The new Chѐ?

Diego Maradona, self described as “completely drained of energy” after his side was roughly treated by a young German squad at the World Cup, has stated his uncertainty about continuing as manager of the Argentine national team.  Despite the ridicule that much of the rest of the world (those not named Rob Hughes of the NY Times, at any rate) have foisted on his efforts as the man in charge, he is very much appreciated and loved in his home country.  The president of the Argentine federation has been lavishing el Pibe with praise and bending over backwards to get him to commit to another four years at the helm.

The man himself?  Well, he has been on a busman’s holiday of sorts, apparently advising good friend Hugo Chavez, the president of Venezuela, during his ongoing relationships issues with neighbouring Colombia.  In case you’re unaware, the two countries have been involved in a dispute over whether Venezuela is harboring Colombian rebels on their side of the border.  The Colombians brought what they claim is satellite surveillance, revealing rebel forces hunkered down in Venezuelan territory, to an OAS summit.  The Venezuelans, thinking creatively under pressure, replied that the photos could have been taken anywhere.  Maradona, who is known to have a leftist political view and has famously enjoyed the hospitality of Cuba’s Fidel Castro, was at Chavez’ side today as the Venezuelan severed diplomatic ties with those cheeky coca farmers.

The BBC, that solid bastion of journalistic integrity and staunch opponent of tabloidism, pictured Maradona and Chavez together in a very suggestive manner but somehow failed altogether to mention the Argentine, in the report itself.  Surely though, his council was of the greatest import in aiding Chavez in making such an important political decision?

Maradona is well known for catching his opponents off guard with surprise tactics.  Just ask the 1986 English squad. With Colombia’s government in a state of transition, after the recent election of Juan Manuel Santos, who doesn’t assume power for another two weeks, this is the perfect time to go on the offensive.

The political scene has become so dull in the last few years.  It’s all he said, she said, with plenty of finger pointing and shouting but no real action.  Maradona’s antics and eminently quotable press conferences in South Africa certainly made the World Cup much more interesting.  Maybe he could do the same for Latin American politics. After all, it’s been what, three decades, since we’ve had a good South American war?

Could Diego Maradona have a future as a political consultant?  At least we know his strategy.  Attack, attack, attack!

The three amigos, Maradona, Chavez and Bolivia's Evo Morales

And so it was today in Germany’s quarter final clash with Diego Maradona’s Argentina. With just 3 minutes gone, the 20 year-old from the small town of Pähl in Bavaria rose to glance Bastian Schweinsteiger’s free-kick beyond the haplessly stranded Sergio Romero to send his country into raptures.

Mueller heads past Romero

Before the match, many (German fans included) believed Germany’s big moment in this World Cup had come with their thrashing of England. Maradona’s Albiceleste wouldn’t be so easy. Messi, Tevez and co would bring Joachim Löw’s young team down to earth they thought. Mueller set Germany on the way to proving that theory wrong with Germany’s fastest ever World Cup goal.

Throughout the remaining 42 minutes of the 1^st half Argentina rarely looked like getting back into the match. Whilst they controlled the majority of possession, Germany worked tirelessly off the ball to deny space to their attacking players. Schweinsteiger and Khedira did an especially good job picking up Messi and denying him the chance to operate between Germany’s midfield and defence. That, coupled with Argentina’s lack of natural width, meant there was no way through. A tame shot at Neuer by Higuaín and a rightly disallowed offside goal (again from Higuain), were the best the Albiceleste could muster.

Messi - frustrated

As well as being well-organised defensively, Germany were also a threat going forward. Mid-way through the 1^st half it was Müller again who pounced on an error by Gabriel Heinze to burst into the box and lay it off to Miroslav Klose, who should have sent the Germans in 2-0 at the break, but he wastefully fired it over.

With the score still at 1-0 at the start of the 2^nd half, Argentina fancied their chances and dominated the opening 20 minutes. A powerful Carlos Tevez shot was blocked on 54 minutes by the face of Per Mertesacker. From the resulting corner, Manuel Neuer had to parry a Di Maria cross to safety. Argentina had further chances through Messi and Higuaín in the 63^rd minute but, as they began to throw more men forward, Germany looked more and more dangerous on the counter.

