Player #71 - Hernanes (Brazil)

Name: Hernanes
Age: 28
National Team:  Brazil
Team: Lazio (Italian League) 
Position: Central Midfielder

Description of his Game:  Hernanes is quite spectacular to watch!  Since he is relatively unknown outside of the Italian league, he is expected by some to be Brazil's breakout star of Brazil 2014.  Hernanes shows great poise in his play, has masterful dribbling skills, possesses tremendous speed and is an amazing striker.

Hernanes' Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LzCFB4cwf5Y

Career News:  In January 2009, Hernanes was listed as the most promising football player in the world by the British newspaper, The Times. 

Interesting Personal Facts:  In 2008, as a São Paulo player, Hernanes won the Premio Craque de Brasileirao's best player award.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Brazil's National Team (None of their games are World Cup Qualifiers, as World Cup Host Countries automatically qualify)
 
Lazio  (Italian League)
October 6th -Fiorentina
Schedule: http://www.sslazio.it/

Player #72 - Pedro Rodriguez Ledesma (Spain)

Name: Pedro Rodriguez
Age: 26
National Team:  Spain
Team: Barcelona (Spanish La Liga) 
Position: Winger, Attacking Midfielder

Description of his Game:  Pedro is said to have exceptional timing, having made it a habit of scoring timely goals.  His skills feature great speed and agility.  If given space anywhere near the goal, he's fantastic and creating shots for himself, especially in split seconds when all he has to do is do a half turn and take a shot.  He's got a cannon of a right foot.

Pedro Rodriguez's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YO3qqjzFJxQ

Career News:  Pedro was included by Vicente del Bosque in Spain's 23-man squad for the 2010 FIFA World Cup. 

Interesting Personal Facts:  Relative to other superstars, Pedro arrived late, having joined FC Barcelona's youth team at the age of 17.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Spain's National Team

(None of these games are World Cup Qualifiers, as World Cup Defending Champions automatically qualify)

October 15 - Georgia

Barcelona  (Spanish La Liga)
October 5th - Valladolid
October 19th - Osasuna
Schedule:  http://www.fcbarcelona.com/football/first-team

Player #73 Santi Cazorla (Spain)

Name: Santi Cazorla
Age: 28
National Team:  Spain
Team: Arsenal (English Premier League) 
Position: Winger, Attacking Midfielder

Description of his Game:  Cazorla can do almost anything from the wing, he can play equally with both feet, he can beat defenders with speed, change directions and take shots at goal with tremendous accuracy.  As a tackler he is highly effective with quick sudden bursts of energy.

Santi Cazorla's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VtRnK-0kdg

Career News:  Cazorla represented Spain at Euro 2008 and 2012, winning both tournaments and gaining more than 60 caps.  This is an amazing accomplishment considering that Spain has been playing at such a high caliber since 2008.  He may be the 73rd ranked player according to a survey done by the Guardian, but he is also ranked as the 10th best footballer in the world by Bloomberg this year. 

Interesting Personal Facts:  After missing the 2010 FIFA World Cup due to a hernia, Cazorla appears to be ready for Brazil.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Spain's National Team

(None of these games are World Cup Qualifiers, as World Cup Defending Champions automatically qualify)

October 15 - Georgia

Arsenal  (English Premier League)
October 6th - West Bromwich Albion
October 19th - Norwich
Schedule:  http://www.arsenal.com/match-menu/3643933/first-team/w.b.a.-v-arsenal

Player #74 Christian Eriksen (Denmark)

Name: Christian Eriksen
Age: 21
National Team:  Denmark
Team: Tottenham Hotspur F.C. (English League) 
Position: Midfielder

Description of his Game:  He is considered the successor to Wesley Sneijder and Rafael Van Der Vaart.  He is great with both feet, shows great poise on the attack and excellent judgement.  He might look somewhat scrawny, but Eriksen is very skilled and still getting through and passed defenders.

Christian Eriksen's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hi5DkSuUmI8

Career News:  Eriksen was the youngest player of the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa.  In 2011, Eriksen was named Danish Football Player of the Year, Dutch Football Talent of the Year, Ajax Talent of the Year, and mad the UEFA Euro U-21 Team of the Tournament.  

Interesting Personal Facts:  Having attracted the scouts of Ajax when he was 16, there is a great deal of anticipation for this young man since he is only 21 years old.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Denmark's National Team
October 11th - Italy (World Cup Qualifier)
October 15th - Malta (World Cup Qualifier)
Schedule:  http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/teams/team=43941/index.html


Tottemham Hotspur  (English Premier League)
September 28th - Chelsea
October 6th - West Ham
Schedule:  http://www.tottenhamhotspur.com/matches/

Player #75 Ezequiel Lavezzi (Argentina)

Name: Ezequiel Lavezzi
Age: 28
National Team:  Argentina
Team: Paris Saint Germain (French Football League) 
Position: Forward/Winger

Description of his Game:  He is considered to be selfless, making goals for others while averaging one in every four matches himself. He is blessed with great speed and the ability to make intelligent choices on the field.

