Rising Soccer Player 2012 - Oscar, Brazilian footballer

Oscar dos Santos Emboaba Júnior (born 9 September 1991), commonly known as Oscar, is a Brazilian footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Premier League club Chelsea and the Brazilian national team.

Oscar began his career at Sâo Paulo, where he won the Brazilian Serie A in 2008. In 2009, he went to court against the club due to irregularities in his contract. After a series of controversies he left for Internacional, where he spent the next three years of his career.

His displays for club and country caught the eye of Barclays Premier League clubs Chelsea and Tottenham Hotspur in 2012, and by the 9th July it appeared that Chelsea had won the race. About 2 weeks later Chelsea confirmed the deal, and Oscar was handed the number 11 shirt, following on from Chelsea legend Didier Drogba.

Oscar is a Brazil international and has represented his country at U-20 level, at the 2012 London Olympics and at senior level. On 20 August 2011, Oscar scored three goals in the 2011 FIFA U-20 World Cup final win against Portugal, becoming the first player to score a hat-trick in the FIFA U-20 World Cup final. Oscar later described his performances at the tournament as being a "gateway to the senior side". He earned his first cap for the national team against Argentina. His first goal also came against Argentina in a 3-4 defeat in June 2012.

His playing style and ability have drawn comparison to Brazil international Kaká and Germany international Mesut Özil.

Talented Soccer Player 2012 - Mario Götze, German footballer

Mario Götze (born 3 June 1992) is a German footballer who plays as an attacking midfielder for Borussia Dortmund in the German Bundesliga and the German national team. He primarily plays as an attacking midfielder, but is capable of operating as a right or left winger. Götze is considered to be an up-and-coming, potential world class player, possessing high speed, excellent technical and dribbling skill, play-making capabilities and spellbinding creativity. Former German Football Association's technical director Matthias Sammer reckons Götze as "one of the best talents that we've ever had".

Götze was born in Memmingen, Bavaria. His father Jürgen Götze is a renowned professor at the Dortmund University of Technology. His brother Fabian Götze currently plays for VfL Bochum II, having left Dortmund's youth system in 2010.

After ascending through several youth teams, Mario Götze was called up for his first senior match for Germany against Sweden, on 17 November 2010. He made his debut that day, coming on in the 78th minute in a goalless draw, substituting for his Dortmund teammate Kevin Großkreutz and becoming the youngest German international since Uwe Seeler. Götze and André Schürrle who came on simultaneously are the first two Germany players to be born in reunified Germany. He made his second appearance for the national team in a friendly match against Italy on 9 February 2011.

Götze's first goal for Germany was against Brazil on 10 August 2011; at 19 years and 68 days he became the joint-youngest goalscorer for the German national team in the post-war era along with Klaus Stürmer who scored on debut against France on 16 October 1954. Götze made his tournament debut in Euro 2012 after coming on as a substitute against Greece in the quarter-finals. 

Talented Soccer Player 2012 - Kevin Strootman, Dutch footballer

Kevin Strootman (born 13 February 1990) is a Dutch footballer. He primarily plays as a central midfielder.

Strootman began his career with VV Rijsoord and signed a youth contract for RJO Sparta Rotterdam in 2007.

Kevin Strootman made his international debut in the friendly against Austria on 9 February 2011, replacing Theo Janssen. The former coach of the national team, Bert van Marwijk, is known to be a great admirer of Strootman, stating his "vision" as one of his best assets. He scored his first international goal against Finland on 6 September 2011, and was included in the Dutch Euro 2012 squad.