Expert Blogs

With the World Cup on the horizon, there will be plenty of discussion surrounding which players are likely to make an impact on the tournament.  

While most fans are familiar with superstars like Kaka from Brazil, Fernando Torres from Spain or Wayne Rooney from England, what about some of the lesser known players? Which of those players are likely to play a key role for their country in South Africa? 

Last week, I looked at Group A. Let's turn our attention to the teams in group B. 

Argentina - Gabriel Milito 

Argentina stumbled into the World Cup on the back of a shaky qualifying campaign, in large part because they were very poor defensively. They lack a strong presence in the back line, someone who commands the respect of his teammates and strikes fear into the hearts of opposing strikers. 

Gabriel Milito has been injured for the best part of two years, but his recent return to action with his club side, Barcelona, must have Argentinean coach Diego Maradona smiling. Finally Maradona can call on a player who has the ability to solidify Argentina's biggest weakness. 

With players like Lionel Messi and Carlos Tevez in attack, Argentina will always be a threat offensively. If Milito can slot into the back four and play to his potential, Argentina will be much stronger in South Africa than they were in qualifying. 

Nigeria - Vincent Enyeama 

Nigeria's first choice goalkeeper is no stranger to the World Cup, as he was part of the 2002 squad that competed in South Korea and Japan. In that tournament, though, Vincent Enyeama only played in one game, a 0-0 draw with England. 

Nigeria failed to qualify for the 2006 World Cup, so this year's tournament could be Enyeama's time to shine. 

Nicknamed "The Cat", Enyeama is an agile, confident shot-stopper. He plays his club football in Israel for Hapoel Tel Aviv, where he has been since 2007. It was reported in 2009 that he had agreed a contract to join Arsenal in the English Premier League, only for the move to fall through because Arsenal were unwilling to meet Hapoel's transfer demands. 

The one downside to Enyeama's game is his lack of height. At just under 6'0" tall, he sometimes struggles to deal with the aerial side of the game, which could be a problem for Nigeria as they seek to advance out of the group stage. Nevertheless, Enyeama will be hoping to perform heroics in goal for the Super Eagles in order to attract the interest of one of Europe's bigger club sides. 
 

South Korea - Park Chu-Young 

When South Korea co-hosted the World Cup in 2002, they went on an amazing run that culminated in a berth in the semi-finals. While they eventually finished in 4^th place, it was still a remarkable achievement for such an unheralded team. 

It will be very difficult for South Korea to repeat that feat in South Africa, in part because they lack a world-class goal scoring threat. 

Park Chu-Young is the man who is looking to fill that void. He plays his club football for AS Monaco, where he is blossoming as an attacking threat. His greatest attribute is his speed, though, which allows him to get into goal scoring positions in behind defenders.

However, at just 24, Park Chu-Young is still learning his trade. He is part of a new generation of Korean players, and like Ki Sung-Yong (21) and Lee Chung-Yong (21), he has an opportunity to become a mainstay in the Korean team. If he can become the focal point of the Korean attack and provide the finishing ability that they are lacking, Park Chu-Young could very well be the surprise of the tournament. 

Greece - Sotiris Ninis 

With only 3 games under his belt at the senior international level, Sotiris Ninis is somewhat of an unknown quantity in world football. But his exploits for club side Panathinaikos in Greece have put him firmly on the radar of every major club in Europe. 

The second youngest player ever to play for Panathinaikos, Ninis made his debut for the club in January 2007 at the age of 16. Since that time, he has gone on to play over 60 times for the club, as well as working his way into the Greek national team.  

Now 19 years of age, Ninis has been compared to Argentina's Lionel Messi. The attacking midfielder is quick and agile, and he has not let his sleight frame hinder his ability to be a force on the pitch - much like FIFA's world player of the year, Messi. 

The question for Greek fans is, will Ninis actually see much playing time in South Africa? Greece's German coach, Otto Rehhagel, has so far been reluctant to gamble on the promise of Ninis, preferring instead to rely on players who have more experience.  

The saying, "If you're good enough, you're old enough" might have been coined with Sotiris Ninis in mind. If he gets the chance to play in South Africa, he could provide that little bit of magic that Greece has been missing.