Top Ten Best Footballers 21 and Under

10. Carlos Vela – 19, Mexico, Arsenal

He’s finally back in England after being on loan in Spain for two seasons. Breaking into the starting XI will be difficult with their crop of strikers, but their expectations are high. Along with dos Santos, there’s good reason for Mexico to have high aspirations for the future.

9. Theo Walcott – 19, England, Arsenal

Dubbed as England’s “Wonderkid, he’s made his mark throughout English program. In 2006, he became the youngest player ever to score for the England U-21s. That year, he also became the youngest player to make an appearance for Arsenal in European competition.



8. Anderson – 20, Brazil, Manchester United

A crafty midfielder with tremendous pace. A star-studded Man U lineup has made things difficult for him to break into the team’s starting XI.



7. Karim Benzema – 20, France, Olympique Lyonnnais

Had a breakout season last year with Lyon, scoring 26 goals and has started off strong in the 08-09 campaign. He’s quickly becoming a staple on the French national team.



6. Alexandre Pato – 19, Brazil, A.C. Milan

At 17, he was linked to a number of top clubs in Europe, but decided on A.C. Milan with a transfer fee of 22 million euros. Made his debut in January for the club and is expected to take over the team’s primary striker in the coming years.



5. Bojan Krkić – 18, Spain, Barcelona

The reason why Gio was allowed to leave for England. He’s a star in making with Barcelona, teaming up with Messi as the future of Barcelona’s attack. In 2008, became the youngest player to play for Spain’s national team in 70 years, at 17 years-old.



4. Giovanni dos Santos – 19, Mexico, Tottenham Hotspur

Just too many bodies in Barcelona allowed the promising Mexican star to leave for Tottenham during the summer. Last summer he finally broke into the first team in the Nou Camp and made 16 starts, showing why he is the future of Mexico’s national side.



3. Sergio Agüreo, 20, Argentina, Atlético Madrid

This kid just knows how to score. He became the highest paid player in Atlético’s history in 2006. Showed at the FIFA U-20 World Cup in 2006 how bright his future is as he captained the Argentine team to yet another U-20 trophy.



2. Cesc Fabregas – 21, Spain, Arsenal

A flat out playmaker in the midfield. It’s no wonder why he was starting for Arsenal when the 2004-2005 campaign kicked off. Finally had is coming out party at Euro 2008 where his play created a number of opportunities for Spain’s attack as they took home the title.



1. Lionel Messi – 21, Argentina, Barcelona

What he lacks in size he surely makes up for in all other areas. He’s arguably the best and most creative player in the world at the moment.

USMNT player to watch

Silky and smooth. DeMarcus Beasley has be a staple on the national team since the 2002 World Cup and should prove to continue providing leadership for years to come.

At only 26, the left winger has played his fair share of games for the U.S. He may still be young, but his experience is invaluable to squad that has seen a number of new faces join the squad over the past few years. Since joining the squad in 2001, he’s been a high energy player.

In 2002, alongside Landon Donovan, the two made their mark on the World Cup and made the U.S. relevant on the international stage.
Starring with the Chicago Fire in MLS gave him an opportunity to play for PSV Eindhoven in a transfer $2.5 million. He was brought in to replace Arjen Robben who left the club for Chelsea.

He excelled during his first season, helping PSV to their 18th league title. After a disappointing second season in the Netherlands, he was loaned out to Manchester City. His time there was brief, making 22 appearances while battling injuries.

In 2007 he made a move to Rangers in the Scottish Premier League and until an injury cost him most of the season, appeared to have been playing very well, finding his place again. He looked like the player people saw him capable of being during his first season with PSV.

With a horrendous 2006 World Cup, the 5-foot-8 winger will need to play a much more prominent role for this team in the future than he did during that ’06 showing in Germany.

Hopefully that memory is something Beasley has forgotten. His play since has shown that he has.

Beckham heading to Italy

Well it’s true. David Beckham is officially a liar. I can’t believe that I believed him when he said he wanted to help soccer grow in the States.

What a complete load of ****.

