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Our tips are listed below in date order.
To see our tips for the British leagues click here .
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| 2007 Tips for the future |
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| Starting XI Here's our team as it builds up from players that we've tipped during the year... |
| A.Bueno | A.Pato |
| R.Babel | M.Boussoufa | E.Polanski | J.Navas |
| Marcelo | Alexis | R.Dawson | D.Daeseleire |
| O.Ustari |
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| Sub: A.Guardado |
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| December |
| Name: | Alexis |
| Country: | Spain |
| Club: | Valencia |
| Age: | 22 (04-08-1985) |
| Position: | Defender |
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Strong youngster who first came to prominence at Malaga before really making a name for himself as part of Bernd Schuster's
Getafe side that ended the 2006-07 season with the best defensive record. A great reader of the game, it was widely expected
that he would follow Schuster to Real Madrid but Valencia won the race and signed him on a 6 year deal.
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| November |
| Name: | Andres Guardado |
| Country: | Mexico |
| Club: | Deportivo La Coruna (Spain) |
| Age: | 21 (28-09-1986) |
| Position: | Winger |
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Tiny winger who first came to prominence in the 2006 World Cup when he was named
in the Mexican side against Argentina and proceeded to go for the jugular,
attacking like a demon with several outstanding twisting runs and dribbles.
He was linked with Europe's top clubs after the tournament but his club, CF Atlas,
managed to hold on to him until this summer, when he moved to Deportivo La Coruna.
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| October |
| Name: | Eugen Polanski |
| Country: | Germany |
| Club: | B.Monchengladbach |
| Age: | 21 (17-03-1986) |
| Position: | Midfield |
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All-action captain of the German U21 team, he was born in Poland but opted for Germany,
despite desperate efforts from the Polish FA to get him signed up for their
Euro 2008 and World Cup 2010 campaigns. Polanski has been dubbed the 'new Matthaus' by
the German media and Monchengladbach will do well to keep hold of him following their
relegation to the 2nd tier at the end of last season.
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| September |
| Name: | Dimitri Daeseleire |
| Country: | Belgium |
| Club: | Racing Genk |
| Age: | 17 (18-05-1990) |
| Position: | Right Back |
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Captain of Belgium's U17 team, he was, along with fellow countryman Eden
Hazard, one of the players of the tournament as the Belgians were unlucky
to lose on penalties to eventual winners Spain. A geunine leader from the back,
Daeseleire works tirelessly up and down the flank, defending and attacking
in almost equal measure. His club, Racing Genk, currently have the best
crop of youngsters in the Jupiler League and they will be hoping
Daeseleire can maintain the form he's shown in the past year.
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| August |
| Name: | Alberto Bueno |
| Country: | Spain |
| Club: | Real Madrid Castilla (Spain) |
| Age: | 19 (20-03-1988) |
| Position: | Forward |
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One of the great young hopes of Spanish football, Bueno has been with Real Madrid's
reserve team, Castilla, over the last couple of seasons but was recently called
up by new Real gaffer Bernd Schuster for pre-season training with the first team.
A skilful forward who likes to drop deep or drift out wide, he's
often been criticized for overdoing the tricks and not playing enough for the team,
but with such a phenomenal scoring record at youth level for both club and country
it's hard to argue that he shouldn't be greedy. Bueno capped a fine European U19
competition last year by claiming the top scorer award and notching both goals in the
final as Spain beat Scotland 2:1.
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| July |
| Name: | Rudy Dawson |
| Country: | Costa Rica |
| Club: | LD Alajuelense |
| Age: | 19 (08-05-1988) |
| Position: | Defender |
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Captain of a talented Costa Rican team that's currently playing in FIFA's Under 20 World Cup in
Canada,
Dawson has been tipped for great things along with Celso Borges and club team-mate
Jean Solorzano. A solid defender who commands his defence and reads the game well, he's
been tipped for a move abroad despite not yet figuring regularly with his club side.
