The 2014 FIFA World Cup edges ever closer, and with every day that goes by, 32 teams are stepping up their preparations for the world’s biggest sporting event.
But lost among all the glitz, the glamour, the Neymars and the Cristiano Ronaldos are the large majority of the 736 players set to attend the tournament, and some of are primed to break out and show us their skills.
Cast your eyes upon five under-the-radar players set to use the finals as a springboard for better things.
Charles Aranguiz, Chile
Charles Aranguiz recently signed for Udinese, but has been loaned back to Brasileiro Serie A to play with Internacional in the run-up to the World Cup.
The central midfielder is one of the more unheralded cogs in Chile’s midfield—a product of playing alongside Arturo Vidal and Marcelo Diaz, you might say—but combines a good work ethic with plausible technical skill and remains pliable in switching formations.
He’s such an all-round, versatile player he’s truly at home under Jorge Sampaoli.
Granit Xhaka, Switzerland
When Granit Xhaka traded FC Basel for Borussia Monchengladbach in 2012, it’s arguable too much was expected of the then-19-year-old playmaker.
He disappointed in his first season and all hype surrounding his name disappeared. This season, though, he’s worked hard at his craft and improved drastically for both club and country.
Xhaka will either play as a central midfielder alongside Gokhan Inler and Valon Behrami/Blerim Dzemaili, or ahead of a double-pivot as an industrious No. 10.
Axel Witsel, Belgium
Axel Witsel is Marc Wilmots’ second captain for Belgium and stands the sole undroppable central midfielder in the Red Devils’ setup.
He’s as graceful an enforcer as you’re ever likely to see, combining power and brute force with wonderful technical skill and a good eye for a tackle.
He’s more valuable to Wilmots and the way he plays than Eden Hazard is; we just don’t see it that often because he’s playing his domestic football in Russia with Zenit St. Petersburg.
Vincent Aboubakar, Cameroon
Vincent Aboubakar finally appears to be coming good on his potential, with his move to FC Lorient in 2013 panning out for the better for both club and country.
He netted 16 Ligue 1 goals this past season, second only to Zlatan Ibrahimovic in the scoring charts, and showed why many believed him to be the next great striker coming out of Cameroon.
If he spear-heads the formation, Samuel Eto’o can drop off slightly and get more involved in the build-up play with ease; a win-win for the Indomitable Lions.
Josip Drmic, Switzerland
Josip Drmic has emerged as the late answer to Switzerland’s striking woes, with Ottmar Hitzfeld trying out a number of seemingly useless combinations during the qualifiers before stumbling across him.
Fabian Schar, a rotational centre-back, scored the most Swiss goals during qualifying with a measly tally of four. In most games they squeezed by with a one-goal advantage courtesy of their midfield.
Drmic, 21, was unable to keep FC Nurnberg in the Bundesliga this year despite his scoring of 17 goals in 30 starts, and he’s promptly signed a five-year deal with Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the World Cup.
He’ll be out to prove his worth this summer.
