World Cup's Finest!

1 of 13

LANDON DONOVAN

Jed Jacobsohn/Getty

If You Like: An all-or-nothing guy
With the U.S. facing World Cup elimination, the midfielder, 28, scored the match-winning goooaaaal against Algeria, sending Team USA to the round of 16. Equally impressive: Donovan’s love of country, which he put on display in a flag-baring photo shoot for Vanity Fair.

2 of 13

CARLOS BOCANEGRA

Jim Watson/AFP/Getty

If You Like: A leader
As captain of the U.S. national team, Bocanegra, 31, helped lead America to the final round of 16 in the World Cup. He’s someone who knows how to use his head – literally, having scored most of his 10 goals with his noggin.

3 of 13

GIANLUCA ZAMBROTTA

Claudio Villa/Getty

If You Like: Confident guys
The Italian team may be eliminated – just don’t tell the AC Milan defender, 33. “We haven’t thought about it and we’re not thinking about it,” he said.

Continued on next slide.

4 of 13

JERMAIN DEFOE

Quinn Rooney/FIFA/Getty

If You Like: A closer
The English player, 27, scored the lone goal that helped his country advance beyond Slovenia to the knockout round of 16 countries.

5 of 13

GREGORY VAN DER WIEL

Stuart Franklin/Getty

If You Like: Bad boys
While sidelined with a concussion, the Dutch star, 22, took time off not to rest – but to go to a Lil Wayne concert. After posting a pic with the rapper on his Twitter page, it ignited public fury in his country. Naughty, naughty!

6 of 13

SERGIO AGUERO

Chris McGrath/Getty

If You Like: A man with family ties
The Argentine player, 22, has some heavy-hitters behind him – his father-in-law is international superstar Diego Maradona, who now manages Argentina’s national team.

Continued on next slide.

7 of 13

OGUCHI ONYEWU

Shaun Botterill/FIFA/Getty

If You Like: A man of principal
The American defender, 28, sued Belgian player Jelle Van Damme after he called him a derogatory name on the field. “I don’t feel amongst the players on the field there should be room for such negativity or narrow-minded ways of thinking,” the Nigerian native told the New York Times.

8 of 13

IKER CASILLAS

LLuis Gene/AFP/Getty

If You Like: The next big thing
Agile and quick-thinking, the Spanish goalkeeper, 29, is being hailed as the best goalie in the world – no wonder he wears Real Madrid’s prestigious No. 1 jersey.

9 of 13

LUKAS PODOLSKI

Joern Pollex/Getty

If You Like: Funny men
The German footballer, 25, and teammate Franck Ribery were known for playing pranks on each other during training camp (toothpaste under doorknobs!), earning him the nickname, “The Joker with a Hammer for a Left Foot” – which probably sounds better in German.

Continued on next slide.

10 of 13

TIM HOWARD

Bob Thomas/Getty

If You Like: A fighter
The U.S. star, 31, was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome when he was 9, and has since become an spokesperson for the illness.”It’s just a battle of the will, your willpower versus what your mind is telling your body to do,” he has said.

11 of 13

JOE COLE

Michael Regan/The FA/Getty

If You Like: An overachiever
Long touted as the hottest young player in England, the 28-year-old Brit was a child prodigy, scoring 7 out of 8 goals against Spain as a member of England’s youth team.

12 of 13

CRISTIANO RONALDO

INF

If You Like: The total package
Like David Beckham, he’s an international superstar who already has his own wax figure at Madame Tussauds. The Portuguese team captain, 25, even took over for Becks as the face – and, er, package – of Emporio Armani’s underwear line.

Replay gallery

World Cup's Finest!

1 of 13

LANDON DONOVAN

2 of 13

CARLOS BOCANEGRA

3 of 13

GIANLUCA ZAMBROTTA

4 of 13

JERMAIN DEFOE

5 of 13

GREGORY VAN DER WIEL

6 of 13

SERGIO AGUERO

7 of 13

OGUCHI ONYEWU

8 of 13

IKER CASILLAS

9 of 13

LUKAS PODOLSKI

10 of 13

TIM HOWARD

11 of 13

JOE COLE

12 of 13

CRISTIANO RONALDO

Up Next

Popular in Celebrity

All Topics in Celebrity

Everything in This Slideshow

Account

More

World Cup's Finest!

1 of 13

LANDON DONOVAN

2 of 13

CARLOS BOCANEGRA

3 of 13

GIANLUCA ZAMBROTTA

4 of 13

JERMAIN DEFOE

5 of 13

GREGORY VAN DER WIEL

6 of 13

SERGIO AGUERO

7 of 13

OGUCHI ONYEWU

8 of 13

IKER CASILLAS

9 of 13

LUKAS PODOLSKI

10 of 13

TIM HOWARD

11 of 13

JOE COLE

12 of 13

CRISTIANO RONALDO

Share the Gallery

Up Next

Share the Gallery

Popular in Celebrity

All Topics in Celebrity

Manage Push Notifications