Breno Vinicius

Breno Vinicius Rodrigues Borges was born in Cruzeiro, not the Belo Horizonte football giants - named after the Cruzeiro do Sul (Southern Cross) constellation that is shown on the Brazilian flag - but a rural town in São Paulo state located close to the state boundaries with Minas Gerais and Rio de Janeiro.

"I was born in Cruzeiro but when I started studying at nearby Lavrinhas I found my vocation for sport and began to show that I deserved a chance in the local football club where I started playing as a holding midfielder. Later I went to Boavista where they decided my build was more suited to defence and when I was14 I had a trial with São Paulo and stayed there", he explained to Globoesporte.

"I matured early as I had been living alone since I was 12 in football academies so the leap to the main team at 17 wasn't a shock and I adapted quickly, but it's a great thing to represent the club I supported as a small boy", he explained of his rapid rise to prominence at São Paulo where he's the youngest member of the first team - and an integral part of the most solid defence in Brazil for years.

Breno's main influence is another ex-São Paulo player: a Uruguayan centre-back who made history at Morumbi before moving to Turkey. "I don't have idols as such but I really admire Lugano who helped me a lot while he was here with tips about playing, both in terms of mindset and moves, telling me to play my own game and I'd succeed."

The competition that was responsible for thrusting Breno into the limelight and leading to a first team place was the 38th Copa São Paulo de Futebol Júnior (São Paulo Junior Cup), Cruzeiro beating São Paulo on penalties in a tournament that starts the year and is traditionally responsible for revealing future stars such as Rogério Ceni, Cafú, Raí and Robinho, amongst many others, and this year gave us Lulinha (Corinthians) and Guilherme (Cruzeiro) as well as Breno.

"When I came up from the juniors after the Copa São Paulo de Júniores, Muricy [Ramalho, the São Paulo Coach responsible for leading the team he once played for to two consecutive Brazilian first division titles] told me I was there because of my quality but I had to keep my feet on the ground and that's what I've tried to do." It hasn't been easy as the hype started to grow at epidemic speed.

Breno made mature and eye-catching showings for São Paulo in the Brasileirão (Brazilian First Division) as well as in the Copa Sudamericana (equivalent of the UEFA Cup). "The best times have been since Muricy started to trust me implicitly and also the great goal I scored against Santos [September 2007; shown in the clip]."

He also impressed with his sang froid as the Brazilians landed at La Bombonera to play Boca Juniors and acquitted himself well despite the brace nodded in by number 9 Martin 'El Loco' Palermo.

The young back has been praised for his clean strength in tackles, ability to cope with aerial defusing of rival attacks, cool head under pressure and ability to play the ball out with his feet as well as his noted skill to go forward and take on rival defences as a surprise element coming from behind. His positional sense on the pitch is also good, although he can want to lurch forward a little too far and leave gaps behind if the formation doesn't cover his moves.

In Brazil itself the player is already seen with high regard by most for his combination of defensive solidity and attacking skill, reminding some European pundits of a young Carles Puyol (FC Barcelona) whose promotion from the Barcelona B team started with a string of performances that even included a bicycle kick goal. Most are resigned to seeing him wave goodbye soon, the transfer buzz rising from background noise to an urgent crescendo.

As to Europe, Breno is still - publicly at least - not in hurry to cross the pond and start a foreign affair after less than a year in the main squad. "It's still to early to talk about that. First I want to make a bigger name for myself with São Paulo, conquer titles and then we can talk about a move to Europe", he stressed, although many believe that the only question is whether Breno can be kept until June 2008 - or if he'll reach a new deal in the winter transfer window.

His contract rescission stands at an appetizing fifteen million Euros and Real Madrid - as well as Bayern Munich and Fiorentina - have already shown a willingness to pay something in this neighbourhood for the 18 year-old whose build - 1.87m and 84 kg - is seen as strong enough to cope with the more physical play that sometimes puts the brakes on less corpulent Brazilian backs when they move to Europe.

He's under contract with São Paulo until 2010 and may be swayed to stay a little longer as the SPFC management are considering making a bid to extend his contract - and raise his contract rescission via a higher salary, effectively 'fattening him up' for a more lucrative sale, and local ever-loyal goalkeeper Rogério Ceni would be in favour of such a stay.

"This is the best defense I've ever played behind", underlined the 34 year-old keeper-cum-deadball specialist. "All of the centre-backs are capable of playing for the Seleção", he added, both Alex Silva and Miranda already having been called up by Dunga with André Dias and Breno slated to soon follow, and praised Breno as part of what was nearly the best Brasileirão defence ever.

The ability of São Paulo to restructure means that although Breno is seen as a rare pearl, the right offer will result in hands being shook. In 2007 São Paulo sold right-back Ilsinho (Shakhtar Donetsk), centre-back Edcarlos (Benfica) and many would bet that both Alex Silva - currently injured - and Breno will be the next Brazilian backs to leave Morumbi for Europe.

André Dias is convinced that something's got to give. "There's bound to be somebody leaving after the season that we've had. The fact that we almost beat a 30 year-old record as the best defence in Brazil attracts attention plus we've had players called up and that always opens eyes abroad, but the management knows how to choose and sign players very well as they've shown over the past few years", argued the number 3.

