Rising Star

Facundo Ferreyra

(Banfield)

Age: 20

Even though he has only a passing resemblance to the murderous movie doll, Facundo Ferreyra has somehow been stuck with the nickname ‘Chucky’. A more apt moniker would perhaps be ‘Hernan’ or ‘Gabriel’ as the young forward sometimes seems possessed of the same goalmouth instincts as the classic Argentinian strikers who came before him. He rose to prominence in Argentina’s U20 squads at the Sudamericano and World Championships where he outshone more hyped goal-getters with consistently good performances. Since establishing himself as a regular starter at Banfield, he has fast become the team’s star man, managing to maintain his reputation as a top shelf player despite the club’s recent struggles. ‘Chucky’ is the type of striker who can conjure a goal out of half a chance – find him on the edge of the box with two markers and there is a possibility he will make space and slot home. He scores from tight angles and crowded goalmouthes in a Crespo-esque manner. He is also tall, quick and appears to be level headed enough to handle the pressure of being his team’s go-to man. It is easy to imagine him doing exactly the same job for a European club. Remember the name.

Lisandro Lopez

(Arsenal de Sarandi)

Age: 22

The honour of being the first defender featured in ‘Rising Star’ goes to Arsenal de Sarandi’s Lisandro Lopez. No, not that Lisandro Lopez – I said defender, didn’t I? With a shortage of world class centrebacks a constant worry for Argentina, this tall, robust stopper could well find himself in national coach Alejandro Sabella’s future plans. He is also said to have attracted the attention of Internazionale, Juventus and other big European clubs. Aside from intelligently reading play from the heart of defence, Lopez is a major offensive threat from set pieces. He converts his fair share of headed goals and against Olimpo this year scored with one of the best bicycle kicks you will ever see. What sets him apart from many of his contemporaries is that he has abundant pace to go along with the necessary presence and power of a central defender. He is a leader at the back and once he earns some experience in European football, he could become a stalwart at the back for Argentina in the years to come. Remember the name.

Guido Pizarro

(Lanus)

Age: 21

Maintaining the tradition of midfielders featuring on these pages is another Lanus prospect, Guido Pizarro. Though he is not always a certain starter in this current squad packed with heavy hitters such as Diego Valeri and Mauro Camoranesi, this youngster has already racked up more than 50 appearances for the club. When he does slot in, he complements the skillful playmakers already mentioned brilliantly. Standing at over 6 feet with a muscular build, he is a player with a calmly authorative presence. He began his career as a holding midfielder but has evolved into a box-to-box dynamo by virtue of being highly functional in all areas of the pitch, comfortable on the ball and capable of exchanging slick passes with teammates. 'El Conquistador' is a hard-running engine with forward thrust and an eye for goal. He has the qualities to be a future leader of the Granate and a success in Europe when he eventually moves. Remember the name.

Denis Stracqualursi

(Tigre)

Age: 23

Tall, robust and proficient with his feet; Denis Stracqualursi is everything Argentinians love in a number 9. His reputation was already growing throughout this Clausura as week after week he played ruthless target-man football, barging his way to the top of the scorers’ charts. In a league where attacking football is usually dominated by fluttering will-o-the-wisps, it was refreshing to see a striker earning his keep by relying on brute physicality, with just a touch of intricacy as an afterthought. If previously ‘Traca’ was an attractive prospective signing for the Primera’s bigger clubs or European observers, Round 10 of the Clausura was when he well and truly arrived. He became the first player in 15 years to score a hat-trick against Boca Juniors in the Bombonera. And he did it in typical Traca style. Two monstrous headers and an unstoppable penalty put him on the front pages of the sports dailies and all but earned him a move to greener pastures this summer. Better start learning the pronunciation (STRA-KWA-LURE-SY)... and remember the name.

Manuel Lanzini

(River)

Age: 18

Lanzini belongs to a batch of River Plate academy graduates which has the potential to rival previous bumper crops for quality and quantity of talent. His contemporaries, Gabriel Funes Mori and Erik Lamela have already featured on these pages and all three have made their mark in the first team. 'La Joya' Lanzini (The Jewell) is one that some River insiders consider to be a very exciting prospect, and with the kinds of figures being floated about for the others, he might just offer the best value for a European club looking for a future star. To make a crude comparison, Manuel is the Iniesta to Lamela's Xavi. He is a diminutive attacking player who can line up in midfield or as a second striker. His standout attribute as a player is his excellent close dribbling skills which he zip through defences. Like any Argentinian attacking midfielder worth his salt, he is not short of creative capabilities either. An admirer of Pablo Aimar, he has more than enough ability to develop as an influential enganche. It will be fascinating to see how his career develops from here. Remember the name.