Just as in their previous match, Germany grabbed the killer goal just when their opponents looked most like scoring. Again, Müller was involved. Having been brought down by Otamendi 25 yards away from the Argentina goal, Müller admirably stayed alert to swivel on the ground and stab the ball into the path of the onrushing Lukas Podolski. The Pole was left with little to do but roll the ball across to his ‘countryman’ Klose to tap into the back of the net. Cue delirium on the streets of Germany, a country today bathed in 37 degree heat. It would be interesting to know how many cases of heatstroke this goal, alone, caused among the many outdoor fan parks across the land. It was the strike that gave the Germans the genuine belief that victory was theirs.

The party didn’t end there however. With Argentina desperately throwing men forward in their increasingly hopeless attempts to salvage the match, Germany broke forward twice more to pick at the gaping holes in the South Americans’ defence. Both goals were similar to Germany’s 2nd, as they took advantage of slack defending on Argentina’s right side. First, man of the match Schweinsteiger slalomed brilliantly toward the byline to cut the ball back for Arne Friedrich to tap home. Then, as if not to be outdone, Mesut Özil rounded off proceedings with a touch of genius, expertly standing the ball up at the far post for Klose to volley home his 2nd goal of the match. A more sublime, perfectly weighted pass you couldn’t wish to see, Klose didn’t have to break stride, he barely even had to move, before stroking it past Romero.

Klose - World Cup legend

The final goal capped a stunning team performance by Germany. Once more, Joachim Löw came up with the perfect tactical plan to foil his opposition. Once again they were strong in defence and devastating on the counter attack. Schweinsteiger, in particular, marshalled his team expertly, keeping the shackles on Messi for much of the game but also getting forward to support in attack. The goal also brought Klose’s World Cup goal tally to 14, level with Gerd Müller and 1 short of Ronaldo’s all time record. All eyes will be on him in Germany’s semi-final against Vicente del Bosque’s (so far) unimpressive and beatable-looking Spain outfit. Unfortunately, they won’t be on Thomas Müller, who was harshly yellow-carded for an accidental handball in the 1st half and will be suspended.

Whether they win or lose against the Spaniards, one thing is certain: just like in 2006, Germany’s young team has made their countrymen, from the Chancellor to the salt of the earth fan, immensely proud, and given them at least one more big party to look forward to.

England fans should feel a bit better also – at least Capello’s men mustered one goal!

The General and his soldiers

As was pointed out in an earlier WFC column, Brazil and Argentina have plenty of differences, but both have somehow managed to keep one thing in common: the know-how to use their strengths.

Maradona and Dunga are not exactly coaches. One of them worked towards restructuring the Brazilian national squad’s core throughout his three and a half years on the bench, whereas the other one took over the Argentine job almost two years ago and has since spent his time testing far too many players. Some experts, here in South America, seem to consider that they have just continued their previous roles, Dunga as a captain, now off the field, almost like a general, Maradona as the “good friend” of the guys, and the one who still can make the nice moves (at least in practice ).

In the end, both left home some big names.

Dunga realised that, while he has some of the best central defenders and right backs in the world, in order to mantain this fortress he would have to give up on some of the “fantasy” players that were regularly seen in yellow. His main problem always seemed to be the left back, maybe Daniel Alves (who would be a first team regular virtually anywhere) can solve that issue, because Gilberto and Michel Bastos are not playing in the left, at least not for their clubs. Another problem for Brazil is the bench.  It’s not exactly Dunga’s fault but the reserve players are not of the same quality as the first team. It may seem as a natural thing, but the downfall is immense from Kaká to Julio Baptista and from Gilberto Silva to Josué, for example.

How does the beard story go?

Calling Maradona a head coach is merely a figure of speech.  I firmly believe that his only function as a coach is to sign the sheet, Veron seems to be the leader on the pitch. With a pack of good forwards, most of them on the top scoring tables in the main European leagues, and a lack of trustworthy defenders and goalies, the Argentines seem only to have a mind for attacking their opponents. Messi, Tevez and Higuain (with Aguero, Milito and Palermo in the bench) comprise one of the most talented groups of attacking midfielders/forwards in the world; how to best use them is the key to Argentina’s sucess.

There is a famous saying in the game of American Football:  “Offense wins games, defense wins championships.”  Which  will prevail in true football, we will find out during the World Cup.

No, you’re not being punk’d.

If you’ve ever seen The Butterfly Effect, starring Ashton Kutcher, or are familiar with the chaos theory concept for which the film is named, you might have an idea of how nearly half the populace of South America feels as the World Cup approaches.

