The 2010 Fifa World Cup is just a few short days away and excitement is building day by day. We all know about exciting players such as Argentina's Lionel Messi, Portugal's Cristiano Ronaldo and England's Wayne Rooney, but every World Cup, a new star or two are born. Someone hardly anybody has heard of will attain superstardom. Who will be the breakout star this World Cup? Here are 3 contenders:
1) Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez (Mexico)
Javier Hernandez was a relatively unknown forward for Guadalajara (also known as Chivas) in Mexico until Manchester United signed him in April 2010. The son of Javier Hernandez Gutierrez, who played in Mexico '86, Hernandez is more commonly known as Chicharito or "little pea" for his hazel eyes. His goal scoring form for his club led to a national call up where he scored an amazing 4 goals in 7 games. Already a big star on Youtube, Chicharito has a huge future ahead of him. Will he be able to fire Mexico to glory? With Mexico playing in the first match of the World Cup against hosts South Africa, we may not have to wait for too long to find out.
2) Adam Johnson (England)
Only recently, Adam Johnson was playing second fiddle to Stewart Downing in the Middleborough lineup. With Middlesborough's relegation from the Premier league, his chance for superstardom seemed to have been lost. However a shock transfer to Manchester City in February 2010 gave him a new lease of life. Johnson has been in excellent form and has settled quickly in a team of superstars such as Carlos Tevez and Emmanuel Adebayor. His excellent form has led to a surprise inclusion in Fabio Capello provisional team of 30. If he survives the cut, Johnson could very well be the solution to England's left midfield problem.
3) Gonzalo Higuain (Argentina)
Cristiano Ronaldo has been the superstar this season for Real Madrid, but striker Gonzalo Higuain isn't far behind. Often overshadowed by his more glamorous counterparts such as Raul and van Nistelrooy, Higuain has never disappointed after being called upon and has been one of the most outstanding strikers in Spain this season. It has been the same at international level where Higuain was only called up for the last 2 matches of Argentina's qualification campaign. Higuain had a amazing debut, scoring the crucial first goal against Peru and playing a big part in Argentina's eventual qualification.
By Roger Cruz
