Window Shopping

July 7th, 2006 | by: Daryl | View Comments

The World Cup is like a giant shop window. Plenty of players enter the tournament with a fairly low profile, but a few good performances later and their agents phone won’t stop ringing as clubs from the elite European leagues line up to throw money at them.

Here are ten players whose World Cup performances may have earned them a ticket to the big time:

Stephen Appiah: Ghana’s captain already had a spell in Serie A with no lesser club than Juventus, but currently earns his living in Turkey with Fenerbahce. I’m sure they’re paying him well enough but Appiah’s intelligent displays of creativity and athleticism in Ghana’s midfield suggest he belongs in one of the big leagues.


Clint Dempsey: Maybe the only US player to go home with his reputation in better shape than when he arrived, his aggressive, enterprising displays on the right side of midfield were capped with a well taken goal. Dempsey has continued scoring for the New England Revolution since his return to MLS but would welcome another transatlantic flight in the near future.


Carlos Edwards: Currently patrolling the right flank for unfashionable (sorry Hatters fans) Luton Town, but looked more than comfortable against Premiership players like Freddie Ljungberg and Joe Cole in Group B, and may fancy facing that sort of competition on a more regular basis.


Niko Kranjcar: It’s not easy being the national team bosses son, but young Niko Kranjcar stood out at as the sole creative force in Croatia’s midfield. Was unlucky not to score at the World Cup, hitting the bar with a long range strike after a nice turn. The playmaker is only 21, but looks to have outgrown Hadjuk Split and should be moving on soon.


Javier Mascherano: Mascherano’s performances for Brazilian side Corinthians had already attracted interest from Manchester United, and the slight but tenacious defensive midfielder’s solid displays for Argentina will have added to his growing reputation. For my money he’s exactly the player Real Madrid have lacked since they let Claude Makelele go.


Sulley Muntari: Impressive and threatening down Ghana’s left flank (definitely more threatening than his namesake), Muntari plays in for Udinese (who also own Muntari’s fellow Ghanaian Asamoah Gyan) but he’s made no secret of his desire to join Michael Essien in the Premiership. English club managers are always a sucker for wingers, so it wouldn’t be a huge surprise if Muntari got his wish.


Frank Ribery: Another player on Manchester United’s watch list, the Marseille right winger started this World Cup in frustrating form (remember that odd pass to Thierry Henry?) but has slowly grown into a key French player with his speed and dribbling, plus scoring that all important goal against Spain. No shame in playing for Marseilles, but it’s probably time for Ribery to make the step up.


Darijo Srna: Long labeled “the Beckham of the Balkans” for his cultured right foot (either that or his looks) the right sided Croatian defender slash midfielder displayed why when he expertly fired home a free kick in the second minute against Australia. Currently playing for Ukranian outfit Shakhtar Donetsk, but the grass is definitely greener on the other side of Europe.


Anatoliy Tymoshchuk: Ukraine’s brand of defensive football wasn’t pretty but it did take them to a World Cup quarterfinal. A key part of that was the job Tymoshchuk did breaking up play in midfield. Another Shakhtar Donetsk player who may feel the time is right to move on. Would benefit from a haircut though.


Zied Jaziri: Though Tunisia had a disappointing World Cup, Jaziri’s pace and dribbling really caught the eye as he scored one goal and made another for his country. Currently plays for Troyes in France, but could have dribbled his way to more prestigious surroundings.

Did any other players catch your eye?