The Galaxy said that his impending move to AC Milan is only a loan so Beckham can play for a few months to stay active and then return to MLS when the season starts next April. I don’t believe that for one minute. If you think he's coming back then you're in denial. Beckham is merely focused on himself and playing for England in the World Cup in 2010.

Sorry Becks, but England won’t need you in 2010.

They can lose on their own.

They don’t need an old player to help them lose.

Beckham briefly raised the profile of North American soccer with huge crowds attending games just to see him. But he was simply a novelty act. He and the Galaxy just haven’t lived up to expectations.

It’s true that he is/was one of the better players in the league, but most older top European players would be. Many fans just wanted to a get a glimpse of Becks.

If they want a quick look at him, here’s a couple good send off highlights. Adrian Serioux and Jesse Marsch send their regards.

MLS taking a stand

Every other league in the U.S. is suspending players for using performance-enhancing drugs so why shouldn’t MLS? The league did just that on Thursday.

New York Red Bulls Jon Conway and Jeff Parke were each handed 10-game suspensions for using a banned substance. They were the first players to be suspended under the league’s policy. They tested positive for androstatriendione, which is a metabolite of the steroid boldenone.

Ever heard of this?

Neither have I.

And apparently neither have they.

The substance was contained in an over-the-counter nutritional supplement they bought at a vitamin store that is part of national chain. It still isn’t known whether or not the label mentioned the substance (my guess is that it didn’t), but even if it did, they wouldn’t have known what it was.

Honestly, most people in professional sports probably wouldn’t even know what it is. Most trainers for U.S. professional sports team probably don’t. That’s because most leagues don’t test for it.

MLS is apparently stepping up their game and have a stricter drug testing policy than even baseball and football.

Yeah, I don’t understand the reason for that one either.

I do understand the benefits of performance-enhancing drugs and also the issues that they pose, but I never would have expected soccer players to be suspended for them. To be perfectly honest, I didn’t even know that MLS had a drug testing policy, and a tough one at that.

I guess the only thing that can be learned from this situation for other athletes is to read labels and talk to your team trainers before putting anything in your bodies.

Unfortunately for the Red Bulls, they’ve just lost a starting defender and their starting goalkeeper.

The only solace they can take from this event is that Conway’s replacement, 23-year-old Danny Cepero became the first goalkeeper in MLS history to score a goal when he made his first career start on Saturday.

The goal was on a free kick from his own end which bounced over an outstretched-arm of the opposing keeper.

Maybe they should be testing him too.

Young Americans drop one to T&T

After last night’s 2-1 loss in Port of Spain, I needed to take a day to take in what had happened. Initially upset with the loss, I’ve decided that it wasn’t a bad loss. The team fielded eight non-starters with the after already having advanced to the final round of qualifying.

The game actually played out as it should have. Being on the road and a lack of experience is what did the Americans in. Michael Orozco and Jose Torres Francisco were both making their first starts with senior team. Brad Guzan was in goal. Jozy Altidore was the point man with Freddy Adu playing behind him in the midfield. Maurice Edu and Sacha Kljestan rounded out the youngsters.

It was a squad that’s average age was under 24-years-old. The goal scorers for Trinidad were 40 and 36. Both played the last time T&T beat the U.S. That was 14 years ago.

Just because the U.S. lost doesn’t mean they didn’t play well. That said, there were still some weak spots.


Positives

1. Freddy Adu

I think we’re getting close to the point when all the haters can stop hating on this kid. He flat out has talent. Just let him grow. Some of his moves left T&T players dumbfounded. You just can’t predict what he’s going to do next. He is truly growing into an exciting player to watch. It was unfortunate to see him get taken off in the 69th minute, and he was none too happy, but that did lead to the game tying goal.

2. Charlie Davies

I still haven’t seen much of him, but from the short time, I’ve come to the conclusion that he should be the third striker behind Ching and Altidore. He came on as a late spark against Nigeria in the Olympics and scored the game tying goal just minutes after coming on for Adu. He’s still pretty raw, but watch out. He’s got the pace that the U.S. needs.

