Top Black Players to Watch in 2014 World Cup

The soccer stars everyone should know.

France Ousts Nigeria, Altidore a Go Versus Belgium - France kicked off Monday’s World Cup action with a 2-0 shutout of Nigeria, advancing to the quarterfinals of the tournament. The other match on the day, Germany-Algeria, is currently underway and scoreless in the second half. In other World Cup news, USA forward Jozy Altidore will be available to play against Belgium in Tuesday's match. Altidore is coming off a strained hamstring. (Photo: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)
Marcelo (Brazil) - Born in Rio de Janeiro, and on the Brazilian national team, Marcelo spends most of the year playing alongside his best friend, Cristiano Ronaldo, for Real Madrid. At 26 years old, the defender is fast — as in, so fast he has often dribbled the ball over half of the field before you even know who has possession. He has been playing since he was nine and, at 13, was recruited by local Brazilian club Fluminense for their youth team. This is Marcelo's first World Cup, where he can show why soccer legend Maradona said he is the best player today for his position.(Photo: Scott Heavey/Getty Images)
Kevin Prince Boeteng (Ghana) - Although Kevin Prince Boeteng has distinguished himself on the field as a midfielder for FC Schalke and a forward on Ghana’s national team, his history-making moment came when he walked off the field. In 2013, when the 27-year-old was still playing for AC Milan, frustrated with the nonstop racist chants from the crowd, he stopped playing and left the field — a direct violation of league rules. Instead of punishment, he was supported by his own teammates, who abandoned the game completely. This summer, in his second World Cup, he will be playing against his brother, who is on the German team. (Photo: Clive Mason/Getty Images)
Pepe (Portugal) - Mario Balotelli gets a lot of attention for being a ticking time bomb on the field, but Portuguese midfielder and Real Madrid player Pepe (born Képler Laveran Lima Ferreira) is no slacker either. The 31-year-old takes his role as defensive midfielder seriously, parceling kicks, shoves and other abuse at will. The list of players he’s turned on is long and includes Lionel Messi and Neymar. There was also a 2009 incident where he pulled another player down, kicked him twice, pushed his head into the dirt — and then stomped on him. For some that might be career ending, but for vital-to-the-team Pepe it was only a 10-game ban. His aggressive tactics could be what Portugal needs to win their group in the World Cup.  (Photo: Jamie McDonald/Getty Images)

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Marcelo (Brazil) - Born in Rio de Janeiro, and on the Brazilian national team, Marcelo spends most of the year playing alongside his best friend, Cristiano Ronaldo, for Real Madrid. At 26 years old, the defender is fast — as in, so fast he has often dribbled the ball over half of the field before you even know who has possession. He has been playing since he was nine and, at 13, was recruited by local Brazilian club Fluminense for their youth team. This is Marcelo's first World Cup, where he can show why soccer legend Maradona said he is the best player today for his position.(Photo: Scott Heavey/Getty Images)

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