Five who can thrive

Damien Duff (Republic of Ireland)

The Dubliner has put in a number of eye-catching performances for Blackburn this season and, at the age of just 23, has emerged as a key player for Mick McCarthy's team as well. His performance in a 3-0 victory over Denmark received ecstatic reviews, although the Ireland manager was hoping his secret weapon would remain under cover. What Sven Goran Eriksson would give for the natural left-sided balance brought by the Irishman, who has a good range of deliveries from set-pieces, a winger's ability to embarrass defenders in the tightest of spaces and a keen eye for goal. The healthy dilemma faced by McCarthy is whether to play Duff alongside Robbie Keane in attack or to pair Keane with Clinton Morrison and deploy Duff on the left of a four-man midfield. Duff, who signed for Blackburn three days after his 17th birthday, is, like so many young Irish players, precociously gifted. As he is also blessed with a level temperament and good work ethic, it is no wonder Graeme Souness has slapped a "hands-off" label on his prized asset.

Lucio (Brazil)

No one quite knows what to expect from the enigmatic Brazilian, but the tall, gangling centre-back has put in some commanding performances in Bayer Leverkusen's European triumphs this season and timed his run into the Brazilian side to near-perfection. He did not play in the chaotic qualifying campaign but has blossomed in Europe since and, injury permitting, seems sure to be a pillar of Luis Scolari's new-look Brazil. Lucio, 24, is in the tradition of ball-playing South American defenders, though whether the volatile "Big Phil" Scolari will be as indulgent as Klaus Toppmöller at Leverkusen with Lucio's hair-raising defensive technique and pulsating gallops into attack remains to be seen. That Lucio was able to dribble away from a pursuing Ryan Giggs in the second leg of the Champions' League semi-final – while nursing a sore hamstring – is proof of his deceptive pace, but with Roberto Carlos on one flank and Cafu on the other, Brazil might need their centre-backs to do the basics more enthusiastically than is Lucio's preference.

Sibusiso Zuma (South Africa)

Zuma, who began his career with African Wanderers before moving to Europe via the Orlando Pirates, came under the wing of Roy Hodgson at Copenhagen in their 2000-01 championship-winning season and won the player-of-the-year award in the Danish league. There were said to be 34 scouts present when Zuma played against Lazio in the Uefa Cup this season, a testimony to the 26-year-old South African's talent. "He's got pace enough to frighten the best international defenders," says Hodgson. Though South Africa prefer to deploy that pace down the right wing, Hodgson believes that Zuma would be more effective as a central striker. "He's not a natural winger. He's more dangerous receiving the ball with his back to goal, turning and running at defenders or exploiting the space behind the central defence." A disappointing African Nations' Cup campaign prompted the recent departure of Portuguese coach Carlos Queiroz, and brought predictable instability to the Bafana Bafana's preparations. Jomo Sono, the Kevin Keegan of South African football, has stepped into the breach for the second time to lift morale and is reported to be a committed fan of Zuma's, though a tug of war with Copenhagen tested his patience.

Gianluigi Buffon (Italy)

At £32m, the price Juventus paid to Parma a year ago, Buffon is the world's most expensive goalkeeper, but it is only in the last six months that he has been recognised as Italy's first choice by coach Giovanni Trapattoni. For the first three qualifiers Buffon was on the bench, while the hero of Euro 2000, Francesco Toldo, kept his place. Buffon came in for the last five matches, despite suffering indifferent form in the league. The two are very different: Toldo, at 6ft 6in, is three inches taller and, at 30, six years older, but the Juventus keeper is more agile, faster off his line and a better calculator of angles than his counterpart at Internazionale. Buffon is the more charismatic, combining the eccentricity of Fabien Barthez with the fashion sense of David James. He drives a motorbike, favours punk hairstyles and fosters a rockstar image at odds with his professional dedication. Toldo has said the Scudetto-winning keeper should be first choice for the opening game: that means Buffon.

Ruben Baraja (Spain)

If Pablo Aimar has been the creative brain behind Valencia's impressive run to the Primera Liga title, the angel-faced Ruben Baraja is what the Spaniards like to call the "pivot". Baraja is Spain's Roy Keane, a combative, athletic, indefatigable midfielder who is now emerging as a key figure in José Camacho's World Cup plans. Though Baraja arrived at Valencia two seasons ago after an abortive year at Atletico Madrid, helping to guide the club to a second successive Champions' League final, the 26-year-old has really begun to flourish this season, relishing the extra responsibility afforded him by the departure of Gaizka Mendieta to Lazio. Had a spectacular overhead kick not crashed against the Deportivo bar in a recent league match, Baraja's name would already be on a trophy for the goal of the season, but the acrobatics were symbolic of his confidence. Provided he is paired with Ivan Helguera in midfield, Spain's ageing defence will be well protected.