London: From the shot-stopping talent of Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon to the mesmerizing dribbles and scoring skills of Argentina forward Lionel Messi, the leading World Cup contenders will be looking to their most influential names to guide them to the biggest trophy in football.
Although Brazil, Spain, England and Argentina have talented players throughout the team, they still rely on a key individual to shine brighter than the others. If players like Buffon and Messi don't play to their usual high standard, that affects the confidence of their teammates. Conversely, a vital stop by the Italy 'keeper or a mesmerizing run and goal by the Argentine lifts them all.
Buffon has been one of the world's best goalkeepers for a decade, playing 100 times for his country. He was in Italy's squad for the 1998 World Cup but didn't get a game and, when the team won the title for the fourth time in Germany four years ago, he did not concede a goal in five games, including a run of 453 minutes.
Because of the way the draw pans out, Buffon can't run into Messi until the semifinals.
The young Barcelona forward made his mark at the 2006 World Cup with a goal in his first game in the competition at 18, and was one of the stars of his club's triple triumph last season, which included the Spanish league and Champions League titles.
Messi torments defenders with his ball control, pulling them out of position to set up goals for teammates or weaving through to hit the target. Without a World Cup triumph since 1986, Argentina badly needs him to be in form in South Africa.
Brazil will chase its sixth World Cup title armed with quality players throughout the team. If Kaka is struggling for form, however, the team won't likely have the extra ingredient to turn a good team into a great one.
Like Messi, Kaka can create a goal with a moment of sheer brilliance — a dribble or an expertly timed pass to set up a chance for a proven scorer like Luis Fabiano.
Unlike Brazil, which last won the title in 2002, England has been waiting for a World Cup triumph since 1966, when Geoff Hurst scored the only hat trick in a final at Wembley against West Germany. Now, the English will be looking to Wayne Rooney to inspire something similar.
With his powerful, all-action style of play even when he is back helping his defenders, Rooney has the ability to lift the team and the fans when he is at his best. A defender's nightmare, he muscles them out of the way and scores goals from distance and close range, hitting the target more than 30 times this season. He has the tendency to lose his temper, however, and was sent off in his last World Cup appearance four years ago for stamping on a Portuguese opponent.
Portugal winger Cristiano Ronaldo was Rooney's Manchester United teammate in those days, but moved to Real Madrid for a world record transfer fee last June.
Ronaldo will be Portugal's key player as the team faces Brazil and Ivory Coast in a tough World Cup group in a competition where it has never made the final.
The same, surprisingly, applies to current European champion Spain, despite the fame of club sides Real Madrid and Barcelona, and it will be a big disappointment for the Spaniards if they fail to make it to the final at Soccer City on July 11.
With Fernando Torres, David Villa, Andres Iniesta, Carles Puyol and Iker Casillas in the lineup, Spain has an abundance of talent throughout the team. But the player who pulls things together is Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez, and he could be the orchestrator who takes the team to its long overdue first world title.
The two-time runner-up Netherlands reached this year's World Cup by winning all its qualifying games. But they will rely heavily on Robin van Persie and Arjen Robben being in top form.
Likewise, 1998 champion and 2006 runner-up France is low on confidence and only reached the tournament with the help of a handball by Thierry Henry, who is at his fourth World Cup. France's best player, however, could be Franck Ribery, who hopes to shake off injury and doubts about his club future by shining at the World Cup.
Three-time World Cup winner Germany will rely on the midfield guile and influence of Michael Ballack and the goals of Miroslav Klose, while the United States will look to Landon Donovan, Clint Dempsey and Michael Bradley to guide them at least to the quarterfinals.
Of the African nations, Steven Pienaar hopes to use his Premier League experience to help the hosts, and Chelsea players Didier Drogba, Jon Obi Mikel and Michael Essien should be key figures for Ivory Coast, Nigeria and Ghana.
Tim Cahill, the attacking midfielder who has the habit of scoring vital goals for Everton, could be the player to influence Australia's World Cup chances.
South Korea will look to Manchester United midfielder Park Ji-sung to make an impact, and Japan will be hoping that midfielder playmaker and free kick expert Shunsuke Nakamura will regain form and boost the team's World Cup chances.
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