Essentially, the theory posits that even the slightest change in detail at the beginning of an experiment can produce a hugely different outcome. Based on the work of mathematician and meteorologist, Edwin Lorenz, the idea is that a butterfly flapping its wings in one particular place, or not at all, might, through a series of consequent reactions affect the direction or severity of a hurricane an ocean away.

I remember , as a young whippersnapper, reading a science fiction story about a man who travels back in time to see dinosaurs and accidentally steps on a butterfly or caterpillar or some such.  When he returns home, his world is in ruin.  Of course, Ashton Kutcher only travelled back to his own childhood. No hurricanes. No dinosaurs. Still, each change he made, attempting to improve his present life, brought drastic and unintended consequences.

Victory party

Holiday party

Now, as far as I know, no football fan in Brazil or Argentina has discovered time travel.  Still, there have been some radical changes in the makeup of the two national teams recently.  Like a work exchange program, Brazil is adopting a more staid Argentinish approach in preparing for South Africa, while Argentina is, a la Brazil, trying to add a little color and panache to their game.

If you play word association with a group of people, first mentioning Brazil, the reply will probably be either soccer or Carnival. The colors of the flag and the national team kit are a vivid gold, green and blue. Music, dance, laughter, creativity and  celebration are all words that describe the Brazilian people; they pursue happiness with their heart and souls.

Communist Party

Socialist Party

Conversely, the Argentines seek satisfaction. They are very political animals. Continuing the game of word association, next ask for the name of a famous Argentine and for every Diego Maradona mentioned, you are equally likely to get one answer of Che Guevara and  another voting for Evita Peron.  Pride , power and politics are cultural bywords in Buenos Aires.  Or they would be, if English was the language spoken.

So why are the Selecao eschewing individual talent for team cohesion and defensive discipline and why did the Albiceleste give the reins of the national team to a man famous for his excesses, who took charge with a rash promise to not only bring his country victory but to do it in style?

A plan coming together

The simple answer would be that it is down to the two managers. Dunga is a former center back, Brazilian born but of conservative German stock, a heritage which has always shown in his game and management philosophy. Maradona, on the other hand, has lived and almost died, not for the glory of the game, but the drama.  This reversal of polarized philosophies is like George W. Bush hosting the Oscars while Ellen DeGeneres sits in the Oval Office. It’s like the BBC airing Debbie Does Dallas while the Daily Mail runs a five part series on global warming. It’s like Roy Hodgson out on the town with Cheryl Cole on one arm and Victoria Beckham on the other while Ashley, Becks and John Terry enjoy a nice quiet evening at home playing Scrabble.

I can just hear Golden Balls exclaiming, “Monogamy is too a word, you prat!”  (and don’t forget the 50 point bonus for using seven letters)

For Brazil, the new methodology has borne positive fruit. The team is hardly boring, still showing frequent flashes of artistry but it has drastically reduced the foolish defensive lapses that have tripped them up in the past. While the media and fans may cry for the likes of Ronaldinho and Adriano to satisfy their appetite for theatrics, qualification went smoothly and, ever so slowly, outsiders are starting to buy into Dunga’s system.  The team is healthy, to boot, and have regained their number one FIFA World Ranking from the Spaniards.  Things are looking up.

Another falling to pieces?

For Argentina, not so much. The team struggled through the CONMEBOL qualifications with the raw, inexperienced Maradona showing no consistency in his roster selections, starting line-ups or tactics. After the side secured an invitation to the finals, in their very last match, the manager gave such a profanity laced hairdryer treatment to the media, which had delighted in pillorying him at every turn,that he earned a 60 day ban from FIFA and allegedly received a request for tutelage from the awestruck star of the Batman movies and fellow connoisseur of cuss, Christian Bale.

Under past Argentine managers, petty differences were set aside for the greater glory and national pride.  The new regime, however, has permitted personality to become a major part of the selection process. One of the most sublime midfielders in the modern game, Juan Roman Riquelme refuses to play for Maradona, and the manager himself has largely ignored Inter midfielder Esteban Cambiasso since taking charge. Also absent from a final squad including 6 strikers is Inter fullback Javier Zanetti. The two Inter men, both well capped internationals, have played a huge part in their club side’s successful journey to Madrid for the Champions League Final. Only Diego Milito, taken as the 6th forward, was included from the trio of Argentines featuring for the two time Serie A champions. Perhaps the overabundance of strikers chosen reflects their manager’s opinion of his own historical importance.

