I tried as hard as possible to watch every World Cup game. In the end, I failed, but I still saw a great deal of quality players I had never heard of. There were certain players I felt contributed to their teams’ success off the score sheet; digging the trenches, making tackles, running off the ball, and staying tactically disciplined. I always try and be as aware as possible when watching these international games. Noticing every movement on the pitch is near impossible, but I took note of several lower profile players who quietly put together an excellent campaign in Brazil. These are players I believe would be great additions to any premier league team.
Daley Blind, 24, Netherlands
As I wrote a couple days ago, I was very impressed with Daley Blind and his quality up and down the left side. Blind, a student of total football at Ajax, has been a first-team player since age 18, something the Dutch take great pride in. The son of future Netherlands boss Danny Blind made his impact felt in Brazil, and was named Dutch Footballer of the Year in the Eredivsie last season (keep in mind Blind played left back at the World Cup, and defensive midfielder during the club season). Blind has drawn interest from Barcelona, and more recently Manchester United (which makes no sense considering what they spent on Luke Shaw), and surely has an even brighter future for both club and country.
Carlos Sanchez, 28, Columbia
Out of all the talent Columbia boasted at the World Cup this summer, Carlos Sanchez may be the most overlooked. Sanchez’s age doesn’t give him much value, but that’s exactly the point. He was bought for less than four million euros just a year ago, and his first season with Elche, the team was promoted to La Liga, Sanchez was close to signing with West Ham in 2012, but elected to ply his trade in Spain instead. In my opinion, he was the most disciplined player for Columbia, constantly staying back while the likes of fullbacks Armero and Zuniga surged forward. In the premier league, it is a luxury to have under-appreciated hard-men like Gareth Barry, Mathieu Flamini, Cheik Tiote, Gary Medel (recently to Inter), and Claudio Yacob. Any English club would be wise to bring him into their side.
Hector Herrera, 24, Mexico
Purchased for eight million euros a little over a year ago by Porto, Herrera cemented himself as one of Mexico’s stars going forward after his World Cup displays. His tireless performances merited him as arguably Mexico’s best player next to goalkeeper Ochoa; he ran over 12 kilometers in the game against Croatia. Herrera though, is not just an engine, as he created many fine chances throughout the tournament. Herrera isn’t considering a move away from Porto at the moment, but has said he hopes to join one of the top leagues in Europe one day. It helps too that Herrera shares a surname with Mexico coach Miguel Herrera, who, in my opinion, was the definite highlight of the World Cup. Giving it all you’ve got and leaving it all out on the field must be a Herrera thing...
Giancarlo Gonzalez, 26, Costa Rica
Yep, every premier league team should have this MLS player on their radar, that’s right I said MLS. I’ve always been a firm believer that in order to become a bigger league, the MLS must make it a regular occurrence to sell players to Europe, and not the other way around. Gonzalez gives the MLS credibility with his performance in Brazil, as he was arguably one of the finest center backs in the tournament. Costa Rica only conceded one goal in a group that included England, Uruguay, and Italy (they won the group!), and were the darlings of the tournament in their quarterfinal run. Gonzalez was a big part of that, and the Columbus Crew will be hard-pressed to hang onto him in the years to come.
Sofiane Feghouli, 24, Algeria
Feghouli, who currently belongs to Valencia, was a catalyst in helping Algeria reach the last 16. In fact, they could have gone further with a stroke of luck against Germany, who defeated them in extra time 2-1. Feghouli draws comparisons to Samir Nasri, but not just because he wears the same number, is of the same stature, and is a French-Algerian. Feghouli played the tournament rotating between the attacking midfield and the wing, and showed he has the versatility to help a premier league team. His diagonal runs off the ball drove Algeria’s offense, and his penalty kick against Belgium saw Algeria score their first World Cup goal in 28 years.
Benedikt Howedes, 26, Germany
Howedes was undoubtedly the most under-appreciated player on the German roster, starting every game for the World Cup champions. Ironically enough, Spain’s Joan Capdevila was considered the team’s weak link at left back four years ago as well. Playing out of position on the left side, Howedes looked like a symmetrically left-sided Branislav Ivanovic. He showed he can play two positions, and has been a first-team player for Shalke since 2007. His defensive solidarity, while contributing here and there to the attack, was crucial for a German side that only conceded five goals throughout the entire tournament. It was a shame his free header in the final careened straight back off the post, for he would have been a national hero had it gone in. At his age, Howedes is still relatively young for a center back, and should be on premier league radars for his consistency and versatility.
Marcos Rojo, 24, Argentina
Perhaps the most high-profile of these players I have chosen, Rojo didn’t exactly get off on the right foot with fans after doing a rabona in his own penalty area in the opener against Bosnia-Herzegovina. As the event went on, Rojo showed he’s not about trying tricks, but rather an out and out fullback who can play both sides of the ball. Rojo was constantly getting forward in the early stages of the tournament, but earned his defensive merit more and more as the opponents got stronger for Argentina. He contributed to one of the best defenses in the tournament, and showcased his electric left foot when going forward. Rojo is already on the radar of several premier league teams, and I am very excited at the prospect of seeing him play in England.
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