The Getafe striker is the main offensive threat of Romania in this leg against Greece. He’s the ultimate poacher. While neither he nor his team have a lot of prestige, they are more than ready to return to the World Cup, a tournament Romania can’t qualify since 1998.
The Celtic winger is the most experienced player on his team. While elements like Sotiris Ninis or Konstantinos Mitroglou have been more recognized thanks to their performances this year, Samaras is the heart and soul of the team. He’s the offensive leader of a Greek side that will look to qualify for their second straight World Cup.
Luka Modric is not only the leader of this team, he’s certainly one of the most skilled midfielders in the world. His spectacular performances for Real Madrid this season has him as one of the better playmakers through the early part of the year and he will lead Croatia’s attacking chances against Iceland.
The Tottenham midfielder is Iceland’s brightest star. The attacking midfielder can be a decisive player when given enough space and he will be the leader of the Scandinavians, who are looking to qualify to a World Cup for their first time.
The Real Madrid striker hasn’t been criticized on his club alone as the fans of the National Team also feel he’s not been producing as he should based on his quality. A strong performance in the World Cup Playoffs would surely put most of those thoughts behind him as he’ll be the main offensive threat of Les Blues against Ukraine.
The veteran midfielder spent several years with Bayern Munich and now he plays at Zenit where he’s one of the leaders of the team. He has been playing regularly in the UEFA Champions League for several seasons and his experience could be key in a tough encounter against France.
Mario Mandzukic is one of the deadliest strikers in Europe. He’s been showing his quality playing for Bayern Munich where he’s been able to feature consistently despite the number of attackers in the club. He’s also the offensive leader of the Croatian side and he will need to be at his best if his team wants to have a chance against Iceland.
One of the strongest candidates to take home the Ballon D’Or award at the end of the year, Franck Ribery is the heart and soul of the French team. The Bayern Munchen star won everything this past season with Die Roten and he would crown a perfect year leading his country into Brazil 2014.
Some people love him and some people hate him, but the quality of Zlatan Ibrahimovic inside the pitch is undeniable. He’s the captain, leader and most potent offensive threat of a Swedish side that will have a tough encounter as they will go against Portugal, a squad that’s led by the number one player on this list.
It seems like the eyes of the world are constantly over Cristiano Ronaldo and this time it’s not going to be different. The Real Madrid star has been the best player in the world since the start of the season and while he has a reputation of disappearing in important matches, he will look to silence the critics leading Portugal to Brazil's World Cup in a tough playoff tie against Sweden.
