10 Premier League Flops Who Could Become World Cup 2014 Stars

9. Bryan Ruiz - Costa Rica

Whether cutting in from the right wing or playing as a second striker, Bryan Ruiz had always scored crucial goals wherever he played, whether back home in Costa Rica or in Belgium and Holland. In 2009 Steve McClaren paid 5 million Euros to bring him to FC Twente and Ruiz repaid that faith as his 24 goals pushed the team to their first and only Eredivisie title. With rumoured interest from Arsenal, Ruiz eventually ended up in London but with the somewhat lesser Fulham as Martin Jol made him one of his first signings for £10.6 million. In that first season Ruiz, who had managed more than a goal every two games for Twente, hit the net twice in 27 appearances, ending the season with a broken foot. In all Ruiz scored just 8 times in his entire 74 match Fulham career. His last game for Fulham was the humiliating 6-0 defeat away at Hull City just after Christmas, during which Ruiz, who had had no positive impact on the game, was substituted after an hour. A transfer window loan move to PSV Eindhoven seems to have reinvigorated the Costa Rican star, however, and he has already managed to score almost as many for the Dutch club in five months than he did in three years at Craven Cottage. In the World Cup Qualifiers Ruiz's goal to beat Mexico was a key moment in the 5th seeded Costa Ricans qualifying second from the CONCACAF group. In the absence of star striker Alvaro Saborio, Ruiz could be even more important to his national team and, with Uruguay, England and Italy all looking a little shaky defensively recently he could spring a surprise on Premier League defenders who underrate him.