 Jozy Altidore of Villarreal |
"There's speed combined with his physical qualities and a very good sense for goal. When he's facing a defender, he's very good going at him, which is kind of unusual for a player that size. You don't see those kind of qualities often"
Bruce Arena, former USA coach
"He's gonna be unbelievable"
Mo Johnston, former Red Bulls coach
"He's still a kid. He has an enormous amount of talent. He can be as good as he wants. He's a big asset for MLS and American soccer"
Juan Pablo Ángel, Red Bulls player
A veteran of every level of his country's youth national team, Jozy Altidore is considered one of the hottest properties in U.S. football.
The Jersey-born powerhouse has bags of pace, power and a killer's eye for important goals.
Critics reel off the names of onetime MLS starlets who faded after making a good first impression. But there is reason to believe Altidore is different, for he has a lot more going for him than that instinctive scoring touch.
It's no secret that the best players in any sport are the ones who are strongest mentally. And despite his early success, Altidore apparently operates with a complete absence of ego.
His coach at Red Bulls, Bruce Arena, is understandably protective of the Haitian-American phenom as the club have a vested interest in keeping the young star grounded.
It is precisely this combination of skill, size, youth and attitude that makes Altidore such an alluring prospect for wealthy European clubs.
Altidore, who was attended the Adidas Elite Soccer Program in 2005 in order to further develop his playing skills, was drafted in the second round by MetroStars - the previous name of Red Bulls - with the 17th overall pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.
He first stepped into an MLS match as a 16-year-old at New England on September 2006, coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute, while working towards his high school diploma in Florida.
A week later, just 18 minutes into his career, he scored his first professional goal in brilliant fashion, blasting a 30-yard match-winning screamer that sailed into the top right corner of stunned Columbus Crew goalkeeper Bill Gaudette's net.
He was the youngest player to start in an MLS playoff match on October 2006, against D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Semifinals Series at 16 years, 349 days. Eight days later, he scored Red Bulls' only goal of their 2-1 aggregate loss to D.C. United, making him the youngest player to score in the MLS playoffs at 16 years, 357 days - breaking DaMarcus Beasley's record by almost three years.
In the span of just nine months of his career, Altidore has emerged from intriguing prospect to the most talked-about U.S. football teenager not named Freddy Adu.
He helped pick up the struggling Red Bulls team and carry it to the playoffs. In all, he scored four times in just nine appearances.
Altidore started his international career with the United States U-17 team, and was part of the squad it the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
He has also participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where he scored four goals in three games, including two in a 2-1 win over Brazil - leading the U.S. to a quarterfinals berth. There they were defeated by Austria 2-1 after extra time with Altidore scoring a goal in the first half.
In 2007, Altidore was a candidate for ESPN The Magazine's 2007 NEXT issue, which highlights some of the top up-and-coming athletes across the nation. He is one of the stars featured in Adidas' Impossible is Nothing advertisements, and was also featured on the cover of the North American version of the EA Sports hit, FIFA 08, along with Brazilian star Ronaldinho and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Taking in this scene, it's hard to believe that a year earlier he hadn't played a minute of professional football.
Altidore received his first call up to the senior national team for a friendly game against South Africa on November 2007, just three days after his 18th birthday. He came in as a substitute for Clint Dempsey in the 65th minute. On February 2008, he made his first start for the national team in a friendly against Mexico, where he also scored his first goal in the 2-2 draw.
On June 4, 2008, La Liga outfit Villarreal splashed out $10 million to sign Altidore, who scored 15 times in 37 games for Red Bulls. The deal surpasses Fulham's $4 million fee for Clint Dempsey, and is now the largest fee paid for any MLS player.
But before he lines up for the Yellow Submarine, the teenager joined Piotr Nowak's U.S. roster that competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where they were eliminated in the first round.
Young Jozy made his La Liga debut when he came on as a second half substitute against Deportivo La Coruña on September 2008. He then became the first American international to score in La Liga when he scored against Athletic Bilbao on November 2008.
Football experts all agree that Jozy has everything a player needs to succeed on the highest level of football. He's a quality finisher, with immense size and strength for a kid his age. But he still has plenty of room to grow.
Full name: Josmer Volmy Altidore
Date of birth: November 6, 1989
Birthplace: Livingston, New Jersey, United States
Nationality: American
2nd nationality: Haitian
Height: 1.77 m
Weight: 79 kg
Club: Villarreal
Position: Striker
Number: 24
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Technorati tags: United States Villarreal Jozy Altidore
The Jersey-born powerhouse has bags of pace, power and a killer's eye for important goals.
Critics reel off the names of onetime MLS starlets who faded after making a good first impression. But there is reason to believe Altidore is different, for he has a lot more going for him than that instinctive scoring touch.
It's no secret that the best players in any sport are the ones who are strongest mentally. And despite his early success, Altidore apparently operates with a complete absence of ego.
It is precisely this combination of skill, size, youth and attitude that makes Altidore such an alluring prospect for wealthy European clubs.
