World Cup 2014: Player profile - Javier Pastore, the Argentina midfielder

Counting down the 100 players to look out for in Brazil this summer

Javier Pastore (REUTERS)

The World Cup in Brazil is coming into view and everyone is hoping this summer's carnival can take its place among some of the great tournaments of the past, but who will be the star of the show?

With 84 days to go until things kick-off, check out our latest instalment of 100 players to look out for at the competition below.

84. Javier Pastore (Argentina)

Pastore is not the first name you think of when Argentina’s attack enters the conversation given the fact they have Lionel Messi, Sergio Aguero, Gonzalo Higuain and Ezequiel Lavezzi readily available to them, but he may well play a big part in their quest for international glory this year.

The attacking midfielder is by no means prolific in front of goal, but during his years at Palermo and current club Paris Saint-Germaine he has shown to be a constant provider of chances to those in front of him. It certainly helps that on a regular basis, it’s either Zlatan Ibrahimovic or Messi that happens to be that person.

However, that fact has hindered his own career as he is regularly overshadowed by those striking powerhouses and he’s subsequently fallen out of favour at the French champions, with his price tag of €40million looking questionable. He featured in South Africa for Diego Maradona but was used sparingly as a substitute throughout. He’ll be hoping to stake a claim for a starting place in Alejandro Sabella’s XI this June.

Did you know? In February this year, Joey Barton claimed on Twitter the Argentinian ‘couldn’t get a beach ball off him in a phone box’.