Young stars make the jump

For three golden weeks in Canada last summer, the talents of the globe's most gifted young stars shone brightly for all to see. Six months have elapsed since Argentina lifted the trophy, and in that time several of those up-and-coming youngsters have kicked on in some of Europe's toughest leagues.

Foremost among them is Sergio Kun Aguero, the mercurial Argentinian who lit up Canada 2007 with his dazzling array of skills. The best player and top scorer at the tournament, his stock has continued to rise ever since. Not content with winning a place in the full national team and scoring his first international goal, the kid with the Midas touch has picked up the baton passed by former Atletico Madrid idol Fernando Torres.

An elusive presence in the Colchonero front line, the former Independiente player has been stringing the goals together, stoking Atletico's hopes of a UEFA Champions League place. Mindful that his exploits could well attract interest from Europe's big fish, the club's directors recently upped the fledgling wizard's buyout clause to €55m.

And just to settle the nerves of long-suffering Rojiblanco fans that little bit more, El Kun recently expressed a desire to make his stay at the Vicente Calderon a long one. "Atletico is a big club and I feel at home here," said Aguero, the scorer of nine goals so far this term. "I want to stay here for many years to come and help the team achieve its objectives, which include a place in the Champions League."

Although an instant hit in North America last year, the boy wonder was indebted to midfielder Ever Banega for some sterling support. The successor to Fernando Gago in the Boca Juniors engine room, Banega ended 2007 by helping the Buenos Aires giants to the runners-up spot at the recent FIFA Club World Cup. And while flattered by comparisons with the Real Madrid midfielder, the defensive midfielder is anxious to make his own name in the footballing elite.

"Fernando is a fantastic player and a good friend," Banega told FIFA.com during his stay in Canada. "I'm just hoping that one day I'll be able to make the kind of contributions that will get people talking about me rather than him." Since then, the one-time Xeneize has continued to follow in the footsteps of his older compatriot, heading to Spain to sign for Valencia just a year on from Gago's departure for Madrid.

Another Canada 2007 winner to follow the trail blazed by one Lionel Messi is defender Federico Fazio, who played his part in Sevilla's Spanish Super Cup success against Real Madrid last August.

Making a mark in Bundesliga
Despite losing out to Argentina in the final, Czech striker Martin Fenin is yet another veteran of last year's FIFA U-20 World Cup to hit the big time. Having learnt his trade with FK Teplice, where he scored 15 goals in 77 appearances, the 20-year-old sharpshooter has already received the call from Karel Bruckner for full international duty. Nor was it long before his abilities attracted the attentions of Eintracht Frankfurt's scouts, the German outfit snapping up his services in the winter.

Yet Fenin is not the only Canada 2007 stalwart to head for the Bundesliga. After serving his apprenticeship in the reserves, Austria's Martin Harnik has muscled his way into the first team at Werder Bremen, making his Champions League debut against Dynamo Zagreb last August. Within a week he was taking his full international bow in a friendly against the Czechs, coming on as a substitute and grabbing his side's equaliser just six minutes later. To cap an amazing month, Harnik enjoyed his maiden outing in the league the following weekend, making a second-half entrance against FC Nuremberg.

And just to prove lightning can strike twice, the precocious youngster grabbed the winning goal eight minutes after coming on, handing Werder their first victory of the season.

Swelling the Bundesliga ranks is Chile's Arturo Vidal, the chief architect of LaRojita's impressive third-placed finish last July. A regular fixture in the Bayer Leverkusen line-up and equally competent in a midfield or defensive role, the former Colo Colo youth product has one goal to his name in four league appearances this season, and has already picked up four caps for his country.

River Plate striker Alexis Sanchez, a team-mate of Vidal's at Colo Colo and the Chilean U-20 side, has also graduated with full international honours, scoring one goal in seven appearances so far. Dubbed El Niño Maravilla (The Boy Wonder) by the Argentinian press, Sanchez made a mind-blowing start to the Apertura season only to pick up a serious knee injury in September. Coincidence or not, the Millonarios promptly went into freefall and quickly kissed their title hopes goodbye.

Canada 2007 proved a disappointing experience for Spain, who crashed out on penalties to the Czechs at the quarter-final stage. Nevertheless, that setback has not stunted the progress of their main men, among them Diego Capel, now commanding a regular staring place with Sevilla. And while the Andalusians' league form has dipped dramatically, the blond-maned winger has been a revelation on the left side, turning opposing defenders inside out with his mazy running and raising hopes that he may be the man to finally fill Jose Antonio Reyes's shoes.

Capel's Spain team-mate Gerard Pique has had fewer opportunities to shine with Manchester United, but every time Sir Alex Ferguson has given him the nod, the tall defender has responded with some composed performances. The highlight of his season to date was scoring the opening goal in a 4-0 rout of Dynamo Kiev in the Champions League.

Pato and Dos Santos among giants
Like Spain, fellow favourites Brazil and Mexico also made untimely exits from Canada 2007, although their respective superstars, Alexandre Pato and Giovani dos Santos, have been charting upward curves ever since. The Brazilian starlet, a member of the Internacional side that won the FIFA Club World Cup in 2006, joined AC Milan last summer and made his first league appearance against Napoli last weekend.

True to form, the 18-year-old prodigy marked the occasion with a goal, just as he did when making his debuts in the Brazilian league and the national U-20 side. "He showed his full range of attributes: pace, coordination and quick thinking in front of goal," commented coach Carlo Ancelotti after his side's 5-2 win. "He's very mature for his age and he's got a cool head."

Frank Rijkaard would probably use those selfsame words to describe Mexican sensation Dos Santos, who received his promotion to first-team duties at Barcelona last summer. The guiding spirit behind El Tri's FIFA U-17 World Cup success in 2005, the Mexico striker has featured regularly for the Catalans this term following injuries at different times to Thierry Henry, Samuel Eto'o, Lionel Messi and Ronaldinho. Called up on four occasions by national boss Hugo Sanchez, Dos Santos is also being trailed by a clutch of major English clubs eager to land his signature.

For all these high-profile graduates of the class of 2007, however, the hard work is only just beginning. Ahead of them lies the task of fulfilling the potential they showed in Canada while also responding to the challenges posed by their immediate successors.

Snapping hard at their heels already are the likes of Germany's Toni Kroos, Bojan Krkic of Spain and Nigeria's Macauley Chrisantus, just three of the 17-year-olds staking compelling claims to become the superstars of tomorrow.