Altidore, who was attended the Adidas Elite Soccer Program in 2005 in order to further develop his playing skills, was drafted in the second round by MetroStars - the previous name of Red Bulls - with the 17th overall pick in the 2006 MLS SuperDraft.
He first stepped into an MLS match as a 16-year-old at New England on September 2006, coming on as a substitute in the 81st minute, while working towards his high school diploma in Florida.
A week later, just 18 minutes into his career, he scored his first professional goal in brilliant fashion, blasting a 30-yard match-winning screamer that sailed into the top right corner of stunned Columbus Crew goalkeeper Bill Gaudette's net.
He was the youngest player to start in an MLS playoff match on October 2006, against D.C. United in the Eastern Conference Semifinals Series at 16 years, 349 days. Eight days later, he scored Red Bulls' only goal of their 2-1 aggregate loss to D.C. United, making him the youngest player to score in the MLS playoffs at 16 years, 357 days - breaking DaMarcus Beasley's record by almost three years.
He helped pick up the struggling Red Bulls team and carry it to the playoffs. In all, he scored four times in just nine appearances.
Altidore started his international career with the United States U-17 team, and was part of the squad it the 2005 FIFA U-17 World Championship.
He has also participated in the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup in Canada, where he scored four goals in three games, including two in a 2-1 win over Brazil - leading the U.S. to a quarterfinals berth. There they were defeated by Austria 2-1 after extra time with Altidore scoring a goal in the first half.
In 2007, Altidore was a candidate for ESPN The Magazine's 2007 NEXT issue, which highlights some of the top up-and-coming athletes across the nation. He is one of the stars featured in Adidas' Impossible is Nothing advertisements, and was also featured on the cover of the North American version of the EA Sports hit, FIFA 08, along with Brazilian star Ronaldinho and Mexican goalkeeper Guillermo Ochoa. Taking in this scene, it's hard to believe that a year earlier he hadn't played a minute of professional football.
On June 4, 2008, La Liga outfit Villarreal splashed out $10 million to sign Altidore, who scored 15 times in 37 games for Red Bulls. The deal surpasses Fulham's $4 million fee for Clint Dempsey, and is now the largest fee paid for any MLS player.
But before he lines up for the Yellow Submarine, the teenager joined Piotr Nowak's U.S. roster that competed at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where they were eliminated in the first round.
Young Jozy made his La Liga debut when he came on as a second half substitute against Deportivo La Coruña on September 2008. He then became the first American international to score in La Liga when he scored against Athletic Bilbao on November 2008.
Football experts all agree that Jozy has everything a player needs to succeed on the highest level of football. He's a quality finisher, with immense size and strength for a kid his age. But he still has plenty of room to grow.
Full name: Josmer Volmy Altidore
Date of birth: November 6, 1989
Birthplace: Livingston, New Jersey, United States
Nationality: American
2nd nationality: Haitian
Height: 1.77 m
Weight: 79 kg
Club: Villarreal
Position: Striker
Number: 24
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 Ryan Babel of Liverpool |
"He has the body, speed and pace – everything he needs to develop his game. In fact, he could be the new Thierry Henry"
George Boateng, former Netherlands player
"He has all the potential to be the next Thierry Henry"
Marco van Basten, former Netherlands coach
"He's quick, strong and you can't guess what he's going to do next because he's a bag of tricks"
Kenny Dalglish, Liverpool legend
A tall, quick striker who can play on the wings or through the middle, Ryan Babel is one of the many players from the famous Ajax youth production line.
The right-footed Babel is predominantly a left winger but can also be employed as striker or on the opposite wing.
His speed and trickery equip him to cause defenders problems and, allied with his scoring threat, make him a real handful.
With awareness of the field, great vision, good first touch, and strength on the ball, he handles situations well.
Scouted by Ajax at the age of eleven, the Amsterdam-born forward played the 1998/99 season for their D1 team.
He then passed through the C1, B1 and A1 teams quickly, and, in January 2004, he signed his first professional contract.
On February 2004, Babel made his first team debut for Ajax as a 17-year-old in the 4-0 win against ADO Den Haag.
Nine months later, the youngster registered his first senior goal in a 5-0 league win against De Graafschap.
He played three seasons at the Amsterdam ArenA with a record of 14 goals in 73 Eredivisie outings, before moved to Liverpool in July 2007 in a five-year deal worth £11.5 million.
He was handed the number 19 shirt and made his Premier League debut as a second-half substitute at Aston Villa in the opening day of the 2007/08 season.
It wasn't long before he opened his goal account in a red shirt, defeating two Derby County defenders before lashing home in a 6-0 romp over newly-promoted Derby at Anfield.
Another nine goals followed in a satisfying first year, including his first Champions League goal for Liverpool in an 8-0 demolition of Beşiktaş. He netted twice in the game - one being a cheeky back-heel - and almost completed a hat-trick, from a header from a Harry Kewell cross, but was denied by the crossbar.