3. DeMarcus Beasley

He’s just been stellar throughout the qualifying process. He really thrived taking over as the team’s captain. He didn’t do as much in the second have due to an apparent leg injury in late in the first half, but I just can’t complain about he’s play lately. He appears to have really come into his own after making the move to Rangers last year.

Negatives

1. Frankie Hejduk

For being one of the elders on this squad, he sure didn’t show much. He was getting down the flanks well, but his crosses were pathetic. He may be having a good year in MLS, but I’ve grown tired of seeing him on in the national team’s starting eleven. It’s about time to find a replacement for him.

2. Brad Guzan

For as much as he has progressed over the past couple years, and the move to Aston Villa will only help, I didn’t see much out of him. The first goal was an unlucky break with the ball bouncing off the post and hitting him in the back of the head and going in the goal. I can’t fault him on the PK either, but his play during the game was sketchy at best. He just appeared to be a bit off; a little late in some situations. I’m not too worried though because he is only the team’s backup and will get better with age.

3. Maurice Edu

I love his upside and I’ve had nothing but praise for him since set foot in the professional ranks, but last night was just ugly. He just couldn’t do anything right. He at times just looked unsure of himself. His typically good distribution just wasn’t there and his defense was a bit spotty. My guess is that it was just an off-night. I still believe in him and I think he just needs more minutes with the starting eleven and last night he certainly was not playing with the usual starting eleven.

Final Thoughts

All in all, it wasn’t a bad game. We learned a lot from a young crop of players that have been wanting to see get some minutes for awhile now. It’s obvious where the talent and potential was within this squad. It was also obvious who shouldn’t be seeing the pitch in critical games. Let’s all hope that these guys can come together better and enter the final round riding high with a win over Guatemala next month.

What will it take for MLS to become larger in US sports?

Unfortunately for myself and die hard soccer fans across the country, it will take a lot. The league is just not respected enough worldwide and even in our own country. It’s seen as a joke. That will be a tough reputation to change, especially with the number of different sports for people to watch.

What MLS needs to do to become legit in the States

Number 1

It’s all about the money. The more money you have, the more options you have. Pockets are deep sports like football, baseball, and basketball, but soccer so far doesn’t have that, especially compared to the owners of European teams. Unfortunately, some of our top sports owners as far as money are buying Euro teams because they see it as a solid investment rather than loyalty to the sport. Plain and simple, the league needs owners who love the game and have deep pockets and are willing to sacrifice now for potential gains in the future. It’s a risk, but if you have enough money and love the game, why not do it?

Number 2

To go along with the money, the league needs every team playing in soccer specific stadiums (SSS). MLS learned this lesson years ago and is pushing it. Many teams now play in these, while those that don’t have building plans in the works. It is also a requirement for all potential expansion franchises to have that in their plans. This has been a smart move on the league’s part because although they cost a good chunk of change, teams will be able to turn profits. Teams will not have to be paying rental fees for playing in half-empty stadiums with these. Doing that caused some teams to lose over $1 million for each game. They are also fan friendly, creating a more intimate environment, much like that of clubs in Europe.

Number 3

Again with the money, teams need to take advantage of international players. To go with this, the league needs to allow teams to have more designated players on their rosters. Two is just not enough, especially when one or possibly both are busts. Bringing in big name international players is a must, even if players are on the tail end of their careers. There are plenty of them out there. This can benefit both the player and the league because it will generate buzz. The player will benefit because it will be a new lease on their career and they can still come here and potentially be a star, while in the process teaching the younger players who are trying to better their games. If it weren’t for Juan Pablo Angel teaching a young Jozy Altidore, I wonder if his game would be where it is today. Also while I’m on acquiring international players, scouts need to find young players in Africa and South America. Bring them here when their young and let them grow and then cash in on transfers. Face it, MLS will never be at European power status so just make it the best league you can and that is a development/send-off-into-retirement league, with a lot of middle of the road players mixed in.

