Two legends of the game along with one rather brilliant youngster are our three key midfielders to look at during the Confederations Cup.

Andres Iniesta

The Barcelona man comes into the tournament with yet another domestic title to his name. His feet deserted him in the UEFA Champions League semifinals, however, as his team was humbled by a Bayern München side reeking of excellence. Nonetheless, Iniesta remains one of the standout midfielders of his generation.

His control and poise on the ball are matched by very few worldwide. In the absence of defensive midfielder Xabi Alonso, Iniesta will now have added defensive responsibilities. His team faces some stiff competition and Iniesta will have to be at his best to guide Spain to the top once again in yet another international tournament.

 

Oscar

When Chelsea bought this Brazilian, a few eyebrows were raised. After all, what could this young footballer offer which Chelsea did not already have? Oscar turned out to be one of Chelsea’s best buys of the season. The Brazilian was immense in the Champions League group stages despite Chelsea’s elimination. He was brilliant in the Premier League too and put in some simply dazzling and eye catching performances.

Brazil’s chances to win this tournament are not rated too high. Oscar however can certainly do that, especially considering that his talent is now backed up by considerable experience. The young midfielder could even outshine colleague Neymar if given the chance to do so. Overall, the Confederations Cup might turn out to be Oscar’s tournament if Brazil finds the stability needed to go all the way.

Andrea Pirlo

The Italian midfielder regained his legendary status with Juventus in the 2011-12 season. His performances at the Euros in 2012 were simply marvelous. The Italian is not the fastest of midfielders; however, his eye for a pass is exceptional. Few can hit long passes in the manner in which Pirlo can.

Also, the way in which he hits the ball on a free kick shows his control over it; the ball curls its way past goalkeepers quite often. With a second Scudetto to his name with Juventus in just two seasons, Pirlo will look to have another go at conquering a trophy. His mastery saw Italy win the World Cup, AC Milan win the UEFA Champions League and Juventus conquer the Scudetto. Is the Confederations Cup next for the Italian?

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