To be fair, a hard fought one-nil away victory in a friendly over Germany has given some hope that such a talented team may be able to overcome the ineptitude of their little Napoleon.  It seems a slim hope at best, however.   Meanwhile, the outcome for either team, be it stunning success or epic failure, is subject matter for days yet to come.  More appealing–to me anyway– is the social subtext of the strange new world that is emerging in South American football.

Moreover , being satisfied with the simple answer of laying blame at the feet of Dunga and Maradona is too easy. It doesn’t even begin to scratch the surface.  After all, someone had to hire the managers.  It then follows that whoever does the hiring also signs the paychecks and tends to have deep pockets and powerful connections.  Therefore, economics and politics had to have a lot to do with this unexpected transformation. Interestingly, the political and economic landscape in both nations has also undergone significant change in the last decade.

Luis Inacia has the Brazilian economy rocking!

Brazil, in the ’70’s and ’80’s, was a country in shambles. Inflation was rampant, crime high and the government was rife with scandal. The Cartolas (top hats) who ran the Brazilian clubs were as corrupt as the politicians they were in bed with. Then, in 1994, the Plano Real was enacted, curbing inflation and bringing the national deficit under control.  Brazil’s currency, the real, stabilized and foreign investors began to do business there. In 2002, leftist Luis Inacia Lula da Silva was elected President and the country has continued to prosper, leading to FIFA awarding Brazil the 2014 World Cup.

...while Cristina Kirchner attempts to hold off another economic landslide

Soccer clubs have not been exempt from the crisis. The opening of the 2009 fall season was threatened as it was revealed that almost every club, including giants Boca Juniors and River Plate, were mired in massive debt. It is now Argentina that is home to emotional, reactionary policies and greed with Brazil cautiously looking forward to a prosperous future.

Valencia's Villa tests the wind before sailing for Barca...

...while ex partner Silva looks to flag a taxi to Madrid

While the situation in the two countries is one of the more stark and sudden changes in football’s landscape, it is far from the only one. Football is a major part of the global community, a place that is rapidly transforming .

The butterfly’s winds of change are blowing through stadiums all over the world.

Television has brought a wider audience and much more revenue to European leagues.  While some clubs are thriving, others have incurred huge debt.  Many small clubs, eager for a piece of the pie, have mortgaged their futures and, in the face of a sudden economic downturn, cannot honor their debts.  In England, Portsmouth are going through administration and have been relegated.  In Spain, Valencia have at last been forced to sell their best players, the Davids Silva and Villa, to pay their bills.  Those are just two of many top flight clubs in dire straits.

Outside of the game, changes in the global economy have also seen the creation and expansion of the European Union, the NAFTA Trade Agreement in North America, and Australia realigning itself in the Asian market.   These new political and commercial relationships, as well as the boom in internet and communications technologies, are quickly bringing the world  much closer together.

As a result, the lines between cultures are blurring.  Football is, of course, affected.  Despite the relative disinterest of their home markets, there is an ever increasing proliferation of American and Aussie players throughout Europe.  The roster of the current German national side, a country that, sadly, still lives in the shadow of the atrocities committed by the most fervent nationalist in history, features a virtual rainbow of German born players of Ghanian, Turkish, Tunisian, Spanish and Polish descent. Players like Mesut Ozil, with their very un-Germanic creativity, are even changing Fussball from probably the most efficient team oriented style of play into a more intricate and risky attacking game.

faces of the new Germany

and Jerome Boateng,

Mesut Ozil,

Cacau,

Sami Khedira,

FIFA itself, under the direction of Sepp Blatter has had a major part in this evolution, bringing the World Cup to Africa for the first time this year, it having recently made its debut in North America and Asia, as well. The next step may be integrating the Islamic nations into the World Cup village.  Qatar , with the encouragement of the FIFA chief has made a very innovative bid for either the 2018 or 2022 tournament.

The world is becoming more intimate and football is playing a role. As wonderful as that may be, one hopes that the changes in how the game is played in places like Brazil and Germany, caused by this globalization don’t ever evolve to the point where nations are indistinguishable from each other, all embracing similar  types of players and utilizing one bland style.  While that seems to work for the NFL, soccer’s charm is in its ability to bridge the gaps between and appeal to vastly different cultural and political environments.