Number 4

The most critical aspect is this. MLS needs more coverage on ESPN and ESPN2. Those are the two main channels that people. Not everyone has ESPN Classic or ESPN 360. Not everyone has FSC or HDNet either. ESPN needs to do their part and start broadcasting more than just MLS game a week. They also need start broadcasting ALL US national team games on ESPN or ESPN2. Having all Euro 2008 games on were nice, now lets start showing your own country some love. How about showing some love on SportsCenter as well. They show hockey and Nascar which are both niche sports, why not soccer.

Closing Thoughts

It’s going to take a lot for MLS to become legit and be on par with a league like the NHL or even Nascar. I think the biggest problem facing the league is number four. I say that because I truly believe that there is horrible bias against the sport by our media. The biggest and most visible names bash the sport with a passion and that is more damaging than anything. They’re basically trying to eliminate the sport from the US.

I guess I have to give props to Michael Wilbon for being the only guy on ESPN that I’ve never once heard negativity from when it comes to soccer. Good job…but unfortunately more people with his power need to be doing the same.

Americans advance with a rout

As expected, the U.S. has once again advanced to the CONCACAF finals tonight thanks to a 6-1 dismantling of Cuba.

It was as easy as one, two, three, four. Four games. Four wins.

The U.S. was far superior to Cuba, but after a 1-0 win last month in Havana, the Americans left much to think about heading into this contest.

After DeMarcus Beasley bagged a pair of goals in the first 30 minutes, it looked like it was going to be all USA. Just after his second, Cuba struck quickly as Tim Howard was caught off his line as a Jenzy Muñoz shot dropped just under the crossbar.

With the game looking like it was heading to the half at 2-1, Cuba’s chances were all but gone as Yoel Colome picked up his second yellow in the 42nd minute. The life was taken out of the Cuban team as they were already playing with a thin bench to due to Pedro Faife and Reynier Alcantara went missing Friday. It’s assumed that they were defecting as many other Cuban athletes have done in the past.

Up 2-1 and a man up in the second half, the Americans rolled by spreading out the Cubans and attacking from all angles. Landon Donovan struck three minutes into the second half. Brain Ching added number four in the 63rd and Jozy and Gooch added numbers five and six in garbage time.

The U.S. dominated the game from the get go and it was good for them to wrap the group up with two matches left. Now it’s time to let the young guys run loose and see what they can do. Adu and Altidore came in as subs, but now with qualification assured for the finals, they could sniff the starting eleven for Wednesday’s matchup against Trinidad & Tobago.

Another interesting note on the game was the substitution of 20-year-old midfielder, Jose Francisco Torres, who with the cap no longer has the option to play for Mexico. The Texas-native who plays for Pachuca had a desire to play for Mexico in the Olympics, but after not getting a call, decided to play for the U.S. when the call-up came for tonight’s match.

USMNT player to watch

Ever wonder what it’s like to be touted as the next Pele when you’re only 14? Then be called a bust just a few years later? Can someone not even 18-years-old be considered overrated?

Only Freddy Adu can answer those questions.

Many budding soccer stars are hyped just about every year, but none more so than Freddy Adu.

Just two years after moving to the U.S. from his native Ghana, Adu was already getting attention locally and nationally in U.S. soccer circles. At the age of 12, he competed in an under-14 tournament in Italy with an ODP team against some the top Italian youth clubs. His team won the tournament and young Freddy blew them all away with the eyes of Italian giants looking on. Inter Milan and others came calling, but the answer was no.

Since European clubs will only allow foreign players under 18 to play at the youth level, and Adu’s desire to play professionally, he chose to become the youngest American athlete in over 100 years to sign a major professional contract. He was only 14, but D.C. United signed him to four-year $2 million contract.
With the weight of the world and U.S. soccer’s presence, there was no possible way that the boy could live up to the hype.

And he didn’t.

Adu showed flashes of brilliance now and again, but struggled mightily. He was extremely inconsistent. Much of what you should expect of a 14-year-old playing against grown men. He just wasn’t ready mentally and his small frame didn’t help. As he still is today, Adu was only 5-foot-8, but rest of the body wasn’t there. He looked like your typical eighth grader.

