JARED BORGETTI- MEXICO

Date of birth: Aug. 14, 1973
Birthplace: Culiacancito, Mexico
Club: Bolton (England)
Position: Striker
International debut: February 1997 vs. Ecuador

He doesn't draw the same rave reviews as some of the top strikers in the world, but Jared Borgetti is a revered legend in his native Mexico.

Mexico will be pinning their World Cup hopes on Borgetti, an explosive and experienced forward who scored a whopping 14 goals in the qualifying round — more than any other player in the world.

A classic goal-poacher who draws comparisons to Italy's Filippo Inzaghi, Borgetti is Mexico's all-time leading scorer with 37 goals and will act as the team's main scoring threat in Germany since fiery striker Cuauhtemoc Blanco was not selected for duty.

Although not quick, Borgetti has a knack for being in a scoring position at the right time and cuts a swathe through defences with his dangerous runs. Nicknamed El Zorro del Desierto — the Desert Fox — Borgetti is a lethal penalty-area vulture who punishes defenders with his clinical finishing and strength in the air.

Borgetti began his career in 1993 with Atlas, one of the top clubs in the Mexican first division. His two-year tenure with Atlas was not a success, however, and he quickly transferred to Santos Laguna in 1996.

Borgetti thrived at Santos, scoring goals with alarming regularity and he became one of the league's top stars. In eight seasons with Santos, he won three scoring titles and was named the Mexican league player of the year in 2000 when he scored an amazing 41 goals in 43 games.

He left Santos and joined Dorados de Sinaloa, his hometown team, in 2004 before moving on to Pachuca the following season.

It was Borgetti's sensational form for Santos that earned him his first call-up for the national team in February 1997. It wasn't until 2000, during Mexico's qualifying campaign for the 2002 World Cup, that he began to make his mark for his country.

Borgetti scored some crucial goals to help Mexico qualify for the World Cup and was rewarded by becoming a regular starter for the national team, winning praise for his strong play at the 2001 Copa America and the 2002 World Cup.

It was at the 2005 Confederations Cup that he announced himself to the world when he scored the winning goal in Mexico's stunning 1-0 upset victory over Brazil. Borgetti scored three goals in the tournament to lead his country to a respectable fourth-place finish.

His inspired performances at the competition did not go unnoticed and several clubs approached Pachuca about buying the talented forward. Borgetti turned down offers from German teams Hertha Berlin and Eintracht Frankfurt, and signed with Bolton in 2005, becoming the first Mexican to play in the English Premiership.

He made his English league debut on Aug. 24 and scored his first goal for the team three weeks later in dramatic fashion, finding the back of the net in injury time to give Bolton a 2-1 victory over Bulgarian club Lokomotiv Plovdiv in a UEFA Cup match.

Borgetti has not been able to duplicate his Mexican league performances in England this season, as he's been used primarily as a substitute. But at 32, he's still at the peak of his talents, a fact not lost on opposing defenders who will have to mark him in Germany.