Bundesliga stars at the Confederations Cup
Brazilian bit players, a Spanish sub who should probably start, and the better part of an entire team of Japanese kickers plying their trade in Germany: the Bundesliga has sent an unlucky 13 to the Confederations Cup.
A 40-million-euro bargain, Javi Martinez
His price tag raised some eyebrows, his performances made millions more stand on end. Javi Martinez has cemented his spot as Bayern Munich's midfield enforcer, freeing up Bastian Schweinsteiger to concentrate on the 'beautiful' game. A bear in the tackle, a giraffe in the air and a sly fox with the ball on the deck - only Spain could afford to seat a midfielder of this caliber on the bench.
Workhorse Hasebe leads Japanese troupe
The Bundesliga could almost single-handedly field a Japanese team, save for the goalie and central defenders. And captain Makoto Hasebe plies his trade in Wolfsburg. A midfielder who's versatile, tireless and technically adept, it's easy to see why Hasebe leads the Japanese. Even Felix Magath, a taskmaster so hard as to be loathed by many stars, extended Hasebe's Wolfsburg contract when in charge.
Takashi Inui monsters the top-division hurdle
One of the most impressive actors in Frankfurt's Cinderella Bundesliga season was Japanese winger Takashi Inui. After a short stint with Bochum in the second division, Inui moved up with Frankfurt and helped the side qualify for European competition. Perhaps against poorly prepared opponents who had not done their scouting homework, Inui was red hot early in the season as a fresh Bundesliga face.
A rare ray of Nuremberg sunshine
Bundesliga mid-table mainstays Nuremberg aren't always the most exciting team to watch, but they do boast one of the league's most exhilarating forwards. Not just a set piece specialist, Hiroshi Kiyotake can dribble, link play and boasts a wicked shot. Likely to warm Japan's Confederations Cup bench, he is a promising understudy for star attacking midfielders like Keisuke Honda and Shinji Kagawa.
Dante steps into the next circle
Bayern Munich's Brazilian bargain and defensive rock enjoyed his breakout season at the late age of 29. It's hard to catch the Selecao's eye during three years starring for an often relegation-threatened Borussia Mönchengladbach in the Bundesliga. Winning a treble with Bayern is a different story, though. Now, the defender who has toured Europe for a decade is finally capped, and famous, at home.
Bayern bench boy makes Brazilian grade
Like Dante, Luiz Gustavo missed the German Cup final and Bayern's treble when Brazil insisted that the pair link up with the squad 14 days ahead of the Confederations Cup. Bayern were not amused - and neither were the players, if Säbener Strasse sources are on the money. A holding midfielder who's too good to serve as a Bayern sub, Luiz Gustavo may be leaving Bavaria this summer.
Long-service medal at Schalke
Right back Atsuto Uchida has played three seasons with Schalke, in times of gladness and sadness. He retains a sharp sense of identity with Japan - one day after the 2011 earthquake and tsunami he donned a shirt with hand-written well-wishes in Japanese and German for those affected. Uchida has 57 international caps; it's probably fair to say he's 'first reserve' in Schalke's back line.
Another Shinji, this time in Stuttgart
Shinji Okazaki struggles for playing time in Stuttgart but is something of a regular with Japan, playing alongside the Bundesliga's most famous, departed Japanese star Shinji Kagawa. The versatile attacker nearly scored in this month's German Cup final, with Japan evidently less concerned than tournament hosts Brazil about the 'deadline' for players joining their Confederations Cup squads.
Two good feet, plus some defensive naivete
Like Okazaki, Gotoku Sakai came on as a sub for Stuttgart in the German Cup final. This cross to Martin Harnik set up the southerners' first goal as they managed to make the mighty Bayern sweat a little in the closing phases of the game. First choice at right back for much of the season, Sakai has sometimes struggled to cope as part of a defense that conceded an above-average 55 Bundesliga goals.
A second Sakai in the north
Hiroki Sakai is no relation to Gotoku, except that he too is happiest on the right side of defense. The 23-year-old graduated from Japan's U23 team last year and has seven caps to his name. He's still on the fringes of the senior set up, as is the case at club level. Worryingly for a defender, Sakai was subbed out in five of his 13 Bundesliga appearances with Hannover this season.
One is Akpala's magic - surely hated - number
Striker Joseph Akpala has one goal for Nigeria and one for Werder Bremen; he'd surely prefer more. In his defense, it's hard to hit the net when all you get are junk minutes as a substitute for poacher Nils Petersen at Bremen. Akpala was a goal machine with Nigeria's U23 outfit, bagging 10 in 23 appearances, but with the senior side his tally is still sparse. Perhaps he can change that in Brazil.
Loaned down a league to find his feet
Youngster Anthony Ujah is contracted to Bundesliga club Mainz, but he spent the season downstream in another city on the river Rhine, Cologne. The 22-year-old Nigerian bagged 13 goals, holding up his part of the bargain in Cologne's unsuccessful hunt for promotion. The side was on fire for most of the season, but an ignominious beginning and end to the campaign muddied the waters.
Hajime Hosogai, victim of his own success?
Midfield anchor man Hajime Hosogai, 26, is good enough to catch Bayer Leverkusen's eye, but not exceptional enough to break into the Bundesliga's clear third power. It's a hard life battling Germans Lars Bender, Simon Rolfes and Gonzalo Castro for a midfield berth - if you don't believe us, just ask Germany's former captain Michael Ballack. That competition was so stiff that it ended his career.