Wesley Sneijder

50 Top Soccer Player their trade today, based on a combination of current form, potential and overall ability.  Ranking  determined by a panel of contributors to ESPN's soccer.


Wesley Sneijder                Rank Player 20

Wesley Sneijder From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia Wesley Sneijder Personal information Full name

Profile
Birth name                  Wesley Sneijder
Birth date                    June 9, 1984
Birth place                  Utrecht, Netherlands
Height                        1.70 m (5 ft 7 in)
Playing position           Attacking midfielder
National team             Netherlands
Current club               Internazionale
Number                     10

Biography
Wesley Sneijder  is a Dutch footballer playing as an attacking midfielder for Internazionale. He was named UEFA midfielder of the season as well as one of the three best midfielders in the world for 2010 by FIFA. Due to his impeccable placement and confirmed ability to score from free kicks, Sneijder earned the reputation as a dead-ball specialist. With short stature, he is quick, strong on the ball, and his passing range is enhanced by his ambidexterity.

Scouting thumbnail
Short, squat playmaker with vision and impressive long-range shooting ability, harnessed with precise set-piece delivery. Can play anywhere in midfield but prefers to operate centrally in the final third.

It was a wonderful move, as he picked up the Treble of league, cup and Champions League in his first season and led his side to the World Cup final. He had already proved his international credentials with a starring role in Euro 2008 and, with five goals in South Africa, made himself one of the most respected midfielders in the game.

Strengths 
Quick, strong and powerful with accurate shooting ability. Can play with both feet.

Weaknesses
Lacks height and can go missing in games.

Wesley Sneijder

Nemanja Vidic

50 Top Soccer Player their trade today, based on a combination of current form, potential and overall ability.  Ranking  determined by a panel of contributors to ESPN's soccer.

Nemanja Vidic         Rank Player 19

Profile
Birth name                   Nemanja Vidić
Birth date                    October 21, 1981
Birth place                   Titovo Užice, SFR Yugoslavia
Height                         1.89 m (6 ft 2 in)
Playing position           Centre back/Defender
National team              Serbia (retired)
Current club                Manchester United
Joined MU                  January, 5 2006
Number                     15


Biography
Nemanja Vidić is a Serbian footballer who captains English Premier League club Manchester United. He was part of the Serbia national football team from 2002 to 2011. After establishing himself at Red Star Belgrade during the early 2000s, Vidić moved to Spartak Moscow in the summer of 2004. He further increased his reputation when he was part of the "Famous Four" Serbian national team defence that conceded just one goal during the 2006 FIFA World Cup qualification campaign. He would later sign for Man United for around £7m in January 5, 2006.

Vidić has collected a host of honours in his United career including 3 consecutive Premier League titles (4 titles in total), the UEFA Champions League, the FIFA World Club Cup, three League Cup medals, as well as being included in three consecutive (4 in total including 2010–11 season) PFA Team of the Year sides from 2007 to 2009. In the 2008–09 season, he helped United to a record-breaking run of 14 consecutive clean sheets and was awarded the Barclays Player of the Season. He also collected both the club's Fans' and Players' Player of the Year awards. At the start of the 2010–11 season Vidić was selected as the new team captain of Manchester United.  He collected his second Barclays Player of the Season in 2010-11.


Scouting thumbnail
Powerhouse central defender who owns the box with his aerial ability, both defensively and on offensive set pieces. No-nonsense enforcer, but can be vulnerable to pacy forwards with strong dribbling skills.
Tall, athletic and solid as a rock, Nemanja Vidic is uncompromising in the tackle and formidable in the air.

Dani Alves

50 Top Soccer Player their trade today, based on a combination of current form, potential and overall ability.  Ranking  determined by a panel of contributors to ESPN's soccer.

Dani Alves         Rank Player 18

Profile
Birth name                 Daniel Alves da Silva
Birth date                  May 6, 1983
Birth place                 Juazeiro, Brazil
Height                       1.73 m (5 ft 8 in)
Weight                      71 kg
Playing position         Right back/Defender
National team            Brazill
Current club              Barcelona
Number                    2

Biography
Daniel Alves da Silva commonly known as Dani Alves, is a Brazilian footballer. He plays as an attacking right defender for FC Barcelona and the Brazilian national team. Before joining Barcelona, Alves spent a successful six year spell with Sevilla FC, winning two UEFA Cups and the Copa del Rey with the Andalusian side. He joined Barcelona for €32.5m,  becoming the most expensive defender to date.

Alves won the Treble in his first season with the club and a further Spanish super cup, European super cup, and FIFA Club World Cup, thus achieving the Sextuple. Also, he helped the club to clinch another Spanish super cup, two league titles, and a UEFA Champions League in the years that followed. Alves has held a Spanish passport since 2005.  On Thursday, September 29, 2011, Alves was appointed as a Special Olympics Ambassador for its Global Football program, charged with promoting respect and inclusion in football for people with intellectual disabilities, particularly in the run up to the 2014 FIFA World Cup.

Scouting thumbnail
Attacking fullback who's brilliant going forward as a pseudo-winger. Combines pace, vision and playmaking skills as well as superior set-piece delivery. Defensively vulnerable at times and can be caught out of position or muscled off the ball.