After failing to pass a two-week tryout with Manchester United when he was 17, he headed back to MLS to play for Real Salt Lake, who he was traded to when relationships with D.C. went south.

With the world beginning to see that he wasn’t panning out, Adu sure changed some minds with his explosiveness and ability to make something out of nothing during his play at the U-20 FIFA World Cup. He also became only the second player ever to play in three U-20 World Cups.

When it came to playing for Real Salt Lake again after his exposure on the international stage, Adu refused, opting to transfer to Portuguese club, Benfica. After a promising start and the expectations of increased playing time, things changed in hurry.

Benfica just couldn’t find a place for Adu. He’s an attacking midfielder. Not a midfielder. Not a forward. He’s a tweener and the Portuguese club just didn’t know what to do with him.

In July 2008, at 19, Benfica loaned him out to AS Monaco, where he was expected to get more playing time. Thus far, that hasn’t happened. Differences between the manager and owner have left Adu stuck in a difficult situation again. He has an option to join the club permanently after the season, but only time and a major increase in playing will tell.

Recently, Glasgow Rangers has come into the picture as a possibility, especially with Americans DeMarcus Beasley and newly acquired Maurice Edu on their squad.

Despite his movement throughout the world, his game has been progressing (shocking huh?). He will never live up to the original hype, and it’s a shame that’s all most people think about when they hear the name Freddy Adu. He was arguably the brightest spot in a 0-0 draw earlier this year with Argentina and appeared to be the most explosive player on the Olympic team, so it’s about time that he starts getting significant minutes with the national team and be given the opportunity to show people that his truly talented.

He’s had time with them, but not enough. Working toward 2010 is the goal right now, and Freddy is part of the future. The type of play he brings is just different. It’s exciting and something most people don’t typically see from the U.S. side. His play is still inconsistent, but with him in there, there’s no telling what can happen.

Bob Bradley just needs to find him spot and let him play. Let him run. He’s not a player you can keep trapped in a box. Allow him to let his creativity shine and good things will happen.

USMNT player to watch

28 months. 28 months in the MLS and at the age of 18 it was time to make the jump to Europe.

When Villareal came calling and throwing roughly $10 million at the league for his services, it was time for MLS and Jozy Altidore to part ways.

We all knew it was coming. It was just a matter of time for the teenage striker, who has been looked at as being the future of American soccer’s attack since the early stages of his professional career.

Listed at just 6’1, 175 pounds, the teen plays much bigger. He has had no problems throwing some muscle around, while still pulling off some crafty moves when needed. He has shown off his gift ever since he set foot on the pitch for New York. Despite struggles from the team, the youngster has always had the ability to create more than enough highlights with his finishing touch.

On the international stage in 2007, he led the U-20 team with four goals as they advanced to the quarterfinals of the U-20 World Cup. Two of his four goals came in a 2-1 win over Brazil.

In his first start with the senior team, Jozy wasted no time, scoring against bitter rival Mexico in 2-2 draw in February.

With just over two years of professional experience, Spain should do wonders for Altidore’s game as long as he puts in the work. He seems level headed and mature beyond his years, but only time will tell. The Spanish nightlife can easily ruin a young man’s progress if he doesn’t steer clear.

He’s got the size, speed, and ability that anyone could want in someone his age. The sky appears to be the limit for Altidore.

As I’ve been harping on in previous posts, Bradley finally made the move and put the young phenom back on his qualifying roster. He should be starting. There isn’t much competition up top. Eddie Johnson never lived up to expectations. Josh Wolff never was a legitimate prospect for the spot. Landon Donovan and Clint Dempsy just aren’t true forwards. And as for Brian Ching, I just don’t know if he can be trusted at the international level against quality defenses.

Altidore is the future for the U.S. attack and he should be starting from here on out for the national team. In time, he will progress in Europe, which will only help him that much more when he comes back to the states.

Like it was just a matter of time before he took his game to Europe, it’s just a matter of time before he cements his place in Bradley’s starting lineup.

Expect big things from this kid, but be patient.