By Andy Hampson, PA Sport
Last updated April 4 2006
England will come up against some familiar faces this summer in Germany - and some players the scouts will have been keenly watching. We take a look at five men who could block England's route to the second round.
Dwight Yorke
Veteran Trinidad and Tobago striker Dwight Yorke may not be a Premiership player any more but he has certainly spent enough time playing at the highest level for Sven Goran Eriksson to be well aware of the danger he poses. For around a decade with Aston Villa and Manchester United, Yorke was one of the most potent strikers in English football. His powers appeared to be on the wane during later spells with Blackburn and Birmingham yet now, although he may no longer be as quick, he still has an eye for goal. Most recently led Sydney FC to A-League glory in Australia, Yorke is now back in Europe and will need little motivation for a clash against the English and some of his former club-mates.
Henrik Larsson
Although Henrik Larsson never played in the Premiership, he is another vastly experienced striker England should be very familiar with. The 34-year-old Swede, preparing for his international swansong, attracted plenty of attention during his prolific spell at Celtic and was almost responsible for scuppering England's Euro 2000 qualifying bid. Despite injury, Larsson has played an important role for European giants Barcelona over the past two years. He is due to start winding his career down with former club Helsingborg from next season but should be ready for one final crack on football's highest stage.
Zlatan Ibrahimovic
Zlatan Ibrahimovic's form in a Sweden shirt has often divided opinion but his performances since joining Juventus in 2004 have elevated him into the top tier of European strikers. Germany 2006 could be the stage for him to shine. The 24-year-old helped the Turin club to the Serie A title and his performances now suggest he is ready to shake off the temperamental tag. A former Ajax striker, the son of Bosnian immigrants, has pace to burn and is powerful in the air. England cannot afford to give him space or allow him any sort of freedom at set-pieces.
Roque Santa Cruz
Any hopes Paraguay may have of making an impact may lie largely at the feet of national superstar Roque Santa Cruz. The quick and skilful striker has carved out a respectable reputation for himself at Bayern Munich with frequent Champions League appearances and will relish the chance to shine in Germany. He has to compete for his place at Bayern due to the wealth of understudies to main striker Roy Makaay but he is certainly a handy operator in front of goal. He is strong on both feet and could trouble England on either side. Experience of the 2002 World Cup should also stand him in good stead.
Carlos Gamarra
Paraguay captain Carlos Gamarra will be 35 when the tournament begins but no-one is suggesting the experienced centre back is over the hill just yet. 'Colorado' Gamarra is enjoying a glorious swansong at Brazilian club Palmeiras after joining them from Inter Milan last summer. Gamarra, Paraguay's most-capped player after making more than 100 appearances, has hit a wonderful level of consistency and may prove a difficult obstacle for the likes of Michael Owen and Wayne Rooney to negotiate. His positional sense and remarkable timing in the tackle, as well as his experience of two World Cups, make him the ideal leader.
