One man deserves a very special mention: Iran's
Ali Daei
This will probably be his last World CUp, and it's therefore especially nice that it's in Germany, where he spent happy times playing for both Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin.
Still an international striker at the age of 37, he has a phenomenal goal scoring record for his country; 109 goals in 147 games. Bear in mind that 1 goal every 2 games is considered very good indeed, and his record speaks for itself!
Arguably Daei's finest hour in an Iran shirt came against Korea Republic in the 1996 AFC Asian Cup, a match he has described as “the most unforgettable of my life”. With Iran trailing 2-1 early in the second half, Daei took the game by the scruff of the neck, setting up Khodadad Aziz for the equaliser and then striking four goals to secure a remarkable 6-2 victory.
He was supposed to be in my fantasy team, but I forgot. Shame, he's a great player.