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| June |
| Name: | Ryan Babel |
| Country: | Holland |
| Club: | Ajax (Holland) |
| Age: | 20 (19-12-1986) |
| Position: | Left Winger |
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First came to prominence for Ajax in the 2004-05 season after notching 7 goals in 21 games,
aged just 18. His electrifying pace and skills also saw him capped by the Dutch national team
towards the end of that season, and he's well on his way to 20 caps already, with a handful
of goals under his belt as well. Despite the great pace and power, he's been criticized for
his final ball, something of a problem for a winger, although he's also been used to fine
effect as a striker. Constantly linked with Arsenal, he's just penned a new 3 year deal at
the start of 2007, although that really means nothing nowadays when all that crazy Premiership
money is being wafted around the noses of foreign chairmen and agents.
Click here
to see him in action.
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| May |
| Name: | Oscar Ustari |
| Country: | Argentina |
| Club: | Independiente (Arg) |
| Age: | 20 (03-07-1986) |
| Position: | Goalkeeper |
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Ustari first shot to prominence at the U17 World Championships in 2003 and then 2 years
later in Holland where he played a significant role with the Argentinian team that won
the World Youth Cup. Ustari was named in the 23 man squad for the 2006 World Cup and
has been atttracting a lot of attention from Europe ever since, with rumours circulating
that he has signed a pre-contract agreement with Barcelona that will kick in this summer
and be worth more than £5m to his club Independiente.
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| April |
| Name: | Marcelo |
| Country: | Brazil |
| Club: | Real Madrid (Spain) |
| Age: | 18 (12-05-1988) |
| Position: | Left Back |
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Attacking left back with a powerful shot, the inevitable comparisons with Roberto Carlos
have already been made, and only increased when Real Madrid paid Fluminense 6m Euros for him
in January. Talented, but temperamental, the 18 year old had played less than 30 games for
Fluminense last September when he made his international debut against Wales, and
celebrated the call-up by crashing a 25 yarder past Paul Jones.
Like that other fantastic Brazilian full-back Daniel Alves on the right-side, Marcelo
can dribble like a winger and has been tipped for a more advanced role in the future.
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| March |
| Name: | Mbark Boussoufa |
| Country: | Morocco |
| Club: | Anderlecht (Belgium) |
| Age: | 22 (15-08-1984) |
| Position: | Midfielder |
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Released by Chelsea back in 2004, it's a move that they may well live to regret. Snapped up by
Belgian club Gent, a series of astonishing attacking performances brought about media comparisons
with Enzo Scifo and a move to Anderlecht. His range of passing with either feet, along with
fantastic dribbling skills, means he can play anywhere across the middle, and up front.
Won every award going in Belgium last season, including player of the year, young player of the
year, and best African player (the Ebony Shoe).
Born in Holland, but of Moroccan nationality, the youngster has opted to play for Morocco and
made his debut last summer. For an idea of how good he is
click here.
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| February |
| Name: | Alexandre Pato |
| Country: | Brazil |
| Club: | Internacional (Brazil) |
| Age: | 17 (02-09-1989) |
| Position: | Forward |
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The star of the South American youth championships in January, Internacional have been trying to
play down any hype surrounding the young forward for fear of losing him to the big European clubs.
His style of play has been described as a cross between Kaka and Ronaldinho, with lightening fast
feet, good passing and finishing ability, and surprisingly good in the air.
He played in last years FIFA World Club Cup, and scored in their opening game, but he struggled
against Barcelona in the final and looked generally tired.
Internacional have managed to tie him down contractually until 2009, but don't expect that to mean
anything if the top La Liga or Serie A clubs start wafting chequebooks in their direction.
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| January |
| Name: | Jesus Navas |
| Country: | Spain |
| Club: | Sevilla (Spain) |
| Age: | 21 (21-11-1985) |
| Position: | Right Winger |
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Flying winger, primarily on the right wing, but able to switch to the left as well.
Rated a better prospect than another former Sevilla prodigy, Jose Antonio Reyes, he apparently
suffers similarly to the ex-Arsenal whinger when away from home. Not that such an issue will
put off silly money bids from the Premiership clowns. Helped tear apart Middlesborough in the
2005-06 UEFA Cup final, and has maintained his form in La Liga this season. Jesus Navas and
Daniel Alves on the same flank ? I should coco. It's just a crying shame that Sevilla banned
tv cameras from the ground at the start of the season, depriving all those outside the Sanchez
Pizjuan of seeing 'The Messiah' in full flight.
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