his reputation rightly soar. At Manchester United he has won multiple league titles as well as the Champions League, but there remains a section of supporters who do not trust him, particularly in a two-man midfield. He is however excellent positionally and his defensive contributions are underrated with his ability to make interceptions being a key strength. A superb passer, particularly over long distances, he can be unsettled by teams who are prepared to press high up the pitch. Often overlooked for England, his ability to retain the ball and build attacking pressure has been sorely lacking at multiple major championships.
Iker Casillas Club: Real Madrid Nation: Spain Only Gianluigi Buffon can rival Casillas as the finest goalkeeper of his generation. A starter for Real Madrid as a teenager, the Spaniard has won the lot at both club and international level. Relatively short by modern standards, he has based his game on his reflexes and exceptional shot stopping ability. Strong with the ball at his feet, proactive in his penalty area and a leader from the back he has many of the attributes most valued in today’s game. For many years at Real Madrid he was required to compensate almost single handedly for a substandard defence, but now for both club and country he finds himself far less busy. That in turn brings its own set of challenges, but Casillas’s concentration levels have never been questioned and his goal remains as impregnable as ever.
Antonio Cassano Club: Internazionale Nation: Italy A genius of the highest calibre, Cassano’s talents have not always been fully utilised. Having moved to Roma from Bari for an enormous fee aged just 19, Cassano should have established himself as the next in Italy’s long line of decorated fantasisti. Instead he has moved through a succession of clubs, never quite able to do his exceptional gifts justice. From Roma he joined Real Madrid, but was never able to establish himself at the Bernabeu and was soon off to Sampdoria. In Genoa he arguably showed the finest and most sustained form of his career, building an excellent partnership in attack with Gianpaolo Pazzini and carrying the club into the qualifiers of the Champions League. A move to Milan saw him close to his best before a heart attack kept him out for most of the 2011/12 season, and in the summer he moved across the city in a swap deal for old team-mate Pazzini. At his peak he is a superb passer of exceptional vision, a tricky dribbler and a fine finisher in front of goal. There is still though a feeling that we are yet to see the very best of a player who should have been one of the greatest of his generation.
Oscar Cardozo Club: Benfica Nation: Paraguay Lanky Paraguayan striker who has been a huge hit at the Estadio da Luz over the last five years. Unusually for a player of his height he is predominantly known for his all round ability to lead the lead the line, rather than merely his stature. An excellent taker of free-kicks, he has been a prolific scorer during his time in Portugal, leading many to link him with a move to one of the bigger leagues. Heavily left-footed, he is naturally a major threat in the air but can score goals in all types of ways. A notable aspect of his game has been a consistency throughout his club career, whether in Paraguay, in Argentina with Newell’s, or in Portugal he has always maintained a ratio of roughly two goals in every three games. At international level it has been harder going, but given the calibre of opposition to be faced in South America that is only to be expected.
Luc Castaignos Club: FC Twente Nation: Netherlands A rangy centre-forward, Castaignos is already at his third club at the tender age of 20. Always regarded as a major prospect during his time at Feyenoord, his second full season at the club brought him to wider attention. An impressive 15 league goals alerted Inter Milan who quickly swooped for his services. Opportunities at the San Siro were naturally limited and during a turbulent season in which three men were stationed in the dug-out, Castaignos returned to the Netherlands with FC Twente. Purchased as a replacement for Luuk de Jong, the youngster’s height makes him look slightly ungainly and he often appears to have a rather laboured style. Despite that he is blessed with fine technique and is prepared to put in the hard work of pressurising defenders and harrying goalkeepers. If he fills out with age he could yet be a terror for opposing defences in the years to come.
Edinson Cavani Club: Napoli Nation: Uruguay Unquestionably entering the first rank of strikers in Europe, Cavani possesses such a range of attributes that he can often seem impossible to stop. For Napoli he plays as a target man, utilising his physical strength, height and ability in the air. For Uruguay he frequently plays from the flanks or from a deeper position, in support of Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez. While he excels in both roles, it is in Naples that his best results have been seen with a hugely impressive goal scoring record during his two seasons at the San Paolo. Proficient with both feet and his head, Cavani is deadly in the six-yard box and yet also scores plenty from long range, as well as penalties and free-kicks. It is that variety in his abilities that make him so impressive, combined with his silky dribbling ability and excellent hold-up play. At his best there are few strikers who can hold a candle to Cavani.
Santi Cazorla Club: Arsenal Nation: Spain Any doubters to the worth of Cazorla only need to look at the relative fortunes of Malaga and Villarreal last season. While his new club soared his previous employers were relegated from La Liga, with the absence of the diminutive playmaker uppermost among their problems. Cazorla’s ability from the right of midfield or as a central orchestrator is centred on his intelligent use of the ball and excellent range of passing. Dismissed by one tabloid hack as a “poor man’s Cesc Fabregas”, the Spaniard’s ability is best illustrated by the constant faith shown in him by Vicente Del Bosque. Seldom hurried in possession, Cazorla rarely makes the wrong choice and weights his through balls superbly. As well as his strengths in open play, Cazorla is also an excellent free-kick taker and possesses a venomous shot from distance. He has already started brightly at Arsenal and is certain to rank among the best bits of business done this summer.
