Five Players to Watch in the 2010 World Cup

With the world's most watched soccer tournament right around the corner, here are five players the casual soccer fan should keep an eye on in the 2010 World Cup.

Julio Cesar (Brazil)

The goalkeeper for Brazil will be tested in the 2010 World Cup as they play their way through one of the toughest sections.

The five time world champions will be taking on a strong Portugal team, along with Cote d'Ivoire and Korea.

Cesar is an excellent shot-stopper and has been on a roll in the 2010 qualifying rounds. If he is able to maintain his poise in net, it will be hard for Brazil not to come away with another championship.

Miroslav Klose (Germany)

If Germany is going to come away with their first World Cup victory since 1990, Klose is going to be the primary reason why.

Klose has been Germany's leading scorer with seven goals and looks ready to continue this trend in the 2010 World Cup Finals. He will be looking to replicate his previous success in the World Cup where his goal scoring helped earn him the Golden Boot award.

While Klose does experience scoring droughts in his career, fans should expect to see him make an impact though he may find it hard to match his five goal performance in 2002.

David Villa (Spain)

In the qualifying matches leading up to the 2010 World Cup, Spain did not miss a beat by winning all of their ten contests. Villa proved he will be an integral part of their success if Spain is going to come home with a championship.

Villa is a selfless player who has not problem giving up the ball to a teammate if they have a better scoring opportunity.

Despite this, Villa has the chance to earn the Golden Boot award this year thanks to his natural born goal scoring ability.

Wayne Rooney (England)

When it comes to the world of soccer, Rooney is a player everyone has had an eye on since he took the sport by storm eight years ago.

Rooney is a well-rounded player who can score with the best of them and has shown the potential to be one of the best in the world. The one thing holding Rooney back is his inability to control his temper.

Rooney needs to keep his frustration in check if he wants to be a difference maker for England in the 2010 World Cup. Then he can erase the fans' memories of his sub-par performance in the 2006 World Cup.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

The reigning champions enter the 2010 World Cup with a target on their back. If they want to have a chance to repeat, they will need goalkeeper Buffon to outperform the field.

During the 2006 World Cup, Buffon had a 453 minute scoreless streak that help shut down their opponents and secure Italy's forth World Cup.

With four more years of experience behind him, Buffon has raised his level of play and has been a stone wall in the net. When the game is on the line, there is no one else you would want on the field.

Resources

Fifa 2010 World Cup