Some of the greatest fights in boxing history, Ali/Frazier or Leonard/Duran, for example, were compelling due to the clash of opposite styles; power punchers trying to break down skilled boxers. That principal holds true in soccer when Italy meets Brazil, Argentina clashes with England or even when the Ivory Coast meets South Korea.

The diversity of the game is what makes it thrive. To lose that would be a grievous blow.

Author’s note:

I am far from the first to notice or remark on these changes in the game. As you can easily see if you check out my blog (insert shameless plug here) or just look at the title of this article, two of my favorite books on football are:   How Soccer Explains The World by Franklin Foerr and Soccernomics by Simon Kuper and Stefan Szymanski. I heartily recommend them. The authors know much more than I do about the butterfly effect now happening in the beautiful game.

Please read their work.

Martin Palazzotto

Martin Palazzotto’s day job is in the yachting industry.  Having to live in close quarters with Brits, Scots, Kiwis, Aussies, Saffers and various Europeans for much of his adult life has irreversibly encoded the culture of football into his DNA.  He currently lives in Fort Lauderdale, where, unfortunately for you, his access to soccer is limited to cable and the internet.

That’s all I remember from his first season; cameo displays in the last twenty minutes where he would make and be given a plethora of chances – he’d take a few of them as well. It was the ease in which he’d beat a player that was so breathtaking – at just 17 people were already starting to talk.

Five years later and Leo Messi is a regular in the Barcelona team and in contention for the Ballon D’Or again. Highlights have included three La Liga titles, two Champions League wins and a Copa del Rey, which completed the treble last season. These titles have come with some unreal performances along the way – especially one night at the Bernabeu.

I wrote about how Del Piero received one of the highest accolades in football – a standing ovation at the Bernabeu for his displays last season, but for a player from Barcelona to receive it is something else – only Ronaldinho had achieved such feat in recent years. The Bernabeu know their football and can accept when they’re in the presence of greatness.

I think Leo Messi is the most gifted footballer currently playing the game. His touch, low centre of gravity and zero back-lift combined with his excellent footballing brain and his confidence in placing his shots instead of hammering them make him one of the most deadly and prolific players in today’s game.

I’m a Manchester United fan and a massive fan of Cristiano Ronaldo – but there is something that Messi offers that draws me in even more so. I’ve always wondered which is better; a player that is unpredictable and therefore unstoppable, or a player like Messi who is slightly more predictable, but nevertheless, unstoppable.

The ‘Maradona’ tag has been lambasted around too often. Pablo Aimar, Javier Savola and many others have accrued to this name but after much analysis it’s clear to see Messi comes closer than all of them. He’s even replicated Maradona’s two (in)famous goals. Beating the same amount of players and running roughly the same distance for his wonder goal and for the other, using his hand. Let’s be fair though, Messi is a great player in his own right.

If Maradona is the acid test at International level then Ronaldinho holds that mantle for his time at club level. Comparisons of his impact can be made to Ronaldinho having achieved the same at club level.

Nicknamed the “Messiah” he saved Barcelona a few times last season. The Champions League game against Shaktar the most memorable – 1-0 down with 15 minutes to play – enter Messi.

It has quickly become Messi’s team following the departure of Ronaldinho – and his levels of performance for his club team are not in question here – the ultra critical eye will look towards his tenure with the national team.

Last month in his hometown of Rosario, Messi was frustrated as Argentina lost to Brazil. He showed clear signs of disappointment due to the lack of quality from his team mates. It’s fair to say Argentina aren’t the best side in the world at the moment but would Maradona have acted in the same manner? Something which Messi has to learn when playing for his country is that he has to take on more responsibility.

Messi’s tendency to stay out wide could be considered a limitation. Cristiano Ronaldo for example often swaps flanks, goes down the middle and appears in the box. Messi does sometimes drift but he spends the majority of the game out on the right wing. This limitation may occur due to the nature of his Barcelona team, regardless it does restrict his impact on a game from time to time. It’s not a problem when Xavi and Iniesta are pulling the strings but the boy who moved to Spain at 11 to treat his growth hormone deficiency must adapt all over again because great players pull through no matter the circumstance.

Messi recently said he admired Rooney’s passion for the game.

“When he loses, it hurts and those are the sort of players you want to be playing with.

“I can understand the pressure on him, but to be honest, from what I have seen, Rooney is the sort of player who would thrive playing under pressure.”

