Position: Forward
Born: 04.05.80
Club: Grenoble

Masashi Oguro is perhaps the Japan striker most likely to impress at World Cup 2006, providing he can find the form he showed in Germany last summer.

After coming through the ranks at Gamba Osaka, Oguro earned a reputation for goal poaching and consistently featured in the J-League top scorers' chart.

He then burst onto the international scene with the winning goal at home to North Korea in World Cup qualifying and added another in the return fixture.

Oguro was on target again in the 2005 Confederations Cup, scoring the only goal against European champions Greece in Frankfurt before netting in the 2-2 draw with Brazil in Cologne.

After something of a drought, Oguro jumped at the chance to join French Ligue 2 side Grenoble, recently under new Japanese ownership. However, he found the net just five times in 2005/6 as the Alpine club finished 10th.

Oguro's selection has caused some mutterings among Japanese journalists, who have queried why Zico has relied upon Oguro while consistently overlooking Daisuke Matsui.

The latter is also with a French club - mid-table Ligue 1 side Le Mans - but despite rave reviews, he has been given few chances at international level.

However, Zico has always shown loyalty to a core group of players and, in backing Oguro for the World Cup, hopes his faith will be repaid with goals in Germany again.