Wednesday, May 03, 2006

Watch Out For Desert Fox in 2006 World Cup.

HAVING scored 14 goals during qualification, defenders at the 2006 World Cup have been served fair warning that Mexico's Jared Borgetti is a menace who has to be closely marked. No other player has scored more goals on the road to Germany.

Borgetti holds the record as Mexico's top ever international goal scorer, passing the 36 scored by Carlos Hermosillo and Luis Hernandez, with his 37th in a 2-0 win over Costa Rica in August 2005.

Borgetti is a wily opportunist rather than a workhorse, his most lethal weapon being a bullet-like header. One such memorable goal came in the 2002 World Cup against Italy when he headed past Gianluigi Buffon in a 1-1 draw.

Borgetti has the uncanny knack of bagging match-winning goals against Brazil, the latest coming in the 1-0 win in the Confederations Cup in Germany 2005. He did the same in the 2001 Copa America and the 2003 Gold Cup.

The ‘Desert Fox’, as he is known in Mexico, had missed a penalty in the 2005 Brazil match before getting a 59th minute winner, which says volumes about his never-say-die attitude.

"I don't crumble easy," Borgetti said afterwards. "I have great confidence in myself."

A quality that should serve him well when he returns to Germany next month.

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