Football Wonderkids – News, Gossip, Transfers, Chat

1, Stanley Okoro (Nigeria)

As far as I’m concerned Stanley Okoro was the best player of the tournament in Nigeria and it was a big surprise not to see his name on the list when individual honours were handed out. Already vastly influential for his club Heartland FC in Nigeria, Okoro defined the word ‘talisman’ in this competition. When he played the Golden Eaglets ticked, and at times the mantra ‘if in doubt, pass to Stanley’ seemed to be the order of the day for Nigeria.

Most of the time it worked too as Okoro’s pace, dynamism, direct running and immense drive powered the team relentlessly on. 3 goals and 5 assists in 7 games tells the tale. No matter what Spain tried in the semi-finals they absolutely couldn’t handle him and in the final there was a telling moment when, having been skinned by Okoro down the wing only for the move to break down, Swiss defender Bruno Martignoni looked around desperately at his teammates as if to say ‘come on guys, help me out here.’

Okoro is a modern forward in the sense that he can play either as striker, winger or attacking midfielder. Such technical versatility, alongside his superb dribbling skills, will doubtless see Stanley Okoro leaving Heartland FC before long