That’s built in to Wayne Rooney it’s not something you learn, but something you have and the same could be said about Maradona. The question is, when it goes down to the wire can Messi put in that performance or score that goal that makes the difference on the International scene? Only then will he be considered truly one of the best – but time is on his side.

But you’d have to doubt Messi at your peril as he takes in a good goal scoring record to Argentina on Saturday where lowly Peru will undoubtedly struggle with a player that’s in a different league.

The two South American powerhouses will take their rivalry to Rosario, an industrial city around 150km from the capital Buenos Aires, to play in the Rosario Central venue “Gigante de Arroyito” (literal translation is “Giant from the little river”), a very intimidating stadium for the Brazilians – and one with a history in this confrontation as well.

Back in the 1978 World Cup, which Argentina hosted and eventually won, an almost all South American semifinal took place: Polland, Peru and the two giants played for a place in the final. The game between Brazil and Argentina took place in the mid-June- Argentine’s winter, with a high dose of intensity from the local players, really rough at times, and especially from the fans. One famous tale that is told about on that game is: the Brazilians’ bus was not allowed to enter the stadium, leaving the players across the street from it, so they had to walk some meters surrounded with local passionate fans screaming “nice” things in their ears. Maradona hand-picked this place to face Brazil beacuse he knows the power of 40,000 + Argentinian fans rooting against Brazil.

Fast forwarding 30 years into time, we have two really technical teams that most likely will be playing for the title next year. However, while Dunga maintained a style of game that gave Brazilians hope and a Confederations’ Cup this summer, Maradona looks a bit lost on how to give room to some really skillful players, like Messi and Aguero, and – at the same time – cut the spaces from the opponent. My bet is on a draw. Mainly because the defensive system of the Argentinians is not working well, to a point where even the people there think Brazil’s defense is better. Bear in mind: last time Brazil won in Argentinian soil was in 1995. The last two games there finished with normal wins for the local side.

After some good results, Brazil is leading the way to South Africa with 27 points, they can clinch their place there with a draw in Rosario or a win at their next game with Chile in Salvador. Argentina, on the other hand, is 5 points behind, and with Ecuador and Uruguay in its neck to get to the top four that have guaranteed places, and after Brazil they have to face another tough match in Paraguay. On the first encounter for these World Cup Qualifying Round, they drew without goals in Brazil.

Trash talk, passionate crowds, great players on both sides. That’s pretty much the best anyone can hope for a fine soccer match. Saturday night’s gonna be a special one, certainly to be remembered for years to come. It doesn’t matter if it makes into the world record of all times: Argentina and Brazil have a a rivalry of its own and seeing both countries fighting for. “whatever” is always good. Watch out!

Gonzalo Higuaín

Gonzalo Higuaín has been the scorer of some important goals for Real Madrid. His first came in the derby against Atletico Madrid, his first home goal against Espanyol in climax of the 2006/2007 season and most recently the goal against Osasuna in the 2007/2008 season that stole the title from their arch rivals Barcelona. Higuaín has touched the hearts of all at the Santiago Bernabéu but those ‘one-off’ shows of admiration can only last so long in the minds of what can be only described as an agitated and fickle crowd – especially when trying to live up to fellow team mate – Raul Gonzalez.

The early signs are good though – he’s used the form of the end of last season to his advantage and in the absence of the injured Van Nistelrooy he has taken a step up. His physical side has improved dramatically. He’s strong, powerful and quick, but at the same time has a great touch and has recently been ruthless in front of goal – becoming Real Madrid’s top goalscorer so far this season. This description may make Higuaín sound like the perfect striker – something he is not yet – but has the potential to be.

In recent times Argentinian strikers have come in two moulds. The Batistuta mould – strong, powerful, good in the air – a real striker. Similar strikers include Crespo, Cavenaghi, Denis of Napoli. The second mould – Lionel Messi, – very quick, extremely skillful, unpredictable and very exciting. Carlos Tevez, Sergio Aguero and Ezequiel Lavezzi again spring to mind.

So where does Higuaín fit in? The answer is, at the moment he doesn’t. Higuaín is an 8 out of 10 at just about everything, but a master at nothing. You could argue his age still allows him to find his niche, but Messi and Aguero were already defined football players in their teens. There’s no doubt that Higuaín will continue to shine in Madrid – Raul has only a limited time left, Van Nistelrooy the wrong side of 30 and Higuaín’s stock is certainly higher than that of Huntlaar.