Babel has been part of the Netherlands national team since March 2005, when coach Marco van Basten sent him as a first-half substitute for the injured Arjen Robben in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Romania in Bucharest. He paid off van Basten's faith by scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win, making him the fourth-youngest goalscorer in the Dutch history and the youngest in 68 years at the age of 18 years and 97 days.
Despite featuring at senior level, Babel was still eligible for the 2005 FIFA U-20 World Cup, being held in the Netherlands. He scored two goals in four games as the Netherlands reached the quarter-finals. There they were defeated by Nigeria, 10–9 in a penalty shoot-out, at which Babel scored his penalty.
In 2006, van Basten included Babel in the Dutch 23-man squad for 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, though he only featured once, as a second-half substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group match against Argentina.
Babel was one of the stars as the Netherlands U-21 team won the European Championships on home soil. His two goals included one in the 4-1 victory over Serbia in the final, helping him scoop man of the match.
In May 2008, Babel was selected for the Dutch squad which will compete in the Euro 2008 Finals in Austria and Switzerland. Sadly, he was removed from the squad after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in training.
He was part of the Dutch team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which they were knocked out by Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
After being slowly blooded into the Liverpool side, Babel has became a more prominent figure in the Reds line-up and is being hotly tipped for this season to be his breakout season.
Full name: Ryan Guno Babel
Date of birth: December 19, 1986
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality: Dutch
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 78 kg
Club: Liverpool
Position: Forward
Number: 19
Honours:
UEFA U-21 European Championship (2007)
Dutch Johan Cruijff-schaal (2005, 2006)
Dutch KNVB Cup (2006, 2007)
Liverpool Young Player of the Season (2008)
Related entries:
Technorati tags: Netherlands Liverpool Ryan Babel
The right-footed Babel is predominantly a left winger but can also be employed as striker or on the opposite wing.
His speed and trickery equip him to cause defenders problems and, allied with his scoring threat, make him a real handful.
With awareness of the field, great vision, good first touch, and strength on the ball, he handles situations well.
Scouted by Ajax at the age of eleven, the Amsterdam-born forward played the 1998/99 season for their D1 team.
On February 2004, Babel made his first team debut for Ajax as a 17-year-old in the 4-0 win against ADO Den Haag.
Nine months later, the youngster registered his first senior goal in a 5-0 league win against De Graafschap.
He played three seasons at the Amsterdam ArenA with a record of 14 goals in 73 Eredivisie outings, before moved to Liverpool in July 2007 in a five-year deal worth £11.5 million.
He was handed the number 19 shirt and made his Premier League debut as a second-half substitute at Aston Villa in the opening day of the 2007/08 season.
It wasn't long before he opened his goal account in a red shirt, defeating two Derby County defenders before lashing home in a 6-0 romp over newly-promoted Derby at Anfield.
Another nine goals followed in a satisfying first year, including his first Champions League goal for Liverpool in an 8-0 demolition of Beşiktaş. He netted twice in the game - one being a cheeky back-heel - and almost completed a hat-trick, from a header from a Harry Kewell cross, but was denied by the crossbar.
Babel has been part of the Netherlands national team since March 2005, when coach Marco van Basten sent him as a first-half substitute for the injured Arjen Robben in a FIFA World Cup qualifier against Romania in Bucharest. He paid off van Basten's faith by scoring the second goal in a 2-0 win, making him the fourth-youngest goalscorer in the Dutch history and the youngest in 68 years at the age of 18 years and 97 days.
In 2006, van Basten included Babel in the Dutch 23-man squad for 2006 FIFA World Cup in Germany, though he only featured once, as a second-half substitute for Ruud van Nistelrooy in the group match against Argentina.
Babel was one of the stars as the Netherlands U-21 team won the European Championships on home soil. His two goals included one in the 4-1 victory over Serbia in the final, helping him scoop man of the match.
In May 2008, Babel was selected for the Dutch squad which will compete in the Euro 2008 Finals in Austria and Switzerland. Sadly, he was removed from the squad after sustaining an ankle ligament injury in training.
He was part of the Dutch team for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, which they were knocked out by Nigeria in the quarter-finals.
After being slowly blooded into the Liverpool side, Babel has became a more prominent figure in the Reds line-up and is being hotly tipped for this season to be his breakout season.
Full name: Ryan Guno Babel
Date of birth: December 19, 1986
Birthplace: Amsterdam, Netherlands
Nationality: Dutch
Height: 1.85 m
Weight: 78 kg
Club: Liverpool
Position: Forward
Number: 19
Honours:
UEFA U-21 European Championship (2007)
Dutch Johan Cruijff-schaal (2005, 2006)
Dutch KNVB Cup (2006, 2007)
Liverpool Young Player of the Season (2008)
Did you like our post? If so, please subscribe to our RSS feed to receive more updates. Thank you for reading!
Related entries:
Technorati tags: Netherlands Liverpool Ryan Babel
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