TOP 10 PLAYERS TO WATCH

Whatever the sport, superstars tend to materialize when the eyes of the world are watching.

Paul Henderson, a player of modest reputation, became a Canadian hero by scoring against the Soviets in the 1972 Summit Series. Joe Namath became known as "Broadway Joe" after leading the New York Jets to a huge upset over the Baltimore Colts in Super Bowl III.

Soccer is no different. At every World Cup, there's at least one player who leads his country to improbable heights of glory. There's something about pulling on a jersey for one's country that inspires players to come up with a breakout, career-defining performance.

Pele in 1958. Paolo Rossi in 1982. Zinedine Zidane in 1998.

So, who will it be in 2006? Consider the following names:

1) Ronaldinho (Brazil): The best player in the world today, BAR NONE! Ronaldinho, a two two-time reigning world player of the year, is a marvel to watch, especially the way he undresses defenders with his deft ball control and amazing moves. He is a creative genius who has it all: vision, speed, strength and the ability to make the impossible look so easy on a soccer field. At the 2002 World Cup, Ronaldinho was overshadowed by teammates Ronaldo and Rivaldo. Germany will be his time to shine.

2) Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine): All eyes will be on the Ukrainian bullet in Germany when the star striker makes his debut on soccer's greatest stage. Alongside Thierry Henry, Shevchenko is regarded as the world's best goal scorer. Winner of the 2004 European player of the year award and Ukraine's all-time leading scorer, Shevchenko tears apart defences with his well-timed runs and cool finishing touch. A classy and dangerous player.

3) Park Ji-Sung (South Korea): A star midfielder for Manchester United, Park is one of Asia's best players. He's a wizard with the ball at his feet who can burn defenders with his speed. Park has great vision and uses it to deliver and distribute the ball to his teammates with pinpoint accuracy in the attacking third of the field.

4) Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast): A deadly striker with English Premiership champions Chelsea. Drogba is equally adept at using his height to score with his head or his quick feet to breeze past defenders before blasting the ball into the net. He led Ivory Coast in scoring in the qualifiers with nine goals and is of paramount importance to his country. One of the best African soccer players in the world today.

5) Juan Roman Riquelme (Argentina): The driving force behind Argentina's attack and considered one of the best playmaking midfielders in soccer. Although slow, Riquelme makes up for it with beautiful ball control, visionary passing and his ability to orchestrate and organize the attack. When he's at his best, he can single-handedly dictate the pace of a game.

6) Michael Ballack (Germany): An elegant midfielder who carries the ball with such style and grace. Ballack serves as Germany's general on the field - everything flows through him. The midfield playmaker is strong with both feet, makes darting runs into the penalty area with the ball, and can score goals with the best of them. The backbone of the German attack.

7) Luca Toni (Italy): The most lethal striker in the world today. Toni scored 31 goals for Fiorentina this past season, shattering the club record held by legends Gabriel Batistuta and Kurt Hamrin. He finished as the top scorer in Italy's Serie A and also won the European golden boot as the top scorer on the continent. Not quick, but the Italian is very strong, crafty and possesses a natural goal-scorer's instinct.

8) Michael Essien (Ghana): Chelsea spent a club record $49.4 million Cdn to purchase Essien from French club Olympique Lyon. A wise investment, considering the 23-year-old draws comparisons to France's Patrick Vieira because of his remarkable athleticism, sublime passing skills and ability to dictate the game's pace. A very tough tackler who isn't afraid to mix it up.

9) Landon Donovan (United States): The best player in Major League Soccer (the U.S. first division) the past five years, Donovan is a wonderfully talented forward with a real goal-scorer's touch and a mean shot. Tall and strong, he's also very versatile: he can play as a forward or anywhere in midfield. A dangerous forward who uses his quickness to beat defenders.

10) Mark Schwarzer (Australia): A talented goalkeeper and an integral part of the national team. Schwarzer is the picture of confidence between the posts, making athletic saves look easy and organizing his defenders in front of him. His speciality is saving penalty shots, something he does almost effortlessly. Helped English club Middlesbrough reach the final of the UEFA Cup this year.