Best of the Rest: Midfielders

Esteban Cambiasso (Internazionale; Argentina) - Defensive midfielder
Argentinian media has speculated that the reason for Cambiasso's exclusion is his rumoured, alleged bisexuality. Maradona doesn't have the best of relationships with the domestic media (although he famously expressed a desire for a more intimate one...), so it may well be grudge driven, unfounded speculation. But you wouldn't put it past the great small man, would you?

Torsten Frings (Werder Bremen; Germany) - Defensive midfielder
Joachim Löw wished to make room for a younger generation when he dropped Frings after Euro 2008. The 33 year old defensive midfielder, however, hasn't dropped his standards and looks as good as ever, impressively scoring 6 goals since the Bundesliga winter break. As late injuries to Michael Ballack and Simon Rolfes have left the final German squad with just two central midfielders, Löw's stubborn refusal to call up midfield general Frings could prove to be one of the most costly managerial mistakes of the World Cup.

Lucho González (Marseille; Argentina) - Attacking midfielder
Lucho González' move from Porto to Marseille for up to €24M was one of the biggest transfers of last summer. Money well spent by Marseille, as the playmaker has been instrumental to the French club winning their first titles since 1993, creating more goals than anyone else in Ligue 1. He scored in his only appearance for Argentina in the South American World Cup qualifiers, but Diego Maradona wanted to have a look at another 199 players. Maybe he forgot about Lucho.

Ronaldinho (Milan; Brazil) - Attacking midfielder
Ronaldinho seems to have fallen off the radar a bit since his move to Milan, and while he did lose sharpness and discipline before and during his first season at the Italian club, he has over the past 10 months without a doubt shown he's still a world class footballer. With 15 goals and 19 assists, he's had a significantly better season than former teammate Kaká. Dunga might not believe he's a perfect fit for the desired playstyle of his Brazil, or may be worried about his off-pitch antics. Is that good enough reason to drop a highly motivated Ronaldinho? Looking at their current attacking options, it's hard to say yes. But on the other hand, looking at their defensive options, they may well end up winning the whole thing anyway.


Previously:
Best of the Rest: Defenders

G. Lindström