Throughout my years of watching soccer, I often recognized greatness without having to be sold on a player's abilities. Casually, I'd ask a friend, "hey, who is number...". For instance, I remember watching the U.S.A. face the Netherlands in a 2003 friendly when I noticed a fearless man in orange take on an American defender whose name was Arjen Robben. I watched the 2003 Gold Cup where I saw a midfielder, who turned out to be Kaka, slice through the defense and lay off a perfect through ball. The same thing happened in 2010 when I saw Gareth Bale race down the left wing in a pre-season friendly in New York. These players don't require a sales pitch. Their ability speaks for itself.