To become a top class player however he must become irreplaceable at club level and to do this he has to have a successful international career. Higuaín recently turned down playing for France and gained Argentinian citizenship. Maradona’s new regime has seen the consolidation of playing players such as Tevez, Messi and Aguero up front. Should Maradona need to switch to Plan B there may be a case for Higuaín maybe France would be a better option. Thierry Henry is still a regular starter for France but he’s not the player that left London 18 months ago. Trezeguet has not been in Domenech’s plans for a long time now which leaves only Anelka and Benzema who possess world class attributes.

Whatever the decision Higuaín makes it could be vital to his success as a world class football player. Sometimes the decision can be made from the heart, but this one surely has to be made with the head – over to you Gonzalo.

In recent times Europe has been blessed with the likes of Gabriel Batistuta, Hernan Crespo and Juan Román Riquelme. With recent flourishes of Sergio Agüero and Leo Messi added to that list, it is staggering the amount of talent the relatively small population of Argentina produces; Di Stefano and Maradona most notably among the best. Continuously these players head to Europe at a young age and for a big fee – straight to the top level. This however has not been the case for Fernando Cavenaghi. He has taken a more indirect route to establishing himself in Europe, but now things seem to be fitting into place, and finally it’s time for Europe to take a look at arguably Europe’s most underrated talent.

“Little Bull”

Fernando Ezequiel Cavenaghi was born in Buenos Aires in 1983. He was widely tipped to be the next Batistuta as he scored 17 goals in 23 games for River Plate in his first full season. Despite the signings of established players Juan Esnaider and Daniel Fonseca, Cavenaghi managed to break into the first team early on. Cavenaghi’s game is undoubtedly all about goals. It is his efficiency in front of goal with either foot and from any range that cemented “Cavegols” place in the first team and as the 2002 closing championship got underway he was seen as River’s main attacking threat. Cavenaghi struggled with his physical condition on his entry to professional football and gained the nickname of “Fatboy” but after managing to control his diet he is now widely known as the more affectionate “Little Bull”.

No Love from Russia

After three seasons with River and 55 goals, the next logical step for the Argentine would be to move to Europe. Still relatively unproven at the time, the big clubs showed no interest, so in 2004 he arrived in Moscow to sign for Spartak for £6.5 million. Russia, a country renown for its wealth, has been a trap for greedy and unscrupulous agents and it took another victim with Cavenaghi. Fernando’s time in Russia was clearly a culture clash for the player from South America as he struggled to fit into the lifestyle and adapt to the Russian game. It was now a real concern that the calls from then Argentinean national team were not coming, things could and would not continue this way for Cavenaghi as he sought to move away from the Eastern block.

Back on Track

In January 2007 a lifeline was handed to Cavenaghi when he moved to France for a similar fee to that of which Spartak paid for his services from River. The goals game thick and fast for Argentinean. 22 goals in 35 games saw a successful campaign as he helped Bordeaux take their highest place in the French league since 1990 including a run of 10 goals in 9 games which ensured Cavenaghi a spot in the hearts of the Bordeaux fans. Cavenaghi now seems more at home in the warmer and more familiar climate of Bordeaux. More importantly the media hype has grown and Fernando Cavenaghi was rewarded with his dream call up to the Albicelestes.

La Albiceleste

He recently featured for 16 minutes against the USA when he replaced Maxi Rodriguez. It is here that the dream continues, but also here where a new problem is clear. Cavenaghi’s substitution was not like for like and it is because of this that Fernando is going to struggle to cement his place for Argentina. Competition is already fierce, but even more so for Cavenaghi as he is trying to fit into what is a niche position for Argentina. It is all a question of how Alfio Basile wishes to line up the national team; the likelihood is that the team will be flooded with players oozing with flair and creativity and that is not Cavanaghi’s game. Against Ecuador: Messi, Riquelme and Aguero were fielded as the attacking three; proof Basile may not even play with one out and out striker.

Where Cavenaghi lies in the pecking order is unknown but he will struggle to overthrow player such as Hernan Crespo, Diego Milito, Julio Cruz and Porto’s top goal scoring talent Lisandro Lopez. Therefore he must be the best pure Argentine centre forward this can only happen if he gets a big move. Although he joined Bordeaux just a short while ago, if the chance comes around one cannot blame Fernando Cavenaghi for taking it, he’s waited long enough.