Young players in focus at Confed Cup

PARIS (AP) -- Maybe the conclusion of the David Beckham transfer saga will turn soccer fans' attention to the Confederations Cup.

The eight-nation tournament that begins Wednesday is bound to produce some new young star that could galvanize the transfer market in years to come.

World Cup champion Brazil is featuring only seven players from the roster that won a record fifth World Cup title last year. Four of the players here are making their debut on the national team.

The young South Americans attracting the most attention are the two vying to fill the gap left by Real Madrid's Ronaldo, who is finishing his club season with Madrid and likely looking forward to receiving some passes from Beckham later in the year.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira is expected to choose either Adriano, a standout striker for Parma in the Italian league, or Sao Paulo attacker Luis Fabiano to fill in for Ronaldo.

"Both of them are working hard and looking good," Parreira said. "Both are young, both can score and both are eager to play."

The coach has a nucleus of about 14 players who are virtually guaranteed a place in his first-choice squad. That leaves a half-dozen places up for grabs when South America starts its qualifying campaign in September for the 2006 World Cup in Germany.

"This is a young team being offered a chance," Parreira said. This tournament "will help us choose a squad for September."

Brazil faces Cameroon on Thursday in its opening match.

The first game of the competition features tournament underdog New Zealand against recent World Cup co-host Japan on Wednesday. The official opening ceremony will be held before Wednesday's second match between co-tournament favorite France and Colombia.

The top two teams in each four-nation group advance to the June 26 semifinals. The final will be held on June 29.

France, Japan, Colombia and New Zealand are in Group A while Brazil, United States, Cameroon and Turkey are in Group B.

Another of Beckham's future teammates is also being held out of the tournament to conclude his club season at Madrid.

Without midfielder Zinedine Zidane, France will be looking for Arsenal midfielder Robert Pires to set up chances and split defenses. When France won the Confederations Cup two years ago, Pires was inspirational and voted the tournament's best player.

Another Madrid player, Claude Makelele, is also still in Spain and one of France's top strikers, David Trezeguet, is taking a break after a long season with Juventus that ended with a loss to AC Milan in the Champions Cup final.

Midfielder Patrick Vieira is also absent, putting even more pressure on his Arsenal teammates Pires and prolific striker Thierry Henry.

Instead of making wholesale changes to the team, France coach Jacques Santini is blending experience with youth.

"We need to give young players the chance to shine," he said.

France's veteran defender Lilian Thuram also welcomed the new blood.

"The youngsters are not here for souvenirs," he said. "They are good for the future of French soccer."

A future Beckham, Ronaldo or Zidane is what many observers hope to discover in a tournament such as this.

 

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