Ezequiel Lavezzi's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6z1VkrH6-xA

Career News:  After not being included in Maradona's national squad in South Africa 2010, Lavezzi will be looking to be full form for Brazil.

Interesting Personal Facts: He is commonly known as el Pocho or the Chubby One,

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:
Argentina's National Team
October 2nd - Brazil
October 11 - Peru (World Cup Qualifier)
Schedule:  http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=arg/index.html


Paris Saint Germain (French League)
September 28 - Toulouse
October 2nd - Benfica
October 6th - Marseille 
Schedule:  http://www.psg.fr/en/News/201001/Fixtures-results

Player #76 Joao Moutinho (Portugal)

Name: Joao Moutinho
Age: 27
National Team:  Portugal
Team: Monaco (French Football League) 
Position: Central Midfielder, Attacking Midfielder

Description of his Game:  As a central midfielder, Moutinho has great vision and can make incredible passes when on the attack and from midfield.  As an "attacking" midfielder, he's not a great scorer, if the last three years are of any indication.  He is considered by some to be the heart of the Portuguese national team.

Joao Moutinho's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OAO0KS7Gfi8

Career News:  He became an international at the age of 18 and since Germany 2006 he's been a regular player on the Portuguese national squad.  He brings a great deal of experience, having played more than 600 professional games at only 27 years of age.

Interesting Personal Facts: Not much is easily available regarding his personal life.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Portugal's National Team

October 11th - Israel  (World Cup Qualifier)

October 15 - Luxembourg  (World Cup Qualifier)

Schedule: http://www.fifa.com/associations/association=por/index.html

Monaco (French Football League) 

September 29th - Stade de Reims

October 5th - AS Saint-Etienne

Schedule: http://www.asm-fc.com/en/first-team/fixtures-results-276.html

World Cup Qualifying Update

 Today we take a look at an update regarding World Cup qualifying and a taste for how much excitement and interest is beginning to spread.

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2179516/index.html

The race to qualify for the 2014 FIFA World Cup Brazil will hit fever pitch over the next two months, with 22 places still up for grabs, and more than 50 teams still in contention.

Player #77 Mario Mandžukić (Croatia)

Name: Mario Mandžukić
Age: 27
National Team:  Croatia
Team: Bayern Munich (German Premier League) 
Position: Forward

Description of his Game: Mandzukic is very agile and has an incredible knack for scoring.  He's very hard to beat in the air and seems to always be in good position to score when poaching.  

Mario Mandžukić's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHuUy5IbEs8

Career News:  He was named Croatian Footballer of the Year in 2012. 

Interesting Personal Facts: Not much information out there about his personal life, though he does claim tennis as a hobby.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:
Croatia's National Team
October 11th -Belgium  (World Cup Qualifier)
October 15th - Scotland (World Cup Qualifier)
Schedule:  http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/matches/team=43938/index.html
Bayern Munich (German League, Bundesliga) 

September 28 - VfL Wolfsburg

October 5th - Bayer 04 Leverkusen

Schedule: http://www.fcbayern.telekom.de/en/matches/fixtures-results/bundesliga/

Player #78 Patrice Evra (France)

Name: Patrice Evra
Age: 32
National Team:  France
Team: Manchester United (English Premier League) 
Position: Left Back

Description of his Game: Described as "the classic example of a modern full-back", Evra is known for his "pace, athleticism, and determination".  He started his career as a midfielder and was later converted into a full-back. 

Evra's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X3twsH77kZA

Career News:  Evra has participated in three major international tournaments for France; the 2008 and 2012 editions of the UEFA European Football Championship and the 2010 FIFA World Cup, where France endured a disastrous campaign which saw the players go on strike. The incident resulted in Evra, for his role as captain, being suspended from national team duty for five matches.

Interesting Personal Facts: Born in Senegal to a father of Guinean descent and a mother of Cape Verdean descent, Evra has a total of 25 siblings, though 2 are now deceased.  Ahead of the 2010 FIFA World Cup, Evra revealed that he had suffered racial abuse from supporters of the Senegal national team for choosing to represent France internationally over his native homeland.  He is fluent in five languages and attempted to learn Korean in order to better communicate with former a South Korean teammate.  Apparently Evra has a running feud with Luis Suarez of Uruguay.

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

France's National Team 

October 15th - Finland (World Cup Qualifier) 
Schedule:  http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/teams/team=43946/index.html

Manchester United  (English Premier League)

September 26 - West Bromwich Albion
October 2 - Shakhtar Donetsk
October 5 - Sunderland

Schedule:  http://www.manutd.com/en/Fixtures-And-Results/United-Fixtures-And-Results.asp

Player #79 David Luiz (Brazil)

Name: David Luiz
Age: 26
National Team:  Brazil
Team: Chelsea (English Premier League) 
Position: Central defender, Left Back, Defensive Midfielder

Description of his Game:  He might look like a character from The Simpsons, but Luiz is no sideshow.  He is efficient at defense and midfield but his cannon of a right foot make many question whether he can also be an effective forward.  Luiz is a high-energy player with a reliable passing game and a kick that makes him an instant threat in each set piece. 

