Carlos Gamarra
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Age: 25
Position: Midfielder
Country: Ghana
Caps: 39
Goals: 10
Club: Fenerbahce
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Monday, 15, May 2006 12:26
Age: 35
Position: Centre-back/Sweeper
Country: Paraguay
Caps: 104
Goals: 11
Club: Palmeiras
Previous clubs: Cerro Porteño (Par), Independiente (Arg), Internacional (Bra), SL Benfica (Por), SC Corinthians (Bra), Atlético de Madrid (Spa), CR Flamengo (Bra), AEK Athens (Gre), Inter Milan (Ita), Palmeiras (Bra)
Estimated Chelsea-target price: Under Vialli he would have been a stone-cold cert for a Bosman move to west London - these days he would have to pay to play
In his own words: Being quick is not a question of running faster, it's a matter of getting there first. And that depends on where are you positioned.
Carlos Gamarra is world-class, but almost no-one in Europe knows it.
He reads the game as well as anyone, puts his body on the line in defence and launches his team's attacks with clever angled passing. He is also a player with a knack for scoring important goals, six of his 11 international goals have decided games, while another two were the only goals managed by Paraguay in away defeats.
An indication of his class is that, despite playing at centre-back, he has never given away a foul in a World Cup game - despite playing every minute of every game for his country in France 98 and Japan and Korea 2002. He was eventually forced to foul someone while playing for Paraguay - mainly because he was tired of press speculation about how long anyone could play international football for without conceding a free kick.
He had his best year in 1998, as well as making the team of the World Cup he was voted the best player in Brazil (ahead of a young Ronaldinho and a less young Romario) and Paraguayan player of the year (for the second time).
Now 35, Gamarra's skills in organising a back-line, launching attacks, and spurring on his team are more important to Paraguay than ever. And facing younger, faster, forwards does not faze him - even at the thought of playing against the pace of Owen or Rooney.
"This will be my third World Cup, and I've already played in two Olympics. I've been at peace with myself for some time," he admits.
James Andrews.