Pablo Barrera

[juanes]

Club:Pumas UNAM Mexico

Nationality:Mexico

Age:22

Height:1.75 m / 5.74 ft

Weight:65 kg / 143 lbs

Position:Attacking mid(R

http://u.goal.com/27100/27120_news.jpg

The 2010 World Cup is approaching and after selecting Manchester United bound Javier Hernandez as a Player to Watch in January, we have selected another potential Mexican World Cup star.

 

Much of the Mexican World Cup squad are well known across the world, including the likes of Giovani Dos Santos , Rafa Marquez and Andres Guardado . Besides the well-known European based internationals, Javier Aguirre, the Mexican national team coach, has one more rabbit he can pull out of his hat and an opponent in South Africa may pay a high price if they have not done their homework on Pumas UNAM Mexico winger Pablo Barrera .

 

The 22-year-old is an extraordinary winger who is still largely unknown outside of Mexico and North America. Barrera possesses tremendous speed and is capable of controlling and shooting the ball well with both feet, scoring goals from long and short distance as well.

 

Usually Barrera does so with such grace that despite being naturally right footed sometimes it’s a hard task to say what his natural foot is. He likes to run down both flanks, is capable of swapping positions during the game and uses his deadly crosses in order to create opportunities.

 

When Barrera is on the pitch he gives his team the option of playing fast, coming from behind and catching the opponents’ defence off guard with lethal counter attacks. He is also an efficient player in a slower tempo game thanks to his one on one ability. His technique and dribbling skills, together with his pace and acceleration gives him the ability of beating his opponents with ease and despite the fact he is not a striker he has quite good composure in front of goal and is capable of scoring goals.

 

Barrera, whose talent was already spotted in Mexico early on, came through the youth system at Pumas back in 2005. Two years later he became a regular player for his club and in 2008/09 was part of the side that won the Clausura title and things looked bright for the young prospect at the time.

 

It also didn’t take long for Barrera’s talent to be noticed by clubs around the world and there were already rumors linking Arsenal to the player, after the English side sent scouts to follow the young starlet for three months. But then Barrera’s luck took a bad turn. Barrera had to undergo surgery in order to repair a ruptured cruciate ligament in his left knee back in July 2008.

 

It took Barrera six months to recover from the injury and it slowed his progress down at a crucial time, just before a likely lucrative transfer. Yet, Barrera is not one who will give up when things are tough. During the 2009/10 season Barrera has regained his full confidence and physical condition and he is a first team regular for his team and one of the most dominant and cultured players at Pumas.

 

Ever since the Clausura started, back in January 2010, he has been in very good form, playing at a high level and is one of the most dominant players in the entire Mexican league. Judging from his speed and movement it seems that his old injury doesn't affect him at all.

 

He has also taken part in some national team friendly matches in the last few months and played well and showed some glimpses of his talent. For now, as long as he stays healthy, it is most likely that he will be part of the Mexican national team during the World Cup.

 

Barrera is still young and needs to get physically stronger in order to fit in at a high level European club and also improve some other tactical aspects of his game. But he may well have to settle for a place on the bench in South Africa in the group stages but there is no doubt that if he will be able to take advantage of the opportunity when it will come, a good performance at the World Cup will surely set his career back on track towards European football.