David Luiz's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zR3z4cK7Hwc

Career News:  Luiz joined Chelsea in 2011, winning the Champions League and the FA Cup in the following season. 

Interesting Personal Facts:  When he was 14 years old São Paulo dismissed him on the grounds he would not be tall enough.  Luiz is a devout Christian and believes his faith allows him to improve as a player.  He's also an admirer of Brazilian teammate Kaka. 

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Brazil's National Team (None of these games are World Cup Qualifiers, as World Cup Host Countries automatically qualify)

Chelsea FC (English Premier League)
September 24th - Swindon Town
September 28th - Tottemham
Schedule:  http://www.chelseafc.com/fixtures-results

Player #80 Luka Modric (Croatia)

Name: Luka Modric
Age: 27 
National Team:  Croatia 
Team: Real Madrid (Spanish Premier League) 
Position:  Midfielder

Description of his Game: His ability to quickly change directions, his vision of the entire field, his equal abilities with both feet, and his passing accuracy, even at long distances, make him one of the most incredible midfielders today.  Whether playing for the Croatian national team or Real Madrid, Modric seems to consistently establish a telepathic relationship with his teammates.

Luka Modric's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eD05pjd3kpI

Career News:  Modric signed with Dinamo Zagreb as a 16-year old in 2002. 

Interesting Personal Facts:  Born in the then Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, Modric grew up during the Croatian War of Independence.  In 1991, his family fled after his father joined the Croatian army and his grandfather passed away.  Having been a refugee, Modric lived in a hotel for some time with his family and was eventually enrolled in a local sporting academy. 

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Croatia's National Team
October 11th -Belgium  (World Cup Qualifier)
October 15th - Scotland (World Cup Qualifier)
Schedule:  http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/matches/team=43938/index.html

Real Madrid (Spanish Premier League)
September 25th -Elche
Schedule:  http://www.realmadrid.com/cs/Satellite/en/Home.htm

Cape Verde Islands Sanctioned by FIFA, Tunisia still alive

The Cape Verdean Football Association (FCF) was sanctioned last week for fielding an ineligible player in the preliminary competition match between Tunisia and the Cape Verde Islands on September 7th.  

Read more here:

http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/news/newsid=2172738/index.html

Player #81 Victor Wanyama

Name: Victor Wanyama
Age: 22 
National Team:  Kenya
Team: Southampton (English Premier League) 
Position:  Defensive Midfielder/Centre Back

Description of his Game:  A highly consistent player, Wanyama is a reliable midfielder with defensive skills. He's a box to box midfielder and is also skilled in holding up the play with his strength.  His size and speed also make for excellent tackling skills.  But despite his defensive skills, Wanyama has a canon of a right foot, responsible for some amazing goals from outside the penalty box.

Victor Wanyama's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uUfksZoDi40

Career News:  Wanyama started playing for the Kenyan national team in 2007 at the age of 15.  After playing in all of Kenya's World Cup qualifiers for 2010, he went on to become the captain in 2013.

Interesting Personal Facts:  Wanyama's father was a footballer, three of his brothers are professional soccer players, while his sister is a professional basketball player in the U.S. 

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

Kenya's National Team 

Kenya has been eliminated from World Cup Qualifying.

Southampton FC (English Premier League)
September  21st - Liverpool
September 24th - Bristol City
Schedule:  http://www.saintsfc.co.uk/fixtures-results/

Player #82 Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa (France)

Name: Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa
Age: 24

National Team:  French
Team: Newcastle United (English Premier League)

Position:  Defender

Description of his Game:  He's a strong defender but he has also proven an ability to play midfield. Watching his highlights, you'll also notice that his aerial game is very impressive.

Mapou Yanga-Mbiwa's Highlights:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SzGzlD5mZTA

Career News:  He came up through the ranks of Montpellier, with whom he signed his first professional contract in 2006. Teams such as Arsenal have tried getting him.  Meanwhile, he helped Montpellier win their first title.  He has since been called up to the French national team.

Interesting Personal Facts:  Born in the Central African Republic and later moved to France.  He is a dual citizen of these countries.  

Upcoming Matches Where You Can See Him Play:

France's National Team 

September 10th - Belarus (World Cup Qualifier) 
October 15th - Finland (World Cup Qualifier) 
Schedule:  http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/preliminaries/europe/teams/team=43946/index.html

Newcastle United (English Premier League)
September 14th - Aston Villa
September 21st -Hull City
September 25th - Leeds United
Schedule:  http://www.nufc.co.uk/page/Match/FixturesAndResults