Breno himself said that "I'd prefer to leave that with my agent", when asked about how he feels about the speculated interest and the chances of accepting what is bound to be a very juicy offer. "Breno's leaving is just a question of time", opined Robinho (and a vast chunk of other Brazilian players) agent Wagner Ribeiro.

Ribeiro was central to getting Robinho released from Santos by advising the player to go AWOL when Santos were holding out for more Merengue money, and admitted to Marca that "I'm helping Breno's father who's his real agent. There are some interesting proposals and , although he's under contract he's a player who really interests the European market."

Ninis Sotiris

Panathinaikos from Athens can boast proudly of the brightest star in Greek football, 16-year old wunderkind Sotiris Ninis, who has already begun breaking all-time records in Greek football.

During the European Championships hosted by Portugal in the summer of 2004 the Greek national team exceeded all expectations in snatching the tournament from the clutches of the hosts. The whole of Greece seemed to descend into madness, celebrating what seemed to be the biggest turning point in their footballing history.

Three years later Greek football has stood still and Greeks lament that their nation has not built on the success that their European triumph suggested was in the offing.

However, that same night in 2004, amidst the suffocating Athenian summer heat, a 13-year-old boy dreamed about emulating Charisteas, Zagorakis, Basinas and Tsarstas.

Sotiris Ninis was born in the Albanian town of Himara (a region that belonged to Greece until 1944). After the fall of communism in 1991, his parents, along with thousands of others were able to return to their homeland in Greece. Sotiris and his family first moved to Zakynthos but after a few years they finally settled in the capital, amidst the restless and cosmopolitan life of Athens. There, Sotiris grew up happily and without any worries, concerned only with football. In the Apollon Smyrnis academy (a humble team from the suburbs), he was the star attraction of every practice because of his phenomenal talents from the very beginning; he soon attracted the attention of Panathinaikos scouts, who snapped him up after watching him for several months. In 2003 he was accepted into the younger categories of PAO (an abbreviation for Panathinaikos) and from that moment on his talent progressed at lightning speed with each passing season. His big opportunity was only a matter of time.

The 7th of January 2007 represents an historic day in the life of this young man as well as in Greek football. Spaniard Victor Munoz, the coach of PAO, decided to include him in the team for a match against Aigaleo. Even more surprising was when Ninis was informed that he would be making an appearance in the first eleven. Aged just 16 years and 309 days he was the second youngest player to ever play in the Greek Superliga – the youngest was another PAO player, Kostas Antoniou, who debuted in 1978 at only 15 years of age.

After an inspired performance Sotiris was chosen as the best player of that round. On the 27th of January, during a home match against Panionios he again etched his name into the history of Greek football when he scored an exceptional goal. Making a quick start from the right side, Ninis dribbled Messi style before finishing with his left leg – his weakest.

This made him the youngest player to score in the Greek championship. Another record that he added to his collection occurred on his debut in the UEFA Cup against French club Lens. Still aged only 16, Ninis bettered all of his compatriots, none of whom have managed to make an appearance at this age in an international club competition. On the 27th of March in Denmark he played for the Greek U-21 national team for the first time, putting to a stop all of the rumours that had been spreading about his possible appearance in the Albanian national team. On this occasion, it seemed as if his Greek roots were more important in the moment of his decision.

And what kind of player is Ninis on the pitch? In football like that which is played in Greece, it is often hard to see a young talent grow. That's why his style surprises even more – it doesn't have anything to do with the principles that rule there. He is a right forward who likes to move to the centre, although he also stands out when playing the role of assistant from the right side, contributing with speed and style. His 1.73 cm frame makes him hard to notice; he is always in motion and is a fantastic dribbler. In Greece he is already being compared to Messi, although it's true that he has a long way to go.

That summer night his idols were Tsartas, Charisteas and Zagorakis. If things continue as they have, tomorrow he could be the leading player of a new Greek generation represented by Iliadis, Balafas, Samaras, Gekas, Salpigidis and Lagos. Let's hope the gods of Mount Olympus will be on their side.

Pablo Piatti Profile

Pablo Daniel Piatti (born La Carlota, Cordoba province 31 March 1989) is an Argentine Footballer player with UD Almeria.

The diminutive (161 cm, 55 kg) player made the headlines when coach Diego Simeone, gave him his first opportunity against Newell's Old Boys on 18/Nov/2006. Piatti scored the winning goal (2-1 final score) deep into injury time, and became one of the heroes of Estudiantes' championship-winning team.

Piatti made the starting eleven in the 2007 Clausura tournament, occupying the left midfield, in tandem with Jose Luis Calderon, complementing fellow midfielders Juan Sebastian Veron and Jose Ernesto Sosa. Piatti also plays a s a deep lying forward linking midfield and attack and has played in this position for Estudiantes and Argentina.

Piatti was part of the Argentina Under-20 squad that won the 2007 FIFA U-20 World Cup title in Canada. The youngest player in the roster, he played several matches, supporting the forwards from the midfield, mostly on the left side.