Petr Cech Club: Chelsea Nation: Czech Republic Assured of a place among the leading goalkeepers of the last decade, Cech’s height and dominance of his penalty area have made him seemingly unbeatable at time. Cech began his career in his native Czech Republic, making his league debut at 17 and transferring to national heavyweights Sparta Prague, before a first move abroad to Rennes. Two stellar seasons in the French league led to a move to free-spending Chelsea and he has now been in possession of the number one jersey at Stamford Bridge for eight years. Easily recognisable thanks to the headguard he wears, Cech was outstanding in his early years in the Premier League, but his form suffered following an injury sustained in a clash with Reading’s Stephen Hunt. Cech took time to re-establish his confidence following the collision and, while impressive, was far less assured in the ensuing seasons. Last year witnessed a return to top form with crucial performances in Chelsea’s Champions League success.
Adrián Ricardo Centurión Club: Racing Club Nation: Argentina This skinny 19 year old Argentine winger is perhaps the most exciting talent uncovered by Racing Club de Avellenada - once known as “the Academy” for the strength of its youth programme - in years. He only made his debut late last season, and has only played a handful of games for the first team after becoming a part of it this term, but his dazzling talent has been evident right from the start. He is a beautifully old-fashioned winger, sensational with the ball at his feet and a defender in front of him. He is genuinely two-footed and beats men on either side with the kind of enthusiasm and relish that seems to invite brutal tackling. His age and inexperience means that his decision-making is still patchy - why beat one man when you can take on three? - but he is an undeniably exhilarating player to watch and has enormous potential.
Alessio Cerci Club: Torino Nation: Italy A mainstay of Italy’s youth teams Cerci struggled to break in to the first team with his boyhood club Roma. A disappointing loan spell at Brescia was followed by one at Pisa which saw the youngster blossom in Serie B. Primarily deployed as an inverted winger on the right-flank, the Italian loves to cut inside on to his favoured left-foot. At Pisa he showed a knack for finding the net and demonstrated some great intelligence in the positions he took up close to goal. Another move on loan, this time to Atalanta in Serie A, brought Cerci back down to earth as he struggled to refind the form of the previous season. In 2010 Fiorentina acquired the winger and in Florence he generated a huge amount of excitement with compelling displays from the right-side of midfield. Indeed, given Italy’s dearth of wingers in recent years many were moved to question whether he might finally be one of true international class. Sadly during the second-half of the 2011/12 season his form deserted him, prompting his departure from the Viola and a move to Turin.
Nacer Chadli Club: FC Twente Nation: Belgium Part of a richly talented Belgian generation, Chadli may find him opportunities limited on the international stage. That’s not to say that he lacks quality, more a recognition that with Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Dries Mertens as rivals, nobody can be certain of a starting place. A left-winger who is predominantly right footed, the Belgian is a real danger when he drifts centrally and has a fine shot from distance. An excellent set-piece taker, he has a bag of tricks to deceive opponents and relies more on guile that blistering pace. Having broken through in the Eerste division the wideman made a great impression during his first seasons in the top flight. Chadli represented Morocco at international level before switching his allegiance to Belgium and with the nation on the up it might be argued that he and his compatriots have a hugely exciting future ahead.
Marouane Chamakh Club: Arsenal Nation: Morocco Though he has now fallen out of favour at the Emirates, Chamakh made a highly promising start to his Arsenal career. A product of the Bordeaux youth academy, the striker represented his native France at junior level before opting to play for Morocco as a senior international. In Bordeaux his goalscoring record was fitful, but he impressed in the 2008-9 title winning campaign and in his last year in France he shone during the club’s Champions League adventure. That fine form prompted a free transfer to Arsenal where he appeared ideally suited to act as a foil for Robin Van Persie. Despite encouraging beginnings his confidence in front of goal evaporated midway through his first season in England, and with it his opportunities. When in form Chamakh has the height and stature to play the part of target man, and his link-up play is impressive. He has the movement to cause teams problems, but currently lacks the belief to profit from his industry.
Cristian Chávez Club: Boca Juniors Nation: Argentina Cristian “Pochi” Chávez is a stocky little attacking midfielder who has spent almost the entirety of his senior career at Buenos Aires giants Boca Juniors. For much of that time he has been forced to sit on the bench and watch as Juan Román Riquelme won the adoration of the Boca fans playing in his position. He was in and out of the side in a variety of midfield positions - on the wings and even as a second striker - but he only really seemed comfortable when he played as the link between midfield and strikers. That role suits his talents. He is strong, a powerful dribbler, shields the ball brilliantly, and can spot and find a runner with quick, short passing. But he is not in Riquelme’s class. Since that mercurial genius retired this year, however, 26-year old Chávez has been given his chance, and has been central to the Boca attacking machine. While he is rarely inspired, he never lets anybody down, either; the definition of the useful squad player, perhaps.
Giorgio Chiellini Club: Juventus Nation: Italy Currently among the finest centre-backs in Europe, Chiellini is far from the most technically accomplished of defenders, but his determination and will to win compensate for any such deficiencies. Strong, quick and tigerish in the tackle, the Italian is comfortable at left-back or more centrally. It was on the flank that he began with Fiorentina and he was highly rated from an early age, captaining Italy’s youth teams. However, for a period his career did not seem to develop as had perhaps been expected. That adversity only spurred Chiellini on further to develop himself as the best centre-back he could be. Now he retains possession well (though his ambition with his passing is limited), and loves to gallop forward if an attack is emerging. His greatest strengths though remain in his own half where he is powerful in the air, assertive in his tackling and a commanding presence for the rest of the defence.